Anatomical variations of the marginal mandibular nerve.

Introduction: The Marginal Mandibular Nerve (MMN), despite being didactically described as being a unique branch of the other branches of the Facial Nerve, has in practice an abundant anatomical variation. Both in relation to its ramifications and the positioning of these in relation to the lower edge of the mandible, as well as its anastomoses along its path, play a fundamental role in the surgical strategy during the approach of this cervicofacial site, and can generate, as underestimated its characteristics, inadvertent injuries and motor consequences to the patient.

Objective: To analyze the types of anatomical variations of the MMN in relation to its position, ramification, and distance from reference points, as well as its incidence that could imply technical difficulties in surgery.

Psychosocial Impact of Facial Paralysis Following Neck Dissection: A Literature Review.

Facial paralysis, a common complication of neck dissection due to facial nerve injuries, results not only in the loss of facial mimicry but also significantly affects patients' quality of life, particularly in terms of psychosocial perception - an aspect often overlooked by medical teams. This study aims to evaluate the psychosocial impact and perceptions of patients who developed lower third facial paralysis following marginal mandibular nerve injury during neck dissection. A total of 445 postoperative patients who underwent head and neck tumor resection with neck dissection were assessed, of which 217 experienced some degree of facial paralysis.

Active surveillance of papillary thyroid carcinoma in Latin America: a scoping review.

Thyroid nodules are a very common finding and have a malignancy rate of 7%-15%. Some malignant nodules have an indolent behavior and may not affect mortality if left untreated. Active surveillance (AS) is a strategy to prevent overtreatment in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMCs).

Use of a smartphone platform for temporomandibular joint arthroscopy.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthroscopy, a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure involving the introduction of a small-calibre optical scope into the joint compartments for the treatment of internal derangement, has been gaining prominence and is now being recommended as the first therapeutic option due to the good results obtained and minimal invasiveness. However, the technical difficulty, high cost, need for specific instruments, and video tower system remain limiting factors for the implementation of TMJ arthroscopy by practicing professionals. The objective of this study was to examine the possibility of using a smartphone optical adaptation platform in TMJ arthroscopy.

Left Nonrecurrent Laryngeal Nerve: A Very Unusual Finding during Thyroid Surgery.

Background: Identifying the inferior laryngeal nerve is one of the main concerns in thyroid surgery. The typical recurrent position occurs due the relative position between the vagus nerve and the larynx during the last 3 branchial arches development. In rare cases, this nerve does not loop under the right subclavian artery or the aortic arch.

Active Surveillance of Thyroid Microcarcinomas: a Critical View.

Purpose Of The Review: There has been an increasing interest on active surveillance for papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMC) in the literature. We will analyze the contributions of those authors who support this approach in most patients with low-risk tumors.

Recent Findings: The development of molecular methods to effectively detect aggressive PTMC at the fine-needle aspiration biopsy will enable the sound indication of immediate surgery in those patients, assuring the other individuals with the far more frequent indolent PTMC will undergo active surveillance with less anxiety.

Conventional thyroidectomy: what is the impact of the scar on the lives of operated patients?

Objective: This study was aimed at investigating the aesthetic impact of scars on the lives of patients who undergo conventional thyroidectomy.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was based on a retrospective analysis of 98 electronic medical records of patients who underwent conventional thyroidectomy performed by the same surgeon. The impact was determined through a qualitative question and categorized into three levels of dissatisfaction.

Corona Mortis: A Systematic Review of Literature.

Our systematic review evaluates surgically relevant information about corona mortis (CM), such as anatomical structure, size, laterality, incidence, and anthropometric correlations. This study aimed to provide data about anastomosis in an attempt to avoid iatrogenic damage during surgery. Articles were searched online using the descriptor "Corona Mortis" in PubMed, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS) (Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Saúde [LILACS], MEDLINE, indice bibliografico espaãol en ciencias de la salud [IBECS]), and SciELO database.

Novel COVID-19 Intersections with Dentistry: Approaches to protection.

Background: COVID-19 outbreak brought many challenges to the society and to health care systems. Health care professionals in dental practices are a high-risk population, due to close contact to saliva and aerosols. Specific guidance for those professionals is essential to control disease transmission and guarantee dentist's health.

Photobiomodulation therapy increases collagen II after tendon experimental injury.

A tendon is a mechanosensitive tissue that transmits muscle-derived forces to bones. Photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT), has been used in therapeutic approaches in tendon lesions, but uncertainties regarding its mechanisms of action have prevented its widespread use. We investigated the response of PBM therapy in experimental lesions of the Achilles tendon in rats.

Anatomical Study of the Innervation of the Masseter Muscle and Its Correlation with Myofascial Trigger Points.

Background And Purpose: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is widely prevalent in the general population; some reports estimate its prevalence ranges from 9 to 85%. Among the different locations where MPS may arise, pain related to the masseter muscle is referred as masticatory myofascial pain. MPS is characterized by myofascial trigger points (MTPs), which represent tender anatomical areas of a muscle where painful symptoms are elicited whenever stimulated.

Head and Neck Practice in the COVID-19 Pandemics Today: A Rapid Systematic Review.

 Head and neck specialists and otorhinolaryngologists are greatly exposed to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission in their everyday praxis. Many articles are being published regarding medical staff protection and patient management during the pandemic.  To provide an easy access to and a trustful review of the main aspects that have changed in the head and neck surgery and otorhinolaryngology practice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Morphometry and Frequency of the Pyramidalis Muscle in Adult Humans: A Pyramidalis Muscle's Anatomical Analysis.

Objectives: To verify the pyramidalis muscle's frequency (bilaterality, unilaterality, or absence) and morphometry (length of the medial border and width of its origin/base) in a sample of the Brazilian population and the anthropometric influence.

Methods: Dissection of 30 cadavers, up to 24h post-mortem.

Results: The pyramidalis muscle was present bilaterally and unilaterally in 83.

A brief history of medical uniforms: from ancient history to the COVID-19 time.

Medical Uniforms date back from medieval times. Nursing uniforms were based on nuns clothes whereas doctors used the famous "plague costumes" and black "frock" coats from about 15th to early 19th century. In latter half 19th century medical uniforms started to change.

Surgical Practice in the Current COVID-19 Pandemic: A Rapid Systematic Review.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak started in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and evolved into a global problem in a short period. The pandemic has led to many social and health-care challenges. In this context, surgery is an area that is facing the need for many adaptations.

An Anatomical Basis for the Myofascial Trigger Points of the Abductor Hallucis Muscle.

Myofascial pain syndrome is characterized by pain and a limited range of joint motion caused by muscle contracture related to motor-end-plate dysfunction and the presence of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs). It is the most frequent cause of musculoskeletal pain, with a worldwide prevalence varying between 13.7% and 47%.

Is the colon mucosa affected by ten days of gastric restriction in an animal model?

Purpose: To identify whether the colon mucosa is affected by ten days of gastric restriction in an animal model.

Methods: An experimental model of gastric restriction was devised using rats. The animals were submitted to surgical gastrostomy, and a cylindrical loofah was inserted into the stomach.