In-office outpatient orthognathic surgery: review of 254 cases where the patients were discharged the same day.

This study was performed to present a single operator's experience of in-office (outside of a hospital setting) outpatient orthognathic surgery over a period of 12 years. A total of 254 surgeries were performed during this period. Average procedure times were comparable with published results from studies of similar material. The mean operating time for bimaxillary surgery (n = 21) was 3 hours and 11 minutes. Regarding single-jaw procedures, the mean operating time for Le Fort I osteotomy (n = 115) was 2 hours and 14 minutes and for bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (n = 118) was 2 hours and 1 minute. All patients were discharged from the office the same day, except one patient who was transported to the hospital after surgery due to an anaesthetic complication. This patient was discharged from the hospital later the same day. In this setting, outpatient orthognathic surgery is both safe and practical when careful attention is given to patient preparation and selection. Emergency phone contact with the surgeon in case of complications is important to avoid unnecessary hospitalization.

Inflammatory cytokines in relation to adrenal response following total hip replacement.

Our objective was to investigate the initiation and course of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in early inflammatory response and to elucidate the cytokine system in relation to the adrenal response caused by stress. Seven blood samples were collected, pre- and postoperatively (0-72 h) after total hip replacement (THR) due to osteoarthritis. The following cytokines were measured using Cytometric Bead Array: interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, IL-8, IL-12 and IL-10 (B&D). Thirteen patients took part in the study (67 +/- 9 years). C-reactive protein increased from <6 to over 200 mg/l on the second post-op day. The concentration of IL-6 increased 10-fold just 3 h post-op (4-47 pg/ml) and reached its maximum value 6 h post-op (77 pg/ml; Wilcoxon test P < 0.01) Repeated measurements were also significant (Friedman P < 0.05). The concentration of IL-8 doubled the day of surgery but did not reach a significant level (Friedman test =0.069). None of the other cytokines showed any significant changes. The diurnal cortisol rhythm was interrupted after the surgery and there was a significant correlation between the cortisol secretion and IL-6 response. This study demonstrates an isolated elevation in IL-6 levels with only a minor elevation in IL-8 following THR. This pro-inflammatory response seemed to decline without activation of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10), but cortisol seemed to play a complicated role in halting the acute inflammatory response.

Naproxen 500 mg bid versus acetaminophen 1000 mg qid: effect on swelling and other acute postoperative events after bilateral third molar surgery.

A controlled, randomized, double-blind crossover study, in which the patients acted as their own controls, was carried out to test the efficacy of naproxen 500 mg x 2 versus acetaminophen 1000 mg x 4 for 3 days on the postoperative course following third molar surgery. Acetaminophen reduced the mean swelling on the 3rd postoperative day by 22.4% (p = 0.023) compared to that after naproxen. On the 6th postoperative day, there was 20.9% less mean swelling with naproxen (p = 0.44), although the total swelling measurements were much less than those measured on the 3rd postoperative day. Summed pain intensity (SUMPI3.5-11) on the day of surgery revealed no statistically significant difference between the acetaminophen or naproxen regimen with the exception of 0.5 hours (p = 0.002) and 1 hour (p = 0.009) after first medication when acetaminophen gave less pain than naproxen. Since the drug regimens were different, summed PI for the first acetaminophen dose interval (SUMPI3.5-6) and the first naproxen dose interval (SUMPI3.5-9) was calculated. There was a tendency toward a statistically significant difference in favor of acetaminophen for SUMPI3.5-6 (p = 0.055) but no statistically significant difference (p = 0.41) between the treatments with respect to SUMPI3.5-9. Naproxen was statistically superior (p < or = 0.002) to acetaminophen at 08:00, 12:00, and 16:00 hours on the 1st postoperative day and at 08:00 hours on the 2nd postoperative day, when the pain intensity level was lower than that on the day of surgery. A 3-day acetaminophen regimen reduces acute postoperative swelling better than naproxen on the 3rd postoperative day after third molar surgery but not on the 6th postoperative day when the total swelling is less.

A randomized, double-blind crossover trial of paracetamol 1000 mg four times daily vs ibuprofen 600 mg: effect on swelling and other postoperative events after third molar surgery.

AIMS: To evaluate the effect of a 3-day regimen of ibuprofen 600 mg x 4 on acute postoperative swelling and pain and other inflammatory events after third molar surgery compared with a traditional regimen of paracetamol 1000 mg x 4. METHODS: A controlled, randomized, double-blind, cross-over study where 36 patients (26 females, 10 males) with mean age 23 (range 19-27) years acted as their own controls. All patients were subjected to surgical removal of bilateral third molars. After one operation the patients received tablets of ibuprofen 600 mg x 4 for 3 days. After the other operation they received an identical regimen of paracetamol 1000 mg tablets. Swelling was objectively measured (mm) with a standardized face bow and the patients scored their pain intensity (PI) on a 100-mm visual analogue scale. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between paracetamol and ibuprofen treatment with respect to effect on acute postoperative swelling. Swelling after paracetamol on the third postoperative day was 1.8% less than that after ibuprofen. Mean (95% CI) difference between treatments was -0.3 (-4.7, 4.1) mm. On the sixth postoperative day swelling after ibuprofen was 2.3% less than that after paracetamol. Mean (95% CI) between treatments was 0.2 (-2.4, 2.8) mm. There was no statistically significant difference in pain intensity between the paracetamol and the ibuprofen regimen on the day of surgery. The mean (95% CI) difference between the treatments for summed pain intensity on the day of surgery (SUMPI 3.5-11) was 3.31 (-47.7, 54.3) mm. Two patients developed fibrinolysis of the blood clot (dry socket) after receiving ibuprofen while none did this after paracetamol treatment. There was no noticeable difference between treatments with respect to appearance of haematomas/ecchymoses or adverse effects which all were classified as mild to moderate. CONCLUSIONS: A 3-day regimen of ibuprofen 600 mg x 4 daily does not offer any clinical advantages compared with a traditional paracetamol regimen 1000 mg x 4 daily with respect to alleviation of acute postoperative swelling and pain after third molar surgery.

Ketoprofen 75 mg qid versus acetaminophen 1000 mg qid for 3 days on swelling, pain, and other postoperative events after third-molar surgery.

A randomized, double-blind, within-patient, crossover study was carried out after bilateral "identical" surgical procedures using local anesthesia only. A 3-day tablet regime of racemic ketoprofen 75 mg or acetaminophen 1000 mg qid (x 4) was given starting 3 hours after surgery. Ketoprofen reduced objectively measured swelling 27.8% (p < 0.04) better than acetaminophen 3 days after surgery and 70.8% (p < 0.02) better than acetaminophen 6 days after surgery. The pain intensity (PI) was lower after ketoprofen than after acetaminophen from 2 to 6 hours after the first drug intake (all p-values < or = 0.03). Sum PI during the first (SUMPI3.5-6, p = 0.003) and second dose intervals (SUMPI6.5-9, p = 0.007) was lower for ketoprofen than for acetaminophen but not different for the third dose interval (SUMPI9.5-11, p = 0.53). Ketoprofen was a more effective analgesic than acetaminophen on the day of surgery (SUMPI3.5-11, p = 0.005). There was no difference (p > 0.05) between the treatments with respect to mouth opening, drug preference, global evaluation, or adverse reports. Adverse reports included stomach pain and diarrhea in both treatment groups. Ketoprofen 75 mg x 4 for 3 days reduces subjectively assessed pain and objectively measured swelling (i.e., anti-inflammatory effect) following third-molar surgery.

A comparison of pain rating scales by sampling from clinical trial data.

OBJECTIVE: The goals of this study were to examine agreement and estimate differences in sensitivity between pain assessment scales. DESIGN: Multiple simultaneous pain assessments by patients in acute pain after oral surgery were used to compare a four-category verbal rating scale (VRS-4) and an 11-point numeric rating scale (NRS-11) with a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS). The sensitivity of the scales (i.e., their ability [power] to detect differences between treatments) was compared in a simulation model by sampling from true pairs of observations using varying treatment differences of predetermined size. RESULTS: There was considerable variability in VAS scores within each VRS-4 or NRS-11 category both between patients and for repeated measures from the same patient. Simulation experiments showed that the VAS was systematically more powerful than the VRS-4 in all simulations performed. The sensitivity of the VAS and NRS-11 was approximately equal. CONCLUSIONS: In this acute pain model, the VRS-4 was less sensitive than the VAS. The simulation results demonstrated similar sensitivity of the NRS-11 and VAS when comparing acute postoperative pain intensity. The choice between the VAS and NRS-11 can thus be based on subjective preferences.

Polarimetric constraints on the optical afterglow emission from GRB 990123

Polarization of the optical emission from GRB 990123 was measured on 24.17 January 1999 universal time with the Nordic Optical Telescope. An upper limit of 2.3% on the linear polarization was found. Accurate polarization measurements provide important clues to the blast wave geometry and magnetic field structure of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The lack of detectable polarization for GRB 990123 indicates that the optical afterglow was produced by a blast wave of unknown geometry with an insignificant coherent magnetic field or by a beamed outflow at high Lorentz factor seen at a small viewing angle. Such a collimated jet would help solve the problem of energy release in this exceptionally luminous cosmological burst.

Variation in surgical trauma and baseline pain intensity: effects on assay sensitivity of an analgesic trial.

The aims of this study were to test the hypotheses that the type of 3rd molar removal determines baseline pain and that baseline pain influences analgesic assay sensitivity. Three groups of patients were studied: (i) 100 patients that had one fully erupted maxillary 3rd molar extracted; (ii) 95 patients that had one lower impacted 3rd molar surgically removed; and (iii) 98 patients that had two ipsilateral impacted 3rd molars surgically removed. In a randomized, double-blind fashion, the patients received (every third hour, three times) either: (i) paracetamol 1g; (ii) paracetamol 1g plus codeine 60 mg; or (iii) placebo. Baseline pain intensity (100 mm Visual Analogue Scale) was significantly lower after extraction (8 mm (2-20)) (=median (25th -75th percentile) than after surgical removal of one 3rd molar (35 mm (15-57)), which was significantly lower than pain intensity after surgical removal of two 3rd molars (49 mm (24-82)). Analgesic effects of the active test drugs were superior to placebo. Paracetamol with and without codeine could be distinguished in patients after surgical removal of one 3rd molar. In conclusion, baseline pain was related to the degree of surgical trauma, but large inter-individual variation in baseline pain intensity reduced the ability to distinguish between paracetamol with and without codeine.

Reproducibility of postoperative courses after surgical removal of symmetrically impacted wisdom teeth.

The acute postoperative courses after bilateral ¿identical¿ surgical removals of symmetrically impacted third molars on two separate occasions were investigated in a study containing two separate trials. Both trials were conducted as open interpatient crossover trials. Codeine phosphate (50 mg), with assumed analgesic effect but with no known clinical antiinflammatory effect, was given 4 times daily for 3 days starting 2 h after surgery in one trial using 20 patients (mean age 22.7 years, 12 females/8 males) and starting 3 h after surgery in the other trial using 20 patients (mean age 23.0 years, 11 females/9 males). Identical surgical procedures were carried out by the same surgeon in the same patient. The study shows the mean postoperative time courses of pain intensity, sum pain intensity, and swelling to be similar after bilateral operations. Pain intensity difference scores as measures of analgesia suggested the influence of carryover effects with respect to the second operation, irrespective of drug starting time. Mouth opening ability was not similar on each occasion after bilateral surgery. It can be concluded that the carryover design in bilateral surgery is valid and useful with respect to testing drug effects on swelling. The bilateral third molar model also offers the ability to test clinically relevant multiple dose regimens in phase 3 trials. It should, however, be recognized that the bilateral third molar model is highly dependent on the skill of the surgeon and may thus be more difficult to complete than parallel group trials.

Sympathetic activity and haemodynamic variables during spinal analgesia in man.

At present there is a lack of information concerning haemodynamic changes related to the degree of sympathetic blockade during spinal analgesia. In this investigation, involving 36 patients, changes in haemodynamic parameters were studied in 30 patients receiving spinal analgesia and in six patients having "sham spinal" analgesia. Three local anaesthetic solutions were used: bupivacaine without and with glucose and tetracaine with glucose. Skin conductance responses were used to evaluate changes in provoked sympathetic activity. It was found, as in previous studies, that a complete block of sympathetic activity in the foot was seen in only 60% of patients with an average analgesic level of T4. A partial sympathetic blockade was registered up to and above the level of analgesia. In 25/30 cases only minor alterations in cardiac output, heart rate, stroke volume, mean arterial pressure and systemic vascular resistance were seen in spinal analgesia whose level reached on average T4-5. In five cases in whom analgesia reached T4-3, mean arterial pressure fell greater than or equal to 30% with a well-preserved cardiac output, but with complete sympathetic blockade up to T5 and in two cases also in the hand. Only minor differences were observed between the different anaesthetic solutions.

The prevalence of open-angle glaucoma in Iceland.

A compilation of all prescriptions issued for glaucoma medication in Iceland for a 6 months period, together with hospital records of all patients operated on for primary open-angle glaucoma but not on glaucoma medication, were analysed for the prevalence and distribution of glaucoma in Iceland. The glaucoma population consisted of 1916 individuals (991 males and 925 females), amounting to an overall prevalence of 8.3 per thousand population. About 80% of the patients were on glaucoma medication and the remaining had been operated on but had not used drugs. Only 2.6% of the glaucoma population was under 50 years of age. The overall prevalence among those aged 50 and older was 35.3 per 1000, all having primary open angle glaucoma (subsuming glaucoma with pseudoexfoliation of the lens capsule). The prevalence increased with age from 5.7 per 1000 at age 50-59, to 107.5 at age 80 and older. Rates for males were significantly higher than rates for females in all age groups. The rates were highest in regions where ophthalmologists visit health centers regularly. Assuming that the open-angle glaucoma patients in Iceland as a whole have a similar eye status to the patients attending the University Outpatient Glaucoma Clinic, the overall prevalence of GVFD (glaucoma visual field defects) in the population aged 50 and older is 19.1 per thousand. The age specific prevalence of GVFD in Iceland is therefore consistent with results of prevalence studies in neighbouring countries.

Zimelidine to geriatric patients: a pharmacokinetic and clinical study.

To evaluate the clinical efficacy, tolerance and pharmacokinetic properties of zimelidine in elderly people, twelve hospitalized depressed patients with a mean age of 80 years were included in a clinical trial. Zimelidine was administered twice daily at a dose of 50 mg during the first week, 75 mg during the second week and 100 mg during the third to sixty week. The patients also received a single oral test dose of 75 mg of zimelidine during an initial placebo week. All patients that completed the study improved according to the rating scales used. The drug was well tolerated, and adverse reactions were few and of mild or moderate severity. No influence of clinical importance was noted on hematology, liver and kidney functions, ECG, blood pressure or pulse rate. The mean elimination half-lives of zimelidine and norzimelidine were found to be 15 h and 35 h, respectively, which were longer than the half-lives earlier obtained in younger patients. The blood levels (AUC) in the geriatric patients were about twice those obtained earlier in healthy volunteers. The AUC values for both zimelidine and norzimelidine increased in close proportion to the increase in dose and, thus, the pharmacokinetics of zimelidine was apparently not dose-dependent in the dose interval used. The results obtained may indicate a reduction in the rate of metabolism for zimelidine in the elderly, possibly combined with increased total bioavailability of the drug. A reduction of the regular zimelidine dose may be recommended in the treatment of elderly patients.

Childhood blindness in Iceland. A study of legally blind and partially seeing children in Iceland 1978.

In 1978, a study was made of legally blind (corrected visual acuity 6/60 or less) and partially seeing (CVA 6/18 to 6/60) children under 15 years of age in Iceland. A total of 43 children were found, of whom 23 were legally blind and 20 partially seeing. The prevalence rates, expressed as the number per 100,000, children of similar age, 36.4 for legal blindness and 31.6 for partial sight. In all 43 children, the visual loss was attributable to heritable, congenital, or developmental defects. The most common causes of visual loss were optic nerve atrophy and cataracts. Other causes are listed and discussed. No cases of acquired visual loss were found. In addition to visual loss, other congenital birth defects were found in 24 of the children. CNS affection was found in 20 of the children, and of these, 15 were mentally retarded.