Ectopic mandibular third molar leading to osteomyelitis of condyle: a case report with literature review

Background

A tooth is said to be ectopic if it is malpositioned either due to congenital factors or displaced due to pathological lesions. The incidence of osteomyelitis of condyle has a rare occurrence, very few cases have been reported, either their etiology is unknown or is due to hematogenous spread or a tuberculous focus. This particular case may be a rare of its kind, as recent literature did not reveal any case where an ectopic mandibular third molar led to osteomyelitis of the condyle.

Case report

This report presents a unique case where an ectopically placed mandibular third molar led to extraoral sinus and scar formation below the ear lobule with osteomyelitis of the mandibular condyle and proposes various indications for its removal along with literature review.

Discussion

Ectopic eruption of a tooth into the dental environment is common, whereas ectopic eruption of tooth in other sites is rare. The exact etiology of ectopic eruption of mandibular third molar in condyle is a rare occurrence and to the best of our knowledge, only 14 cases have been reported in the literature. Management of such cases should be meticulously planned after ruling out various local as well as systemic factors as an underlying cause for osteomyelitis and on the basis of the position and type of ectopic tooth and related potential trauma which could be caused by surgical intervention with less morbidity.

Conclusion

This particular case may be the unique of its kind, as recent literature did not reveal any case where an ectopic mandibular third molar led to osteomyelitis of the condyle. Diagnosis and management in such cases deserve very special attention to rule out various local and systemic causes which can cause osteomyelitis to affect very unusual site like mandibular condyle. The aim of surgical intervention should be to cause minimum morbidity without affecting the functional efficiency of the mandibular condyle. In this report, we also have proposed the indications for surgical intervention to remove ectopically erupted teeth.     

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced optic neuropathy in rabbits

Abstract

Both in vitro and in vivo studies have implicated a role for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFoc) in various demyelinating diseases/ including HIV-related encephalopathy. To investigate whether intravitreal TNFoc can induce optic nerve axonal damage in a rabbit eye model, fifteen rabbit eyes were initially injected with TNFoc (final concentrations: 2U, 20U, and 200U respectively) and studied at varying time intervals for up to 24 weeks post-injection, using light and electron microscopy. Control optic nerves (no injection or diluent injection only) had normal myelinated axons and glia; the myelinated regions, neural retina, retinal glia and vasculature of control retinas were normal. In TNFa-exposed optic nerves, intact, degenerating and demyelinated axons were interspersed. Astrogliosis was present, particularly from 8 weeks p.i. and was noted up to 24 weeks. Oligodendrocytes were not severely affected in TNFoc-exposed optic nerves> and activated macrophages or microglia were not obvious. Axonal degeneration was visible among the more superficial myelinated fibers in TNFoc-exposed retinas however the neural retina glia were unaffected. These observations suggest that the axonal degeneration induced in TNFoc- exposed rabbit optic nerves over a 24 week period was most likely related to direct effects of TNFoc on optic nerve axons, and not primarily due to anterograde degeneration from retinal lesions. In-so-far as neurological pathology in generaland optic nerve degeneration in particular; has been described in AIDS, and TNFoc levels may be elevated in this disease, it is of great clinical significance that TNFoc has the capacity to mediate neuronal or axonal injury. If so, strategies to block or inhibit TNFoc can be pursued for treatment for the neurological symptoms of AIDS. [Neurol Res 1996; 18: 176–184]     

Prednisolone-sparing effect of cyclosporin A therapy for very elderly patients with myasthenia gravis

Three very elderly (over 80 years old) patients having generalized myasthenia gravis without thymoma were treated with cyclosporin A and followed for up to 24 months. Cyclosporin A therapy quickly improved myasthenia gravis symptoms in all cases, which allowed a rapid reduction in the prednisolone dose and improvement of prednisolone-related hyperglycemia and hypertension. Combination therapy with prednisolone and low-dose cyclosporin A not only improved the clinical symptoms of the very elderly myasthenia gravis patients but also resulted in a rapid reduction in prednisolone dosage and prednisolone-related side effects. Attention should be paid to cyclosporin A-related renal dysfunction.     

Outcomes of incisional negative pressure wound therapy following brachiobasilic transposition arteriovenous fistula creation: A 1:2 propensity score matched study

Incisional negative wound pressure therapy (iNPWT) use on closed incisions has been shown to improve wound outcomes, but no studies have evaluated the use of iNPWT following brachiobasilic transposition arteriovenous fistula (BBT‐AVF). We aim to investigate the efficacy of iNPWT vs conventional wound therapy in reducing surgical site infections (SSIs) for BBT‐AVF incisions. This is a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent BBT‐AVF creation between January 2010 and December 2017. A 1:2 propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to reduce selection bias and address for confounding factors. Study outcomes included SSI and haematoma incidence, 30‐day readmission, and 30‐day mortality. A total of 154 patients were reviewed in this study: 47 (30.5%) had iNPWT and 107 (69.5%) had conventional wound therapy. The overall median age was 60.5 (interquartile range 54–69). PSM with a 1:2 ratio resulted in a total of 117 patients (39 iNPWT and 78 conventional wound therapy). In the unmatched cohort, SSI incidence was lower in the iNPWT group (n = 1/47 [2.1%] vs n = 14/107 [13.1%], P = .035). However, incidence of SSI was comparable between iNPWT and conventional wound therapy after matching (n = 1/39 [2.6%] vs n = 9/78 [11.5%], P = .102). There was no significant difference in 30‐day readmission and 30‐day mortality. Within our study population of patients with BBT‐AVF incisions, there is a non‐statistically significant reduction in SSI incidence for patients who received iNPWT as compared with conventional wound therapy. Further prospective randomised controlled studies should be conducted to validate these findings.     

Guidelines for safe transfer of the brain-injured patient: trauma and stroke, 2019

The location of care for many brain-injured patients has changed since 2012 following the development of major trauma centres. Advances in management of ischaemic stroke have led to the urgent transfer of many more patients. The basis of care has remained largely unchanged, however, with emphasis on maintaining adequate cerebral perfusion as the key to preventing secondary injury. Organisational aspects and training for transfers are highlighted, and we have included an expanded section on paediatric transfers. We have also provided a table with suggested blood pressure parameters for the common types of brain injury but acknowledge that there is little evidence for many of our recommendations. These guidelines remain a mix of evidence-based and consensus-based statements. We have received assistance from many organisations representing clinicians who care for these patients, and we believe our views represent the best of current thinking and opinion. We encourage departments to review their own practice using our suggestions for audit and quality improvement.     

Guidelines on suicide amongst anaesthetists 2019

Anaesthetists are thought to be at increased risk of suicide amongst the medical profession. The aims of the following guidelines are: increase awareness of suicide and associated vulnerabilities, risk factors and precipitants; to emphasise safe ways to respond to individuals in distress, both for them and for colleagues working alongside them; and to support individuals, departments and organisations in coping with a suicide.     

Enantioselective N-Demethylation and Hydroxylation of Sibutramine in Human Liver Microsomes and Recombinant Cytochrome P-450 Isoforms

The enantioselective metabolism of sibutramine was examined using human liver microsomes (HLM) and recombinant cytochrome P-450 (CYP) isoforms. This drug is metabolized to N-mono-desmethyl- (M1) and N,N-di-desmethylsibutramine (M2), and subsequent hydroxylation results in hydroxyl M1 (HM1) and hydroxyl M2 (HM2). No significant difference was noted in formation of M1from sibutramine between R- and S-sibutramine in HLM. However, S-enantiomers of M1 and M2 were preferentially metabolized to M2, HM1, and HM2compared to R-enantiomers in HLM, and intrinsic clearance (Cl_int) ratios of S-enantiomers/R-enantiomers were 1.97, 4.83, and 9.94 for M2, HM1, and HM2, respectively. CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 were only involved in the formation of M1, whereas CYP2B6 and CYP2C19 were responsible for all metabolic reactions of sibutramine. CYP2C19 and CYP3A5 displayed catalytic preference for S-sibutramine to S-M1, whereas CYP2B6 and CYP3A4 showed little or no stereoselectivity in metabolism of sibutramine to M1. In the case of M2 formation, CYP2B6 metabolized S-M1 more rapidly than R-M1 with a Cl_int ratio of 2.14. However, CYP2C19 catalyzed less S-M1 than R-M1 and the Cl_int ratio of S-M1 to R-M1 was 0.65. The most significant enantioselectivity was observed in formation of HM1 from M1, and HM2 from M2. CYP2B6 and CYP2C19 exhibited preferential catalysis of formation of hydroxyl metabolites from S-enantiomers rather than R-enantiomers. These results indicate that S-sibutramine was more rapidly metabolized by CYP isoforms than R-sibutramine, and that enantioselective metabolism needs to be considered in drug interactions involving sibutramine and co-administered drugs.