Self-esteem following maxillofacial and orthopedic injuries: preliminary observations in sub-Saharan Africans.

BACKGROUND: The face is a vital component of one's personality and body image while extremities are important in function (mobility, routine daily activities). Recovery and rehabilitation from acquired maxillofacial and orthopedic traumas are psychological in nature. METHODS: This was a prospective study of recruited subjects in a Nigerian University teaching hospital. A total of 160 participants (80 with maxillofacial injuries and 80 with orthopedic injuries) had repeated review assessments within 1 week of arrival in the hospital (time 1), 4-8 weeks after initial contact (time 2), and 10-12 weeks thereafter (time 3), using Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Questionnaire. RESULTS: Thirty-three (41.3%) participants in the maxillofacial injured and 12 (15.0%) in the orthopedic injured subjects scored between 0 and 14 at time 1. At time 2, 39 (51.3%) subjects in the maxillofacial fracture group and 20 (29.0%) in the orthopedic injured group scored between 0 and 14, while at time 3, 7 (9.2%) in the maxillofacial fracture group and 1 (1.5%) in the orthopedic injured group scored between 0 and 14. There was a statistical significant difference between the two groups when compared at times 1, 2, and 3 with p < 0.001, p = 0.006, and p = 0.041 respectively. Subjects with maxillofacial fracture consistently had lower self-esteem compared to subjects with orthopedic injured for times 1, 2, and 3. CONCLUSIONS: Self-esteem may be reduced following maxillofacial injuries; therefore, measures should be taken by surgeons to minimize the risk of facial scarring by careful handling of tissues. Also, management of these injuries should integrate multidisciplinary care that will address psychological needs of patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.

Comparative study of anxiety and depression following maxillofacial and orthopedic injuries. Study from a Nigerian University Teaching Hospital.

This study hopes to compare levels of anxiety and depression in the maxillofacial and orthopedic injured patients over a period of 12 weeks. This was a prospective, repeated measure design. A total of 160 participants (80 with maxillofacial and 80 with long bone fractures) had repeated review follow-ups within 1 week of arrival in the hospital (Time 1), 4-8 weeks after initial contact (Time 2) and 10-12 weeks thereafter (Time 3), using hospital anxiety and depression scale questionnaire. Road traffic accident remained the main cause of injury in both groups of subjects. The Hospital anxiety and Depression scale detected 42 (52.5%) cases of depression at baseline, 36 (47.4%) cases at Time 2, and 14 (18.4%) cases at Time 3 in the maxillofacial injured group. In the long bone fracture subjects, 47 (58.8%) cases were depressed at baseline, 23(33.3%) cases at Time 2, and only 5 (7.2%) cases at Time 3. Both groups showed reduction in depression levels with time. Fifty-six (70.0%) had anxiety at baseline, 32 (42.1%) at Time 2, and only 9 (11.8%) had anxiety at Time 3 in the maxillofacial fracture group, whereas in the long bone fracture group, 69 (86.3%) subjects were anxious at baseline, 32 (46.4%) at Time 2, and 22 (31.9%) at Time 3. There were significant differences in depression and anxiety level in both the maxillofacial and the long bone fracture subjects at baseline (Time 1), Time 2(4-8 weeks) and Time 3(10-12 weeks).

Comparative efficacy of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and levofloxacin in the reduction of postsurgical sequelae after third molar surgery: a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial in a Nigerian university teaching hospital

Background: The most common sequelae after surgical removal of mandibular third molar are pain, trismus, swelling, and dysphagia. However, these symptoms can also signal the onset of surgical site infection and alveoli osteitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and levofloxacin and preemptive therapy of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in the reduction of postinflammatory complications, surgical site infection, and alveolar osteitis following the third molar surgery. Patients and Methods: A total of 135 patients were randomized into three equal groups: Group A (preemptive therapy of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid) with preoperative dose of 875/125 mg amoxicillin/clavulanic acid followed by 500/125 mg amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 12 hourly for 5 days, Group B (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid prophylaxis) with a single preoperative dose of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 875/125 mg tablets, and Group C (levofloxacin prophylaxis) with a single preoperative dose of levofloxacin 1000 mg tablets. All patients had ostectomy using surgical handpiece and burs and received same analgesics (tabs ibuprofen 400 mg 8 hourly for 3 days). Results: No case of surgical site infection or alveoli osteitis was recorded in the study groups.There were no statistically significant differences between the treatment groups with regard to pain, mouth opening, postoperative facial dimension, and body temperature. Conclusion: Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid as a single preoperative bolus should be adequate for the prevention of postoperative wound infection and alveoli osteitis following the third molar extraction as there is no need for an extension of the antibiotic. Moreover, levofloxacin can be utilized as prophylaxis in patients undergoing mandibular third molar extraction if such patients are allergic to penicillins

Comparative Efficacy of Amoxicillin/Clavulanic Acid and Levofloxacin in the Reduction of Postsurgical Sequelae After Third Molar Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Clinical Trial in a Nigerian University Teaching Hospital.

BACKGROUND: The most common sequelae after surgical removal of mandibular third molar are pain, trismus, swelling, and dysphagia. However, these symptoms can also signal the onset of surgical site infection and alveoli osteitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and levofloxacin and preemptive therapy of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in the reduction of postinflammatory complications, surgical site infection, and alveolar osteitis following the third molar surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 135 patients were randomized into three equal groups: Group A (preemptive therapy of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid) with preoperative dose of 875/125 mg amoxicillin/clavulanic acid followed by 500/125 mg amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 12 hourly for 5 days, Group B (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid prophylaxis) with a single preoperative dose of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 875/125 mg tablets, and Group C (levofloxacin prophylaxis) with a single preoperative dose of levofloxacin 1000 mg tablets. All patients had ostectomy using surgical handpiece and burs and received same analgesics (tabs ibuprofen 400 mg 8 hourly for 3 days). RESULTS: No case of surgical site infection or alveoli osteitis was recorded in the study groups. There were no statistically significant differences between the treatment groups with regard to pain, mouth opening, postoperative facial dimension, and body temperature. CONCLUSION: Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid as a single preoperative bolus should be adequate for the prevention of postoperative wound infection and alveoli osteitis following the third molar extraction as there is no need for an extension of the antibiotic. Moreover, levofloxacin can be utilized as prophylaxis in patients undergoing mandibular third molar extraction if such patients are allergic to penicillins.

Oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) following third molar surgery in Sub-Saharan Africans: an observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical extraction of the impacted third molar is one of the commonest minor oral surgical procedures carried out in oral surgery. Problems created by the disturbances in post-extraction wound healing and physiologic sequelae of third molar surgery can significantly affect the patient's quality of life. METHODS: The study population consisted of 135 subjects that required surgical extraction of mandibular third molar under local anesthesia and met the inclusion criteria. Patients were assessed pre-operatively and post-operatively on days 1,3,5,7, and 14 using the United Kingdom Oral Health related Quality of Life questionnaire (UK-OHRQoL). RESULTS: This study also showed that surgical removal of impacted teeth exerted a negative influence on patient's Quality of life (QoL) across various physical, social, psychological aspects of life. UK-OHRQoL-16 mean scores showed that severe difficulty in eating was experienced by 106 (78%) patients on postoperative day (POD) 1. The symptom however improved within the first week with only 16 (11.9%) experiencing this symptom by POD 7 and none by POD 14. CONCLUSION: There was a deterioration in oral health related quality of life in the immediate postoperative period particularly POD 1 and 3 following third molar surgery, which slowly returned to preoperative level by 7th day. Routines such as eating, laughing and smiling, work and speech were also affected. Patients need to be informed of these symptoms after third molar removal so as to enable them prepare very well for the procedure and its sequelae.

Reconstruction of mandibular defects using nonvascularized autogenous bone graft in nigerians.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the success rate and complications of mandibular reconstruction with nonvascularized bone graft in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 25 patients who underwent reconstruction of mandibular discontinuity defects between January 2003 and February 2012, at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife constituted the study sample. Relevant information was retrieved from the patients' records. This information include patients' demographics (age and sex) as well as the type of mandibular defect, cause of the defect, type of mandibular resection done, source of the bone graft used, and the method of graft immobilization. Morbidity associated with the graft procedures were assessed by retrieving information on graft failures, length of hospital stay following surgery, rehabilitation device used and associated graft donor and recipient site complications. RESULT: There were 12 males and 13 females with a male:female ratio was 1:1.1. The age of the patients ranged from 13 to 73 years with a mean age for males 32.7 ± standard deviation (SD) 12.9 and for females 35.0 ± SD 17.1. Jaw defect was caused by resection for tumours and other jaw pathologies in 92% of cases. Complete symphyseal involvement defect was the most common defect recorded 11 (44%). Reconstruction with nonvascularized rib graft accounted for 68% of cases while iliac crest graft was used in 32% of the patients. Successful take of the grafts was recorded in 22 patients while three cases failed. Wound dehiscence (two patients) and postoperative wound infection (eight patients) were the most common complications recorded. CONCLUSION: The use of nonvascularized graft is still relevant in the reconstruction of large mandibular defects caused by surgical ablation of benign conditions in Nigerians. Precise surgical planning and execution, extended antibiotic therapy, and meticulous postoperative care contributed to the good outcome.

Psychological complications of maxillofacial trauma: preliminary findings from a Nigerian university teaching hospital.

PURPOSE: This study sought to determine 1) the prevalence of psychological distress in a series of subjects who sustained maxillofacial injuries and 2) temporal changes in psychological functioning over 12 weeks compared with baseline values. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective, repeated-measures design study of consecutively recruited subjects at a Nigerian university teaching hospital. A total of 51 subjects with facial injuries had repeated follow-up assessments (10 days, 6 to 8 weeks, and 10 to 12 weeks) after the trauma, using standard instruments. RESULTS: The General Health Questionnaire identified a high prevalence of psychological morbidity in the subjects (90%), with 41.2% and 11.8% scoring above threshold values on the hospital anxiety and depression scales, respectively. Five subjects satisfied the criteria on the Trauma Screening Questionnaire for a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder during the follow-up period. Psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire caseness) remained at high levels during the 2 follow-up assessments. CONCLUSIONS: The management of facial injuries should integrate a multidisciplinary approach that addresses the psychological needs of the patients in both the short term and the long term.

Antibacterial activity of aqueous extracts of selected chewing sticks.

This aim of this study was to determine the antibacterial activity in extracts obtained from various Nigerian chewing sticks. Aqueous extracts from seventeen chewing sticks and the fruit of C. ferruginea, one fruit used in oral hygiene in Nigeria, were screened for antibacterial activity against type cultures of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Eleven of the test extracts showed activity against at least two of these referenced organisms. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of these eleven extracts against clinical isolates from orofacial infection were determined. All the extracts demonstrated activity against Staphylococcal and Streptococcal isolates. Over half of the extracts were active against Enterobacteriaceae and obligate anaerobic isolates, including Prevotella melaninogenica, Porphyromonas gigivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Peptostreptococcus prevotii. Extracts of the Vitellaria paradoxa root, Bridellia ferruginea stem and twigs, Garcinia cola stem, Terminalia glaucescens root, Morinda lucida root, and Cnestis ferruginea fruit showed appreciable activity against all classes of bacterial isolates. The extracts of these plants may serve as sources for chemotherapeutic agents for the management of orofacial infections.