Hot Hypertonic Saline and Compression Device: A Novel Approach in Preventing Severe Hemorrhage during Extirpation of Deep Vascular Malformations of the Face.

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhage is a serious challenge in vascular malformations (VMs). This problem makes the surgical excision of the lesions difficult and sometimes impossible. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to design a technique that will meet with the challenges of hemorrhage while performing surgery in such lesions in our environment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seven patients with deep and moderately large VMs of the facial region were selected and treated with hot 7.5% hypertonic saline after compressing the feeder vessels. This was then complemented with surgical excisions. RESULTS: There were successful surgical extirpations of the lesions without eventful hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Hot 7.5% hypertonic saline injected into VMs after emptying their hematic content caused sclerosis of the anomalous vessels. This made bleeding during surgery uneventful.

Akinosi (tuberosity) technique: a verity but under-utilised mandibular nerve block technique.

BACKGROUND: Profound local anaesthesia is a desired clinicalcondition in surgical treatment of lesions in the oral cavity. This is because patients' cooperation is better assured with a pain-free field of operation. In dentistry this is usually achieved by either infiltration or block anaesthesia. The inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) block is the main block anaesthesia employed in dentistry, particularly for mandibular procedures. Different techniques of achieving this block anaesthesia have been described. The two commonly used of these techniques are standard technique (ST) and Akinosi technique (AT). The objectives of this study were to determine the more commonly used IAN block technique and the success rate in a self-referral dental clinic. PATIENTS AND METHOD: This was a retrospective study that included patients treated between January, 1993 and December, 1995. Records of the patient treated within this period were examined to determine which of the two anaesthetic nerve block techniques was more frequently used in achieving deep analgesia for their mandibular procedures. RESULTS: Of the 480 patients that were treated with block anaesthesia, 392 (81.7%) were treated with standaard technique while 88 (18.3%) were treat with Akinosi technique. CONCLUSION: Dental surgeons in the clinic utilised standard nerve block technique more frequently than the Akinosi technique in their mandibular procedures inspire of the reported higher merits of Akinosi techniques.

A Survey of the Knowledge of Dental Implants as a Choice in Treatment of Edentulous Jaws among Health Workers in Government Dental Clinics in Enugu.

BACKGROUND: Dental implantology is fast becoming a specialty in the field of dentistry. Within the last five decades, dentistry appears to have recorded its most significant advancement in the field of dental implantology. With dental implants, missing teeth can now be replaced with stable, comfortable and natural-looking and feeling artificial replacements. Inspite of this lenght of time associated with the innovation, the awareness and practice of dental implantology in the government dental clinics in Enugu is still aground. OBJECTIVES: To determine if health workers in these hospitals were aware of dental implants as a choice for replacing missing teeth. METHODS: The survey was conducted using a random sampling with self-administered questionnaires among health workers in the three health institutions in Enugu between January and February, 2009. RESULTS: Out of 320 respondents in the study, only 31 (9.7%) were aware of dental implant, while 23( 7.2% ) recognised it as a choice in tooth replacement. CONCLUSION: The knowledge of dental implants as a replacement choice for missing dentitions is low among health workers in Enugu.