Ability of lymphoscintigraphy to direct sentinel node biopsy in the clinically NO check for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; a prospective study (preliminary results).

Detection of metastasis involvement of lymph nodes is essential for management and prognostic evaluation in most cancer cases. The success of lymphatic mapping depends on identifying the sentinel lymph node(s) draining the primary tumour. In this preliminary study we prospectively evaluated the feasibility of sentinel node radio localisation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma N0 stage to gain insight as to whether the sentinel lymph node (SLN) could be prognostic of regional metastasis disease or not.

[Posterior disk displacement of the temporomandibular joint. Apropos 2 cases].

Posterior displacement of the temporo-mandibular joint disk is exceptional. The most typical clinical sign is sudden onset unilateral molar open bite. This lateral open bite is accompanied by a sensation of an intra-articular foreign body and more rarely by painful episodes.

Clopidogrel versus ticlopidine after intracoronary stent placement.

Objectives: The study compared the safety and efficacy of ticlopidine with clopidogrel in patients receiving coronary stents.

Background: Stent thrombosis is reduced when ticlopidine is administered with aspirin. Clopidogrel is similar to ticlopidine in chemical structure and function but has fewer side effects; few data are available about its use in stent patients.

Acute liver injury associated with the use of ebrotidine, a new H2-receptor antagonist.

Background/aim: Ebrotidine is a new H2-receptor antagonist marketed in Spain in early 1997 and withdrawn in July 1998. We report 11 cases of acute liver injury related to ebrotidine and submitted to a Regional Registry of Hepatotoxicity between June 1997 and August 1998.

Methods: In all cases a structured protocol was used to ascertain the role of ebrotidine and to exclude other causes (viral, immunologic, metabolic) of liver injury.

[Retrospective multicenter study of the efficacy of interferon alpha in chronic hepatitis C].

Background: Until very recently, interferon (INF) in Spain was authorized in chronic hepatitis C (C-HCV) at a dosis of 3 megaunits (mu) for 6 months. Nonetheless, the rate of maintained complete response is lower than that obtained with more prolonged treatments. The first aim of this study was to retrospectively know the effectiveness of alpha INF in patients treated for 6 or 12 months with a dosis of 3 or 5-6 MU.

[The contribution of arthroscopic treatment in temporomandibular disk-condyle displacements].

We report a prospective study of thirty four therapeutic temporomandibular arthroscopies that were done during a 24 months period for patients with debilitating joint disorders (mainly disc displacements with or without reduction) who had not responded to no-invasive treatment. The technics used were lysis and lavage with prediscal section and retrodiscal coagulation. Analysis of the results indicated subjective lessening of pain in 71% of cases, noise in 78% (with objective evidence of disappearance of noise in 29%), jaw opening in 94% (mean 9.

Mineral metabolism, osteoblastic function and bone mass in chronic alcoholism.

The role of ethanol as a risk factor for osteopenia was studied in alcoholic subjects without liver cirrhosis. The study was carried out in 58 male subjects classified into three groups: (1) 26 heavy drinkers, alcohol intake more than 100 g ethanol/day for more than 10 years; (2) 13 moderate drinkers, 60-100 g ethanol/day; (3) 19 healthy non-drinkers who served as control subjects. None of the drinkers had liver cirrhosis (normal clinical and biochemical data and/or liver biopsy).