Trephinations--old surgical intervention.

Trephination of the skull is an old surgical procedure practised in both the Old and New Worlds from the Neolithic period 7,000 years ago up to the present. Four methods (scratching, cutting, drilling and circling) were used for therapeutic or ritual (magical) reasons, predominantly in older males. The survival rate was between approximately 25% and 75%, the drilling and especially cutting being most dangerous.

Ranges of joint motion of the adult hand.

Norms of the motion of the joints of the adult hand are presented. Examined were 100 males and 100 females aged 20-25 years. All of them were university students in whom the hand was not affected by work or other one-sided activities and so its motion could be considered as the optimal (left-handed students were not included in this series).

Development of overjet and dentoskeletal relations in unilateral cleft lip and palate before and during puberty.

Roentgencephalometry was used for the assessment of the development of clinically important facial characteristics in complete unilateral cleft lip and palate during the prepubertal and pubertal period. Thirty-one patients aged 8 and 11 years and 30 patients aged 11 and 14 years were examined repeatedly. All of them were operated upon and orthodontically treated with the same methods.

Facial asymmetry: an X-ray study.

On the basis of an assessment of cranial anteroposterior X-ray films in 38 normal adult males were analyzed facial asymmetries at the frontal plane. It was demonstrated that facial asymmetries are of a fluctuating type with the slightest asymmetries in the region of the upper face, somewhat larger deviations of mandibular characteristics and with most marked asymmetries in the region of the cranial vault. Thus neither of the two sides of the face predominates significantly over the other side.

Length of the cervical spine as a factor in the etiology of cleft palate.

The length of the cervical spine in a series of 206 adult males with cleft lip and/or palate and 50 normal controls was measured. The patients were divided into five subgroups according to the type and extent of the cleft. The shortening of the spine was most marked in bilateral cleft lip and palate patients (complete), less marked in unilateral cleft lip and palate patients, and was slight in isolated cleft palate patients.

Facial growth and development in unilateral complete cleft lip and palate from palate surgery up to adulthood.

Mixed longitudinal and cross-sectional roentgen-cephalometric data were used for studies of the growth and development of the face in unilateral complete cleft lip and palate from the time of primary palatoplasty up to adulthood. The results were compared with the data obtained in controls at the age of 5 years and in adults. The vertical growth of the upper and lower face exceeded its sagittal growth.

Facial asymmetry: type, extent and range of normal values.

For analysis of facial asymmetry (signed, absolute, relative) a group of 720 normal children aged 6-18 years was examined. Twelve direct dimensions measured on both sides of the face were assessed. The results revealed that the extent of facial asymmetry is the same in both sexes and does not change with age.

Effects of premaxillary setback and of prolongation of the columella on the configuration of the facial profile in complete bilateral cleft lip and palate.

Roentgen-cephalometric studies were carried out in 26 adult males with complete bilateral cleft lip and palate. They were subdivided two times in two subgroups, with and without premaxillary setback, and with and without prolongation of the columella. The subgroups were compared mutually, as well as with a group of controls including 50 males matched in age.

Configuration of facial profile in adults with isolated cleft palate.

X-ray cephalometry was used for the assessment of the configuration of the skeletal and soft tissue profile in 81 adult males with isolated cleft palate. They were assessed in three subgroups, i. e.

Configuration of facial profile in adults with cleft lip with or without cleft palate.

X-ray cephalometric studies were carried out in 114 adult males with cleft lip and with or without cleft palate. According to the type and extent of the cleft they were subdivided into 4 groups and were compared with a control group of 50 normal males matched in age. Investigated were the parameters of the skeletal and soft facial profile.

Growth and development of the face in complete unilateral cleft lip and palate during prepubertal and pubertal periods.

Roentgencephalometry was used for the assessment of the growth and development of the face during prepubertal and pubertal periods in children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate treated with the same methods. The first series included 16 boys and 15 girls, the second series consisted of 15 boys and 15 girls examined repeatedly at the beginning and at the end of the follow-up period. There were no definite differences in the growth rate of the face between the two periods of age.

Morphometric nasopharyngeal characteristics in facial clefts.

A morphometric assessment of the nasopharynx was carried out on 194 X-ray films of adult males with cleft lip and/or palate. According to the type and extent of the cleft they were subdivided into seven groups and compared with a control group of 50 normal males matched in age. The findings showed a reduction of the nasopharyngeal airway in all groups with cleft palate, which corresponded to the decrease in depth of the nasopharyngeal bony framework without participation of soft tissues.

Differences between facial configuration and development in complete and incomplete unilateral cleft lip and palate during the prepubertal period.

Mixed-longitudinal roentgencephalometric data were used for the determination of differences between the configuration and development of the face in complete and incomplete unilateral cleft lip and palate at the age of 8 to 12 years. As compared to incomplete clefts patients with complete clefts had a reduced height of the upper face and thus also of the face as a whole and an increased width of the nasal cavity. These findings were in agreement with the situation in adults, but contrary to adults we failed to disclose any difference in the depth of the maxilla and thus there were also no differences of the retrusion of the upper jaw, sagittal jaw relations, facial convexity, occlusion of incisors and the prominence of the upper lip.

Multiple correlations between craniofacial characteristics: an x-ray study.

The method of multiple correlations was used to assess the interrelations between basic characteristics of the facial bony framework and the cranial base. The study was based on x-ray measurements in 50 normal adult males, and the result disclosed the extent to which the variability of the investigated characteristics was determined by the variability of several combined facial parameters. The characteristics of shape and position of individual facial structures were more closely interrelated than characteristics of size.

Roentgencephalometric study of cranial interrelations.

Lateral X-ray films of the skull obtained in 50 normal adult males were used for studies of correlations between 26 characteristics of the size, shape, and position of the face and nine characteristics of the neurocranium in all mutual combinations. The results disclosed that the relations between individual cranial components were regulated by certain principles. The correlations between size dimensions were mostly slight; a closer relationship showed some characteristics of the shape and position.