A comparison between screw- and cement-retained implant prostheses. A literature review

Implant-supported restorations can be secured to implants with screws (screw-retained), or they can be cemented to abutments which are attached to implants with screws (cement-retained). This literature review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each method of retention from different aspects. These aspects include: ease of fabrication and cost, esthetics, access, occlusion, retention, incidence of loss of retention, retrievability, clinical prosthesis fit, restriction of implant position, effect on peri-implant tissue health, provisionalization, immediate loading, impression procedures, porcelain fracture, and clinical performance. Peer-reviewed literature published in the English language between 1955 and 2010 was reviewed using PubMed and hand searches. Since the choice of using either method of retention is still controversial, this review article offers some clinical situations that prefer one method of retention over the other. The review demonstrated that each method of retention has certain advantages and disadvantages; however, there are some clinical situations in which it is better to select one method of retention rather than the other.     

Inferior Vena Cava Filter Evaluation and Management for the Diagnostic Radiologist: A Comprehensive Review Including Inferior Vena Cava Filter-Related Complications and PRESERVE Trial Filters

Inferior vena cava filters are commonly encountered devices on diagnostic imaging that were highlighted in a 2010 Food and Drug Administration safety advisory regarding their complications from long-term implantation. The Predicting the Safety and Effectiveness of Inferior Vena Cava Filters (PRESERVE) trial is an ongoing after-market study investigating the safety and utility of commonly utilized filters in practice today. While most of these filters are safe, prompt recognition and management of any filter-associated complication is imperative to prevent or reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with them. This review is aimed at discussing the appropriate utilization and placement of inferior vena cava filters in addition to the recognition of filter-associated complications on cross-sectional imaging. An overview of the PRESRVE trial filters is also provided to understand each filter's propensity for specific complications.     

Pretreatment with allopurinol in cardiac hypoxic-ischemic reperfusion injury in newborn lambs exerts its beneficial effect through afterload reduction

The aim of this study was to determine whether allopurinol (ALLO) reduces reperfusion injury inflicted upon the heart resulting from excess production of free oxygen radicals after hypoxia and ischemia (HI) in newborn animals. We, therefore, produced severe HI in 13 newborn lambs by low O2-ventilation and blood volume reduction. One hour before HI seven lambs received ALLO (20 mg/kg i.v.), six received a placebo (CONT). Cardiac function and hemodynamic parameters were assessed by sequential measurement of left ventricular (LV) contractility through the end-systolic pressure-volume relation (ESPVR) using the conductance catheter method. Stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), and aortic pressure (P_ao) were measured and ejection fraction and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were calculated before HI, upon resuscitation (UR), and at 60 and 120 min post-HI. To estimate the effect of ALLO on redox status and anti-oxidative capacity, we measured concentrations of uric acid, sulfhydryl (SH), malondialdehyde (MDA), ascorbic acid (AA), and dehydroxylated ascorbic acid (DHAA) in plasma obtained from the coronary sinus and calculated the AA/DHAA ratio. Compared to CONT lambs, TPR in ALLO treated lambs decreased significantly, accompanied by a rise in CO and SV. ALLO did not affect myocardial contractility, because the ESPVR showed no significant differences between groups. AA/DHAA and SH showed a significant decrease in ALLO animals vs pre-HI, but not in CONT animals. Uric acid was significantly decreased in ALLO as compared to pre-HI and CONT animals. MDA was significantly increased in CONT animals at 15 min post-HI as compared to pre-HI, whereas in ALLO animals MDA showed a significant increase at 120 min post-HI vs CONT. We conclude that pretreatment with ALLO has a beneficial effect on the pump function by afterload reduction but not by changes in contractility. Furthermore, ALLO inhibited uric acid formation with a consequent decrease in anti-oxidative capacity. Received: 15 December 1997, Returned for 1. revision: 8 January 1998, 1. Revision received: 4 March 1998, Returned for 2. revision: 25 March 1998, 2. Revision received: 15 June 1998, Returned for 3. revision: 2 July 1998, Accepted: 6 August 1998     

Macrocheilia due to lymphangiectasia.

A case of symmetrical, diffuse macrocheilia due to lymphangiectasia is presented. No primary cause for this case or for many other pathologic forms of macrocheilia has been established. Tranverse mucosal wedge resection of the lip with mucosal advancement, however, is a satisfactory method of treatment.     

Animation of facial palsy in Moebius syndrome by means of a circumoral sling: case report.

The case of a 3-year-old female is reported whose condition was diagnosed as congenital, complete paralysis of the right facial nerve in 1962; and a short time later more specifically described as Moebius syndrome. In 1971, a circumoral fascial sling was inserted in preparation for a masseter muscle transfer. Voluntary movement on the right side of her mouth was noted following surgery and continued to improve, making facial actions more symmetrical. This function has remained stable during a five year follow-up. Although the mechanism of action is not fully understood, it is postulated that the presence of the sling may have presented the subclinically active muscles a force to work against or perhaps the surgery may have liberated those muscles from adjacent fibrous tissue.     

Versatility of lumbar transposition flaps in the closure of meningomyelocele skin defects.

A simple method for repair of skin defects after neurosurgical ablation of meningomyelocele is described. One or two skin flaps adjoining the defect are elevated, the right based superiorly and the left inferiorly. They are then transposed to cover the dural repair, and the donor site is repaired by a split-thickness skin graft. The ability of these flaps to close defects of all sizes is stressed.