Modification of a hand splint to permit playing of the guitar

Modification of a hand splint for a musician who had suffered an incomplete disruption of the left ring finger extensor tendon is described. This modification enabled the patient to receive the benefit of conservative treatment of this disruption while continuing his employment. The modification can be performed easily with the standard stack splint; the success of this method is described.     

Der Einsatz des Prophy-Jet®-Gerätes zur Schmelzpolitur nach der Bracketentfernung

Zusammenfassung In einer In-vitro-Studie wurde die Einsatzfähigkeit des Prophy-Jet-^®-Gerätes für die Schmelzpolitur nach Bracketentfernung untersucht. In die Studie wurden drei verschieden stark gefüllte orthodontische Kleber einbezogen: Concise^®, Genie^® und Mono Lok^®. Alle Proben wurden rasterelektronenoptisch untersucht und fotografisch dokumentiert in Vergrößerungen zwischen 20- und 10 000fach. Die Oberflächenanalyse ergab, daß das Prophy-Jet^®-Gerät allein zur Schmelzpolitur nach Bracketentfernung nicht ausreicht, um unter klinisch vertretbarem Zeitaufwand (1 Minute/Zahn) eine kunststofffreie Schmelzoberfläche zu erzielen. Nach konventioneller makroskopischer Vorreinigung mit Scalern oder rotierenden Hartmetallfinierern zeigten sich nach fünfsekündiger Prophy-Jet^®-Bestrahlung noch geringe Kleberreste. Nach zehnsekündiger Expositionsdauer waren beim Mono Lok^®-Adhäsiv keine Kleberreste mehr nachweisbar, beim Concise^®-bzw. Genie^®-Adhäsiv fanden sich noch vereinzelte geringe Kleberinseln. Das Prophy-Jet^®-Gerät erscheint zur Unterstützung der Schmelzpolitur nach Bracketentfernung sinnvoll; eine sorgfältige Vorreinigung mit Hand- oder rotierenden Instrumenten ist jedoch erforderlich, um eine weitgehende Adhäsivreduktion zu erreichen. Die konventionelle Gummi- und Bimssteinpolitur kann nach 20sekündiger Prophy-Jet^®-Bestrahlung entfallen.

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Summary The purpose of this in vitro investigation was to ascertain the effects of the Prophy-Jet^® air-powder abrasive system for enamel polishing after debonding. Three adhesives differing in filler content were included in this study: Concise^®, Genie^®, and Mono Lok^®. All specimens were examined by scanning electron microscopy and documented photographically at magnifications from 20 to 10 000. Surface analysis showed that using the Prophy-Jet^® exclusively is not sufficient to produce a clean and smooth enamel surface without residual adhesive after debonding and after one minute of exposure time, as might be justifiable in a clinical situation. After macroscopic conventional clean-up with scalers or rotary finishing instruments and five seconds of exposure time to the Prophy-Jet^® some occasional adhesive remnants could be located. After ten seconds of Prophy-Jet^® treatment all Mono Lok^®-adhesive was removed from the enamel surface; in the Concise^® and Genie^®-group few isolated adhesive remnants could be detected. The Prophy-Jet^® air-powder abrasive system was found to be efficient in supporting enamel polishing after debonding; but an accurate pretreatment with scalers or rotary finishing instruments is essential to achieve an extensive reduction of adhesive. Final polishing of the enamel surface with rubber wheels or prophy cup and pumice can be omitted after treatment with the Prophy-Jet^® for 20 seconds.

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Résumé Le but de ce travail était d'éxaminer à l'aide d'une étude in vitro, l'emploi du Prophy Jet^® pour le polissage de l'émail après l'arrachage des brackets. Dans l'étude on a analysé trois substances adhésives différentes: Concise^®, Genie^® et Mono Lok^®. Après avoir examiné les spécimens par le microscope électronique à balayage, on les a documentés à l'aide de photos d'un grossissement de 20 à 10 000. L'analyse de la surface montre que la seule application du Prophy Jet^® (après l'arrachage des brackets) ne suffit pas pour obtenir une surface d'émail sans substance adhésive en un temps clinique d'une minute par dent. Après prétraitement macroscopique selon la méthode conventionnelle (scaler ou instruments montés sur tour) il demeurait encore de petits restes de la substance adhésive après l'application du Prophy Jet^® pendant cinq secondes. Après une durée d'application de dix secondes, on ne pouvait pas déceler de restes de Mono Lok^®, tandis qu'il y avait sporadiquement des restes de Concise^® et Genie^®. Ces résultats indiquent, que le Prophy Jet^® est efficace pour le polissage de l'émail après l'arrachage des brackets, mais on a tout de même besoin d'un nettoyage précédent minutieux avec des instruments convenables (scaler ou instruments montés sur le tour) pour obtenir une réduction considérable de la substance adhésive. On peut renoncer au polissage conventionnel à l'aide de caoutchouc ou de la pierre ponce après l'application du Prophy Jet^® pendant 20 secondes.

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Vortrag auf der wissenschaftlichen Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Kieferorthopädie 1985.     

Necrosis of the femoral head following fracture of the femoral neck

One hundred and thirty fractures of the femoral neck treated with sliding screw-plate or sliding nail-plate were followed for up to 65 months postoperatively. Throughout the observation period the yearly incidence of necrosis of the femoral head was between 5 and 10 per cent, as estimated by the life table method, and after 5 years 37 per cent of the patients with united fractures had developed necrosis of the femoral head. The cases of necrosis were all characterized radiographically by one or more areas of subchondral cortical depression, generalized subchondral fragmentation or isolated patches of sclerosis. It is concluded that estimation of the frequency of femoral head necrosis after fracture of the femoral neck requires long-term follow-up and reliable, reproducible radiographical criteria for necrosis of the head. Because of the high mortality of patients sustaining these fractures, statistical methods employing censored data should be used.     

Oxybutynin versus propantheline in patients with multiple sclerosis and detrusor hyperreflexia

Hyperreflexia is the most common urological finding in patients with multiple sclerosis. A prospective randomized study was done to compare the effectiveness of 2 commonly used drugs, oxybutynin and propantheline. Of the 34 patients entered into the trial 19 were treated with oxybutynin and 15 with propantheline. The urological symptoms (frequency, nocturia, hesitancy, urgency and urge incontinence) were graded according to severity from 0 to 3. Patients with urinary infection were excluded. Urodynamic examination, consisting of cystometrography and electromyography, was performed in all patients before treatment. Both groups of patients had comparable neurological, urological and urodynamic status before treatment. In 4 patients (21 per cent) treated with oxybutynin and in 4 (27 per cent) treated with propantheline side effects were so severe that the treatment had to be discontinued. Symptomatic response to oxybutynin was good in 10 patients (67 per cent), fair in 2 (13 per cent) and poor in 3 (20 per cent). Propantheline produced good symptomatic results in 4 patients (36 per cent), fair in 1 (9 per cent) and poor in 6 (55 per cent). The mean increase in maximum cystometric capacity on cystometrography was significantly larger in the oxybutynin group than in the propantheline group (144 +/- 115 versus 35 +/- 101). Our results indicate that oxybutynin is more effective than propantheline in the treatment of detrusor hyperreflexia in patients with multiple sclerosis.     

Roentgen diagnosis of midfacial fractures

The course and configuration of typical maxillofacial fractures (type Le Fort I-III) and lateral maxillary fractures including the zygomatic arch were reconstructed in detail by application of barium paste on a bony skull and radiographs in standard projections were performed and evaluated. It was obvious from the resulting radiographs that for most maxillofacial fractures a half axial or Water's view was most helpful. Lateral views only give additional information when there is a considerable degree of dislocation of fragments. Comparison with a pediatric skull of 8 years of age demonstrated that fractures of the zygomatic arch in this age group cannot be demonstrated by the typical submento-vertical view, but are shown on a Towne projection. The radiographic appearance of important maxillofacial fractures is demonstrated. The necessity of further studies in cases where reconstructive surgery appears necessary is discussed and CT rather then conventional tomography is advocated.     

Increased production of peroxidation products associated with cardiac operations. Evidence for free radical generation

We investigated the degree and time course of neutrophil sequestration into human lungs during cardiac operations. At the same time, measurement of the concentration of peroxidation products in the plasma was used as an index of oxidant free radical activity. The study was performed in two groups of patients. Group A (n = 11) had studies extending over the entire operative period and showed a highly significant sequestration of neutrophils into the lung, together with a highly significant (p less than 0.001) rise in peroxidation products from 2.8 +/- 0.12 nmol/ml(mean +/- standard error of the mean)before bypass to a peak of 5.05 +/- 0.13 nmol/ml at the end of bypass. As these changes occurred only during the time after release of the aortic cross-clamp, we investigated this period in more detail in a second group of patients (Group B, n = 7). Results from this group showed that significant release of peroxidation products occurred at the same time as pulmonary neutrophil sequestration. This study has produced evidence of increased oxidant activity in the lung associated with cardiac operations. Nevertheless, it is not known whether the neutrophils sequestered into the lung alone induced the increased activity. Similarly, whether neutrophil-derived oxidant species are the sole cause of lung tissue injury remains unproved.     

Sleep in Pick disease

19 polygraphic sleep recordings from 12 patients with Pick's Disease, including four histologically proved cases, were compared to those of an age-matched control group. Symptoms had been present for a mean 8 years, the patients being aged 59 to 78 (mean 70.5 years). All sleep stages could be identified. Total sleep time was reduced and the number of awakenings was sharply increased. High proportion of stage 1 contrasted with the reduction in the other sleep stages with disappearance of stage 4 in advanced cases. REM Sleep was identified in all recordings, although reduced as a function of the length of the illness; its production as a function of total sleep time was not different from that of the control. REM Sleep appeared often fragmented and with a remarkably short latency, reminiscent of that observed in severely depressed patients.