Single-insertion technique for anesthetizing the inferior alveolar nerve, lingual nerve, and long buccal nerve for extraction of mandibular first and second molars: a prospective study

Objectives@#Appropriate and accurate local anesthetic (LA) techniques are indispensable in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery to obtain a satisfactory outcome for both the operating surgeon and the patient. When used alone, the inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) technique requires supplemental injections like long buccal nerve block for extraction of mandibular molars leading to multiple traumatic experiences for the patient. The aim of this study was to anesthetize the inferior alveolar, lingual, and long buccal nerves with single-needle penetration requiring a minimal skillset such as administering a conventional IANB through introduction of the Benny Joseph technique for extraction of mandibular molars. @*Materials and Methods@#This was a prospective study conducted in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kunhitharuvai Memorial Charitable Trust (KMCT) Dental College, Calicut, India. The duration of the study was 6 months, from June to November 2017, with a maximum sample size of 616 cases. The LA solution was 2% lignocaine with 1:100,000 adrenaline. The patients were selected from a population in the range of 20 to 40 years of age who reported to the outpatient department for routine dental extraction of normally positioned mandibular right or left first or second molars. @*Results@#Of the 616 patients, 42 patients (6.8%) required re-anesthetization, a success rate of 93.2%. There were no complications such as hematoma formation, trismus, positive aspiration, and nerve injuries. None of the cases required re-anesthetization in the perioperative period. @*Conclusion@#The Benny Joseph technique can be employed and is effective compared with conventional IANB techniques by reducing trauma to the patient and also requires less technique sensitivity.

Single-insertion technique for anesthetizing the inferior alveolar nerve, lingual nerve, and long buccal nerve for extraction of mandibular first and second molars: a prospective study

Objectives@#Appropriate and accurate local anesthetic (LA) techniques are indispensable in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery to obtain a satisfactory outcome for both the operating surgeon and the patient. When used alone, the inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) technique requires supplemental injections like long buccal nerve block for extraction of mandibular molars leading to multiple traumatic experiences for the patient. The aim of this study was to anesthetize the inferior alveolar, lingual, and long buccal nerves with single-needle penetration requiring a minimal skillset such as administering a conventional IANB through introduction of the Benny Joseph technique for extraction of mandibular molars. @*Materials and Methods@#This was a prospective study conducted in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kunhitharuvai Memorial Charitable Trust (KMCT) Dental College, Calicut, India. The duration of the study was 6 months, from June to November 2017, with a maximum sample size of 616 cases. The LA solution was 2% lignocaine with 1:100,000 adrenaline. The patients were selected from a population in the range of 20 to 40 years of age who reported to the outpatient department for routine dental extraction of normally positioned mandibular right or left first or second molars. @*Results@#Of the 616 patients, 42 patients (6.8%) required re-anesthetization, a success rate of 93.2%. There were no complications such as hematoma formation, trismus, positive aspiration, and nerve injuries. None of the cases required re-anesthetization in the perioperative period. @*Conclusion@#The Benny Joseph technique can be employed and is effective compared with conventional IANB techniques by reducing trauma to the patient and also requires less technique sensitivity.

Comparison of the efficacy of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid with metronidazole to azithromycin with metronidazole after surgical removal of impacted lower third molar to prevent infection

OBJECTIVES: The goal of the study was to investigate the clinical effects of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (500+125 mg) with metronidazole 400 mg administered three times daily (Group I) versus azithromycin 500 mg administered once daily and with metronidazole 400 mg three times daily (Group II) for the prevention of postoperative infection following mandibular third molar surgical removal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study design was a single-center prospective study. Patients who reported to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery between February 2015 and January 2017 for removal of mandibular third molar were screened, and 108 patients were chosen. One surgeon carried out all procedures. Patients were prescribed antibiotics until the two groups contained a similar number of cases. RESULTS: Our data showed that Group II had fewer incidences of surgical site infection, but with no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Although both treatments are used routinely after removal of the mandibular third molar, neither is significantly better than the other.

Awareness of medical students in a medical college in Mangalore, Karnataka, India concerning infection prevention practices

Healthcare-associated infections [HCAIs] are an important public health problem. It is estimated that approximately 1 out of every 20 hospitalized patients will contract an HCAI. The risk is substantial not only to patients but also to healthcare workers, who may contract deadly blood-borne infectious diseases. Hence, it is essential for healthcare professionals to have adequate knowledge regarding infection prevention practices [IPPs] to reduce the burden of these illnesses among patients seeking care. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 268 medical students at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Information regarding important IPPs such as hand hygiene [HH], needle-stick injuries [NSIs], and standard precautions [SPs] was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. The collected information was analyzed using SPSS v.11. Fisher's exact test was used to test the association between variables of interest. Overall, knowledge levels regarding HH were low in aspects such as healthcare workers' hands as sources of infection [40%] and the minimum time needed to apply hand rubs [45.7%], whereas knowledge levels were high in aspects such as indications for using HH. Regarding NSI prevention, knowledge levels were low in aspects such as activities with the highest NSI risk [56%]. However, knowledge levels were high in relation to SPs. The knowledge levels regarding infection practices were not adequate among the participants, particularly in the case of hand hygiene methods. Other important aspects, such as needle-stick injuries and use of standard precautions, were better understood, although many aspects still require improvement. These findings suggest the need to consider strengthening the training related to IPPs as a separate entity in the existing curriculum