ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the causes and clinical and laboratory features of patients with ureteritis observed on intravenous contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic computed tomography (APCT) conducted in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: All APCTs conducted in the ED from November 2017 to November 2020 were investigated for the presence of ureteritis. The incidence of ureteritis, presumed cause of ureteritis, and clinical as well as laboratory features of patients with ureteritis were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Ureteritis was observed in 422 out of 7,386 patients (5.7%) who underwent APCTs. The two main reasons for undergoing APCT in the ED were abdominal pain (49%) and infection focus workup (33%). The first major cause of ureteritis was urinary tract infection (UTI) (351 of 422, 83%). Most patients (85%) were febrile, but 208 (59%) exhibited no urinary symptoms such as dysuria, increased frequency, or residual urine sense. The second major cause of ureteritis was ureteral stones (42 of 422, 10%). Thirty-two of 42 patients (76%) had simple obstructive uropathy, while 24% of patients had a combined infection along with an obstruction. Other rare causes were malignancy and the spread of adjacent inflammation. CONCLUSION: Ureteritis was a common finding observed in 5.7% of patients who underwent APCTs at the ED, and most of them were secondary to UTIs and ureteral stones. UTIs can cause ureteritis even without typical symptoms or signs suggestive of UTI, and diagnosis without an APCT can be difficult. More liberal use of APCTs should be considered when the cause of fever is difficult to diagnose.
ABSTRACT
Although distraction osteogenesis of the mandible in patients with hemifacial microsomia (HFM) before the mixed dentition period is widely performed, long-term follow-up information on dental problems is limited. We evaluated the long-term effect of distraction osteogenesis on dental development by comparing Nolla's developmental stages of the first and second molars between the affected and unaffected sides of the mandible. Forty-five patients with unilateral HFM who received distraction osteogenesis of the mandible between the ages of 5 and 8 years and whose dental status was followed for more than 2 years were selected for this study. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group I (n = 28) consisted of patients with Pruzansky types I and IIA and group II (n = 17) consisted of patients with types IIB and III. Panoramic radiographs at T0 (1 month before distraction), T1 (6 months to 1 year after distraction), T2 (2-3 years after distraction) were reviewed. Nolla's stages for the first and second molars were compared at each of the abovementioned times between the affected and unaffected sides using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. In group I, there was no differences observed in Nolla's stages of the first and second molars in comparisons between the affected and unaffected sides of the mandible. However, in group II, at T0, there was a significant difference in Nolla's stage of the first and second molars in comparisons between the affected and unaffected sides. Over time, tooth development was accelerated, and eventually, there was no difference in Nolla's stage between the affected and unaffected sides at T1 and T2. Patients with severe HFM can benefit from distraction osteogenesis of the mandible. The results of this study showed that this procedure could normalize the delayed development and eruption of the first and second molars.
