The influence of external factors on the development of primary palatal cleft.

The study was designed to assess the effect of heavy metal fallouts in industrial areas on the development of primary palatal cleft in Northern Moravia and Silesia over a period of five years (1985-1990). The study involved a total of 110 children; fallout levels in their places of residence were determined. Heavy metal fallout levels were measured in the ashes of needles and forest soil in the nearest possible locality to the place of birth of the child.

Local anaesthesia in cosmetic surgery.

The author reports on his experience with a new form of local anaesthesia in cosmetic surgery, namely a cream for local application produced by the Swedish firm ASTRA under the name of EMLA. It is a mixture of prilocaine and lidocaine. The effect sets in 45 min after application.

Skin graft harvesting under local anaesthesia.

The paper compared three methods of local anaesthesia application used for taking dermoepidermal transplants. 1. Procaine injections: advantage: effectivity; disadvantage: lengthy procedure, uneven surface.