Perfect digital impression of natural abutment teeth without using retraction cords.

Digital technologies are gradually gaining ground in dentistry. In particular, taking impressions with intraoral scanners is becoming routine; however, even this must often be preceded by the use of retraction cords. This article presents an innovative technique to record digital impressions of natural tooth abutments using interim restorations relined with impression material instead of retraction cords.

Undifferentiated Embryonal Sarcoma of the Liver with Epithelioid Features: A Case Report of an Exceptional Histological Heterogeneity among Rare Diseases.

Introduction: Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver (UESL) is a rare and aggressive malignant tumor, with nonspecific clinical symptoms and radiological features. Less than 150 cases have been reported in adults across the world.

Presentation Of Case: We report a case of an extremely rare subtype of UESL with epithelioid features in a 29-year-old woman, presenting as a cystic lesion of 27 × 17 cm, completely subverting the right hepatic lobe.

A meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis comparing nonoperative versus operative management for uncomplicated appendicitis: a focus on randomized controlled trials.

Background: The aim of this study is to provide a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing conservative and surgical treatment in a population of adults with uncomplicated acute appendicitis.

Methods: A systematic literature review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL.

3D reconstruction in complex parenchymal sparing liver surgery.

Background: Prognosis of stage IV colorectal cancer is related to control of liver metastasis. As of now, surgery provides survival advantage for patients affected by resectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), with parenchymal sparing strategies representing the most accepted strategy {[1]. In this setting, 3D reconstruction programs represent the newest available technological leap to improve anatomical accuracy [2].

Management and treatment of Fournier's gangrene. Our Emergency Department Experience and literature review.

Fournier's Gangrene (FG) is an extremely serious condition of necrotizing soft tissue infection. The treatment of this critical condition is urgent but much debated, especially as regards the management of larger defects and wound closure, with various techniques being described in the current literature. Through a case series we aimed to present our surgical management of FG treated successfully with Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) and performing a loop colostomy.

Hepatic abscess: An uncommon complication after laparoscopic appendectomy.

Aim: Laparoscopic appendectomy is currently the treatment of choice for acute appendicitis in emergency setting. When appendicitis is clinically suspected, an appendicolith can be found in 30% of the patients. Retained or dropped appendicoliths are an uncommon complication that may occur as a consequence of stone expulsion from the appendix, before or during laparoscopic appendectomies.

Elective Treatment of Large-Bowel Obstruction in Asymptomatic Sigmoid Volvulus.

Background: Sigmoid volvulus is an uncommon cause of intestinal obstruction representing the 5% of all Western cases, associated with old age and a history of neurological and psychiatric condition. Generally, its diagnosis is established by clinical and radiologic findings. It often represents an emergency and it is commonly associated with pain, vomit and abdominal tenderness.

Perineal trauma with anal avulsion: case report.

Anorectal avulsion is an exceptional rectal trauma. In this kind of lesions, the anus and the sphincter no longer join the perineum and are pulled upward. We present a case of 34-years-old patient who was admitted because of a pelvic-perineal trauma, presenting a partial anorectal avulsion, exposed femoral fracture with thigh's lacerated-contused wound.

Larger ascending aorta in primary aldosteronism: a 3-year prospective evaluation of adrenalectomy vs. medical treatment.

Objective: Primary aldosteronism is associated with higher cardiovascular morbidity as compared with essential hypertension. Vascular complications encompass myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular events. Aortic damage in primary aldosteronism has never been explored, although a few cases of ascending aorta aneurisms have been reported.

Does preoperative degree of aortic insufficiency influence early and midterm results of sparing surgery?

Objective: Aortic valve-sparing operations have shown excellent results in patients with aortic root and or ascending aorta aneurysm. Aortic valve regurgitation is frequently detected in these patients as a result of significant dilation of the aortic root.The aim of this study was to assess the impact of preoperative aortic incompetence degree on the early and midterm outcomes of sparing surgery.

Valsalva prosthesis in aortic valve-sparing operations.

Aortic valve-sparing operations have provided very good clinical outcomes. However, the absence of the sinuses of Valsalva might limit valve durability. The Gelweave Valsalva prosthesis, which presents pre-fashioned neo-sinuses, has been designed in order to avoid early leaflets deterioration.

Aortic valve-sparing operations: early and midterm results.

Background: Aortic valve-sparing operations have provided very good clinical outcomes. However, there is still a debate about valve durability because of the absence of the Valsalva sinuses, and various techniques have been proposed to reproduce the native anatomy of the aortic root. We reviewed our total experience with aortic valve-sparing operations to determine early and midterm outcomes.

Bone contact around osseointegrated implants: a histologic study of acid-etched and machined surfaces.

Current literature reports that surface acid etching can improve bone--implant contact (BIC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences of BIC between acid-etched (Osseotite) and machined surface implants. Six white New Zealand mature rabbits were used in the present investigation.

Paradoxical contributions of non-compacted and compacted segments to global left ventricular dysfunction in isolated left ventricular noncompaction.

The pathophysiologic mechanisms of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in isolated ventricular noncompaction (IVNC) remain unclear. Evaluating global and segmental systolic LV function in 65 patients with IVNC, this study found that normal wall motion was more common in noncompacted than in compacted segments. The number of noncompacted segments per patient correlated positively with the LV ejection fraction and negatively with LV end-diastolic volume index.

Transesophageal echocardiography-guided algorithm for stent-graft implantation in aortic dissection.

Objective: Endovascular stent-graft placement is replacing traditional surgery in type B aortic dissection. Usually stent-graft implantation is performed under fluoroscopic and angiographic guidance, but this relatively new procedure is still burdened with some complications. We investigated the value of a developed algorithm based on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for guiding stent-graft implantation in type B aortic dissection.

The role of corticosteroid therapy following surgery for atrial fibrillation.

Background: The objective of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of steroids therapy for patients who underwent surgery for chronic atrial fibrillation, with histologic findings of myocarditis.

Methods: Between April 1991 and July 2002, 144 patients underwent surgery for chronic atrial fibrillation at the time of other cardiac operations, at the Department of Cardiovascular surgery of the University of Bologna. Fragments of left and right appendages were provided for each patient for histologic study: In three patients myocarditis was identified and they were treated with steroid therapy until the postoperative day 60.

Inotropic therapy is unsuccessful: wrong conceptual target or wrong therapeutic tools?

Since a depressed contractility has long been considered the primary defect in patients with heart failure, the use of inotropic agents has been regarded as a logical approach to treat this syndrome. Despite this conceptual framework, these drugs have not yet established themselves in the treatment of chronic heart failure and their long-term use was associated with an excessive mortality while the short-term intravenous administration in critically ill patients produced only acute hemodynamic results without a stable clinical improvement. At least four mechanisms could explain this discrepancy: their arrhythmogenicity, their direct cardiotoxic effects, the downregulation of the beta-adrenoreceptors, and the energetic cost of inotropic intervention.

Non-invasive detection of coronary artery stenosis: a comparison among power-Doppler contrast echo, 99Tc-Sestamibi SPECT and echo wall-motion analysis.

Background: Power-Doppler imaging is a recently developed method for myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE). It can selectively evaluate the signal coming from an ultrasound contrast agent, allowing myocardial perfusion studies.

Objective: To compare the ability of power-Doppler MCE with stress-echo wall-motion and nuclear scan imaging (SPECT) to assess myocardial ischaemia during pharmacological stress, using coronary angiography as reference.

Sandblasted and acid-etched dental implants: a histologic study in rats.

Purpose: Current literature has revealed that surface etching of endosseous implants can improve bone-implant contact. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in bone-implant contact (BIC) between sandblasted/acid-etched and machined-surface implants.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study.

Accelerated QRS widening as an independent predictor of cardiac death or of the need for heart transplantation in patients with congestive heart failure.

We analyzed QRS interval for 6 months or more in 82 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. At 1 year, the incidence of cardiac death/need for heart transplantation was higher among patients with QRS-interval widening of 0.5 msec/month or greater (p = 0.