Stereophotogrammetric analysis of labial morphology in a young adult Middle-Eastern population

Introduction

The majority of previous research delineating the morphological characteristics of the orolabial region has been on Caucasian populations, with very minor research on Mediterranean populations, and none on the Lebanese population.

Extensible endoprostheses of the humerus after resection of bone tumours

We carried out extensible endoprosthetic replacement of the proximal or total humerus in 18 children aged between six and 12 years, after resection of primary bone tumours mainly for osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma. In 11 patients we performed 44 lengthening procedures, with an average of two per child annually and a mean total extension of 29.9 mm per patient. We were able to achieve lengthening of the operated limb with few complications and a mean functional rating of 79.3% according to the Enneking system. Progressive lengthening of these prostheses does not adversely affect the overall function of the arm, and superior subluxation of the head of the prosthesis has not been a problem.     

Toxic shock syndrome caused by a strain of Staphylococcus aureus that produces enterotoxin C but not toxic shock syndrome toxin-1

An 8-month-old infant presented with pneumonia and pleural effusion associated with clinical manifestation of toxic shock syndrome. A Staphylococcus aureus strain isolated from the pleural fluid produced enterotoxin C, but not toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 or other enterotoxins. Acute and convalescent sera showed an antibody rise to enterotoxin C but not to toxic shock syndrome toxin-1. These findings support the possibility that enterotoxin C was the primary toxin associated with this infant's illness.     

Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia

This study comprised the largest number (76) of cases of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN) so far reported. Women diagnosed with VaIN were older (mean age 50.2 years) than those diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Many of the women had previously undergone (71.2%). In the majority of cases, the diagnosis was made after cytologic testing. In 92.4% of the cases, the lesions affected the upper third of the vagina. Grades of VaIN were distributed as follows: grade 1 52.6%, grade 2 191.%, grade 3 28.9%, with a 15-year interval between VaIN 1 and 2 as a group and VaIN 3 as another group. The cases of VaIN were divided into five groups: VaIN de novo; VaIN + CIN; VaIN postradiotherapy; VaIN + CIN + VIN; and incidental finding of VaIN on the surgical specimen. The therapeutic modalities were heterogeneous; CO2 laser therapy was used most frequently (54.2%). Failures are attributed mainly to the multifocal character of the lesions (particularly with human papilloma virus infection) or their localization in the vaginal angles. Overall, the number of cases, the duration of follow-up (39.2 months), and the unsatisfactory results with CO2 laser therapy have led us to propose a therapeutic decision tree where in which 5-fluorouracil plays a major role, CO2 laser and surgical therapeutic modalities having limited and precise indications.     

Abdomino-pelvic actinomycosis: a case report

The actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative granulomatosis disease. It is owed to a bacillus gram positive; actinomycès israelli. The cervical and thoracic localizations are most frequent. The digestive localization represents 20% of cases. It interest very rarely the pelvis and the genital tracts. We bring back the observation of a patient old of 30 years admitted for mass abdominal. To the exam, the patient had a sensibility of the left hypochondriac area and we found a mass of 6 cm of diameter. To the rectal touch, we found a mass in the bag of Douglas. The echography and the computed tomography revealed a collection under the spleen and a pelvic collection. A rectotomy is performed. The bacteriological study isolates actinomycès israelli. The collection under the spleen is drained under radiological control. Actinomycès israelli is also recovered in the pus brought back by the puncture. The patient is treated by Penicillin. The patient had a favourable evolution. No etiology is found at this patient. For this observation, the collection was accessible to a drainage permitting the diagnosis and the treatment of the actinomycosis while avoiding a mutilated surgery.     

Variability of adjustments to indices in determining patient risk in biochemical screening

It has long been appreciated that the measurement of biochemical parameters for prenatal screening for neural tube defects, and later aneuploidy, is not as simple as measuring hemoglobin or hematocrit. Early in the game, it was recognized that there are gestational age curves, and that since alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), for example, is a fetal product, its distribution varies as a function of maternal plasma volume, and therefore the weight of the mother. A number of different adjustment factors have been used for AFP and other parameters for years, with varying degrees of consistency and reliability. Here we review a number of adjustments that have been used, and try to give priority to those that have been most effective. Furthermore, laboratories and programs need to be cognizant that with newer parameters being added, the specifics of requirements will vary on a case-by-case parameter basis, and optimal screening can only be achieved with the appropriate adjustments.     

A new three-dimensional method of assessing facial volumetric changes after orthognathic treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To validate a new method of facial volumetric assessment that is dependent on the use of stereophotogrammetric models and a software-based Facial Analysis Tool. DESIGN: The method was validated in vitro with three-dimensional (3D) models of a lifelike plastic female dummy head and in vivo with a male-subject head. METHODS: Thirty facial silicone explants were added in the nasal and perioral regions of each head, and their volumes were obtained by three different algorithms. These were compared with the actual values obtained by a "water displacement" method. RESULTS: The least mean error was found with the "tetrahedron formation" method followed by the "projection" method and the "back-plane construction" method. The error with the tetrahedron formation method was 0.071 cm(3) (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.074 to 0.2161 cm3) with the in vitro models and 0.314 cm3 (95% CI: -0.080 to 0.708 cm3) with the in vivo models. The increased volumetric assessment error observed in vivo was attributed to the registration procedure and possible changes in facial expression. CONCLUSIONS: These results encourage the use of this method in the 3D assessment of orthognathic surgical outcome, provided a standardized facial expression is used for image acquisition.