We report a 51-year-old woman with alopecia caused by sarcoidosis. The lesion enlarged within 4 years and only repeated biopsies enabled the diagnosis. The medical work-up revealed that the patient had asymptomatic pulmonary involvement. Scarring alopecia is a rare complication of sarcoidosis and biopsy from the active margin may lead to the diagnosis.
Bone morphogenetic proteins have been found to be one of the most promising osteoinductive substances and they are expected to be utilized clinically for the reconstruction of defective mandibles. However, newly formed bone induced by recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) has not yet been proven able to withstand the masticatory force applied by oral implants. In this study, we examined the qualitative changes in an rhBMP-2-induced mandible from the functional force of osseointegrated oral implants. Segmental (30 mm) bone defects were created in the mandibles of beagles. A poly D,L-lactic coglycolic acid-coated gelatin sponge impregnated with rhBMP-2 was grafted to the resected canine mandible. The new bone was formed 8 weeks after surgery and the Brånemark system fixtures were implanted into the reconstructed mandible. After another 8 weeks, the prosthesis was placed over the oral implants. The prosthesis was maintained in occlusion with the opposing natural dentition for 0, 4, 12, 24, or 48 weeks before the animal was euthanized. The quality of regenerated bone was then evaluated histologically and the osseointegration ratio between oral implants and the bonemeasured. During the first 4 weeks, the ratio remarkably increased from 48.9% to 64.5%. After 48 weeks, the ratio approached about 74.5%. The bone loaded for 48 weeks had undergone extensive remodeling and consolidation; its quality was better and maturer than that of bone that was not loaded. These results indicated that the newly formed bone induced by rhBMP-2 was able to withstand the masticatory force applied by oral implants and had become as functionally mature as a natural bone.
Background: We investigated whether oral levofloxacin was as effective as intravenous cefazolin sodium for preventing postoperative infections in patients undergoing sagittal split ramus osteotomy of the mandible. Methods: Forty-four patients were randomized to treatment with levofloxacin or cefazolin sodium. Levofloxacin (100 mg t.d.s.) was administered orally, and cefazolin sodium (1 g b.i.d.) by intravenous infusion. Both drugs were given until 5 days postoperatively. The concentrations of levofloxacin in the mandibular bone marrow and serum were measured. Results: The mean levofloxacin concentration 4 h and 53.7 min after administration was 1.086 μg/ml in serum and 1.328 μg/ml in the mandibular bone marrow. The efficacy rate of levofloxacin was 95% and that of cefazolin sodium was 85.7%, with no significant difference between the two drugs (p = 0.322). Conclusion: Oral administration of levofloxacin is a simple, cost-effective and safe alternative to intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis after mandibular surgery.
The free lateral upper arm flap was developed for microvascular repair of small to moderate defects of the extremities. Its application to oral defects is not well documented. This flap has many fea
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