Comparison of two different labial salivary gland biopsy incision techniques: A randomized clinical trial

Objectives: To compare the reliability of two different labial salivary gland biopsy (LSGB) incision techniques (vertical versus horizontal incision techniques) and to report the related complications and discomfort. Study Design: 163 patients who underwent LSGB were included in this study. Patients were randomly divided as vertical incision group (n=81) and horizontal incision group (n=82). Demographic and clinical information of each patient were recorded. A questionnaire was prepared and applied together with Visual Analog Scale (VAS) on the subjects verbally at the 7th day, postoperatively. Intraoperative, short- term and delayed complications were evaluated. Results: The mean age of patients (117 female, 46 male) was 47.3 years (range 19-79 years). Vertical incision technique was associated with less pain (p<0.001), less swelling (p<0.05), less scar formation (p<0.05) and less difficulty in eating (p<0.05) when compared with horizontal incision technique. No statistically significant differences were observed between the 2 groups in terms of hematoma, parasthesia and speech difficulty (p>0.05). Additionally, two subjects in the horizontal incision group revealed permanent paresthesia during the follow-up period of two years. Conclusions: This prospective study demonstrated that the subjects in the vertical incision group had less complication rates and discomfort after labial salivary gland procedure than those in the horizontal incision group (AU)

Oral postinflammatory pigmentation: An analysis of 7 cases

Oral postinflammatory pigmentation (OPP) is a discoloration of the oral mucosa caused by an excess of melaninproduction and deposition with in the basal layer of the epithelium and connective tissue of areas affected by chronicinflammation. Therefore, it is mandatory to demonstrate the association with a previous or concomitant inflammatoryprocess in the same area of oral mucosa. Clinically OPP appears as a localized or diffuse, black to brownpigmentation. OPP may persist for many years even though the disappearing of the pigmentation after the resolution of the inflammatory state has been reported. We reviewed retrospectively the medical records and, when performed,biopsy examinations of 7 cases of OPP. Four cases were associated with oral lichen planus, two cases with lichenoid lesions and one case with proliferative verrucous leukoplakia. Despite a possible high prevalence of OPP, only a fewreports concerning diagnosis, etiopathogenesis and clinical manifestation have been published so far (AU)

Oral status and Candida colonization in patients with Sjögren’s Syndrome

Objective: To determine the oral status, salivary flow rate, Candida carriage in saliva, and prevalence of Candidaalbicans colonization in several areas of the mouth in patients with primary and secondary Sjögren’s syndrome asopposed to those of healthy subjects.Study design: Thirty-seven patients with Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), [14 patients with primary SS (SS-1) and 23patients with secondary SS (SS-2)], along with 37 healthy controls were examined in regard to number of teeth,pro-bing pocket depth (PPD), approximal plaque index (API), bleeding on probing (BOP), presence of prostheticappliances and smoking habits. Salivary flow rate (SFR), Candida carriage in saliva, presence of Candida albicanscolonization on buccal, angular, palatal and sulcular areas, on dentures and on the tongue’s dorsal surfacewere determined. Statistical analyses were performed using the 2-tailed Fisher exact and Kruskal-Wallis test.Results: No statistically significant difference was found between SS-1 and SS-2 groups based on the parametersanalysed. Statistically significant differences were observed between patients with SS and healthy subjects interms of SFR, oral signs and symptoms, API, BOP, C. albicans colonization on tongue and buccal area, and Candidacarriage in saliva. In the gingival crevicular fluid positive C. albicans colonization was found in only onesubject of SS subgroup.Conclusions: SS patients carry a higher risk of having periodontitis and are more predisposed to develop candidiasis.C. albicans is scarcely detected in gingival crevicular fluid despite high scores on C. albicans colonization indifferent areas of the oral cavity in SS patients (AU)

Solitary angiokeratoma of the tongue treated with diode laser.

Angiokeratoma is a muco-cutaneous disorder that is usually associated with a number of metabolic disorders. Involvement of the tongue with solitary angiokeratoma, without a systemic or metabolic disease, is very rare. To the best of our knowledge, we report the second case of solitary angiokeratoma of the tongue arising in a 16-year-old woman who was treated with diode laser (810 nm) in our department.