Fatal necrotizing fasciitis of dental origin.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a potentially fatal, acute bacterial infection characterized by extensive fascial and subcutaneous tissue necrosis. Four factors that contribute significantly to the morbidity and mortality of necrotizing fasciitis are: 1) delayed treatment, due to difficulty in recognizing the condition; 2) inappropriate treatment; 3) host debilitation; and 4) a polymicrobial infection.

Internal jugular vein reconstruction using a superficial femoral vein graft.

Numerous methods of venous reconstruction have been described to help prevent the many complications related to bilateral ligation of the internal jugular veins. The authors report a case in which the superficial femoral vein was used as the donor graft for reconstruction of the internal jugular vein in a 61-year-old man who underwent a tonsillar commando procedure for cancer. The advantages of using this donor vein for reconstruction of the internal jugular vein are summarized.

Stimulation of in vivo tumor growth and phorbol ester-induced inflammation by N,N-diethyl-2-[4-(phenylmethyl)phenoxy] ethanamine HCl, a potent ligand for intracellular histamine receptors.

We have implicated histamine as a mediator of proliferation through its binding to novel intracellular receptors (HIC), closely associated with antiestrogen binding sites (AEBS) in microsomes and nuclei. N,N-diethyl-2-[4-(phenylmethyl)phenoxy]ethanamine HCl (DPPE), is a potent ligand for AEBS/HIC. We now demonstrate that DPPE stimulates in vivo tumor growth (DMBA-induced mammary cancer in Sprague-Dawley rats and L5178Y leukemia in DBA/2 mice) and synergizes with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) to induce inflammation and mitotic activity in mouse epidermis.

Management of oral mucosal dysplasia with beta-carotene retinoic acid: a pilot cross-over study.

Mucosal dysplasia in the head and neck region is recognized to be a precancerous lesion. Between January 1983 and December 1987, a pilot study was conducted at the Manitoba Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation to determine the effects of beta-carotene and cis-retinoic acid on mucosal dysplasias. Eighteen patients were treated with a "cross-over" regimen.