Life-threatening complications associated with acute monocytic leukaemia after dental treatment

It is highly recommended to conduct a prophylactic check for any dental problems on patients who suffer from leukaemia before chemotherapy begins. Bacteraemia caused by oral microflora may be very dangerous for patients with haematological malignancies. However, it should be noted that the prophylactic process itself might bring about life-threatening complications if there is only a short interval between dental treatment and the beginning of chemotherapy, or if the dental treatment is too aggressive. We present a case where this prophylactic procedure produced life-threatening complications for a patient with acute myeloid leukaemia.     

Presence of residual basal cell carcinoma in re-excised specimens is more probable when deep and lateral margins were positive

In order to quantify presence of residual BCC in patients with histologic positive margins after the first excison and to correlate the presence of residual tumor in re‐excised lesions with the location of the positive margin on the first excision, a retrospective evaluation of 2053 surgically treated BCC was performed. Only 38.3% of the re‐excised lesions showed residual tumor. In the group of re‐excised lesions where residual BCC was found, 13% had lateral positive margin in the first excision, 39% had deep positive margin and 48% had both lateral and deep positive margins. In the group of re‐excised lesions where no residual BCC was found, 49% of the primary excised lesions had lateral positive margin, 32% had deep positive margin and 19% had both deep and lateral positive margins. The association between residual tumor and positive margins was statistically significant (p = 0.01). Our findings confirm that presence of residual tumour is more likely when both lateral and deep margins are compromised.     

Pyroglutamic acid improves the age associated memory impairment

Pyroglutamic acid (PCA) was compared with placebo in a randomized, double blind trial for assessing its efficacy in treating memory deficits in 40 aged subjects. Twenty subjects were treated with PCA and 20 with placebo over a period of 60 d. Memory functions were evaluated at baseline and after 60 d of treatment by means of a battery made up of 6 memory tasks. The results suggest that PCA is effective in improving some verbal memory functions in subjects affected by age-related memory decline.     

Percutaneous removal of residual intrahepatic stones

In the Orient there is a high frequency of residual intrahepatic stones after biliary tract surgery. Percutaneous removal of residual intrahepatic stones was attempted in a group of 74 patients. Stones were exclusively intrahepatic in 57 patients, whereas 17 patients also had stones in the common bile duct. Biliary strictures were present in 60 cases (81%). A combination of techniques was used, including preshaped angulated catheters, irrigation-suction, balloon dilation of strictures, and crushing of large stones. In 36 cases all stones were removed and in 14 cases most stones were removed, for a success rate of 67.6%. Biliary stricture was the factor most often responsible for failure.     

Splanchnic artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms: transcatheter embolization

Over the past 7 years, eight patients with splanchnic artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms were studied and treated. Transcatheter embolization resulted in occlusion of the lesions in all eight patients. Potentially risky and difficult surgery was avoided completely in four patients. Three patients had elective surgery at a later date when their condition was more stable. The remaining patient had definitive surgery after embolization. Transcatheter embolization should be the initial treatment of choice in splanchnic artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms.