A mixture of Ca(OH)2 paste and ZnO powder as a root canal filling material for primary teeth: a preliminary study

The present pilot study was conducted on five primary mandibular second molars requiring endodontic treatment to evaluate the clinical and radiographic success of root canal filling material which was a mixture of calcium hydroxide paste (1 cm), Zinc oxide powder (15 gms) and distilled water using hand operated lentulo spirals. All the five cases on clinical evaluation after 2,4,6,9, and 12 months were found to be asymptomatic with no history of pain, tenderness or abnormal mobility. Immediate post-operative radiographic evaluation revealed adequate root canal filling in all cases. The obturated material remained upto the apex of root canals till the beginning of physiologic root resorption. The roots of the primary teeth as well as the filling material mentioned above were seen to resorb at the same rate in one case.     

Interleukin-1 alpha, interleukin-8 and interferon-alpha levels in gingival crevicular fluid

Cytokines play an important role in the pathology associated with chronic inflammatory diseases. We measured the total amounts [picograms (pg)] and concentrations (pg/μl) of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-lα), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and interferonalpha (IFN-α) in 20 s gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples obtained from 2 diseased and 2 healthy sites in 20 subjects with periodontitis, and from 2 healthy sites in 20 subjects without disease. Both the mean amount and concentration of IL-lα were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in diseased sites compared to healthy sites in subjects with disease. The results for IL-8 and IFN-α differed depending on the method of reporting. Whereas the amount of IL-8 was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in diseased sites, the mean concentration of IL-8 was lower compared to healthy sites. The mean amount of IFN-α was similar in health and disease; however, the concentration of IFN-alpha was significantly lower in diseased sites (p < 0.001) corresponding to the significant increase in crevicular fluid volume (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the amount or concentrations of the 3 cytokines between healthy sites from subjects with disease and healthy sites from healthy controls. The total amounts of both IFN-α and IL-8 were correlated between healthy and diseased sites in subjects. These data suggest that, while the disease status of a site is the major determinant of the levels of these cytokines locally, subjects with high levels of IL-8 and IFN-α in healthy sites also tend to have high levels of these cytokines in diseased sites. Finally, both the concentrations and total amounts of IL-8 and IFN-α were significantly correlated in diseased sites, suggesting that levels of these two cytokines rise or fall in tandem. The combination of decreased IL-8 and decreased IFN-α concentrations at diseased sites may reflect the reduced anti-bacterial host defense activity at that site.     

Robot‐assisted laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for left clinical stage I non‐seminomatous germ cell testicular cancer: Focus on port placement and surgical technique

The aim of our report was to describe the feasibility of robotic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection in the contemporary era. We suggest the linear port location and 90° robotic docking as the main key to minimizing instrument clashing and improving the range of surgical accessibility.     

Pé caído: uma complicação iatrogênica da anestesia espinhal

Background and objectives

Foot drop in postoperative period is very rare after spinal anesthesia. Early clinical assessment and diagnostic interventions is of prime importance to establish the etiology and to start appropriate management. Close follow‐up is warranted in early postoperative period in cases when patient complain paresthesia or pain during needle insertion or drug injection.