Non-surgical treatment of vertical excess of the premaxilla in growing bilateral cleft lip and palate patients.

Patients with bilateral complete cleft lip and palate (BCLP) may present a vertical excess of the premaxilla in childhood. This is a severe functional and aesthetic problem, where bone grafting is more challenging. The aim of this study was to describe a simple and reproducible non-surgical orthopaedic treatment for vertical excess of the premaxilla in the deciduous/early mixed dentition phase in BCLP patients. Six growing patients with complete BCLP with a severe vertical excess of the premaxilla were included. An intrusion device associated with a bonded rapid palatal expander was applied to intrude the premaxilla. Radiographic and photographic records obtained before and at the end of the orthodontic intrusion, at short- and long-term follow-up, were available. A flattening of the occlusal plane was achieved in all patients. Normalization of the position of the maxillary incisors and gingival display in relation to the upper lip was obtained, and an improvement in anterior nasal spine position was also observed in all cases. The novel technique described might be of assistance in treating BCLP children with vertical excess of the premaxilla during the deciduous/early mixed dentition phase. This simplified, easily reproducible method may allow the burden of care of this rare but complex problem affecting BCLP patients to be reduced significantly.

Gender and age trends of histological types of lung cancer in a 20-year period: pathological perspective.

PURPOSE: To find out the trends of distribution in different histological types of lung cancer in both genders in a period of 20 years. METHODS: The most frequent histological types of lung cancer in tissue specimens obtained by bronchoscopy or percutaneous needle biopsy were analysed in terms of age and gender. The studied population included 6289 patients (16.6% females and 83.1% males). Statistical significance was established by x(2) test at the level p<0.05. RESULTS: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) prevailed in the total number of patients in all investigated years (58.0%), and separately in male (60.4%) and female (45.7%) patients. This histological type was predominant in all age groups in both genders (41.6% in males and 38.1% in females). CONCLUSION: SCC has the highest incidence in Serbia. Continuous campaign against smoking and helping its cessation, improving working and socioeconomic conditions is a strategy for decreasing all histological types of lung cancer patients.

[Profile types in relation to facial angle in different skeletal jaw relationships].

The aim of the analysis was to determine the presence of straight, concave and convex profiles of individuals, who have different skeletal jaw relationships. A particular profile type was determined in each person on the basis of facial angle proposed by G. Arnett and R. Bergman. The analysis of lateral cephalometric headfilm was done in 240 individuals 12-14 years old, with skeletal jaw relationship of Class I, II/1, II/2 and III according to the values of ANB angle (Steiner). Soft tissue profile in those persons where analysed according to Bergman's and Arnett's method. According to the obtained results, the majority of persons had convex profile (51.2%), straight profile was present in 32.5%, while concave profile was present in 16.3%. Convex profile is dominant in individuals with Class II/1 (83.3%), then in individuals with Class II/2 (64.5%) and Class I (55.9%), whereas the concave profile was mainly characteristic of individuals with Class III (59.3%). Straight profiles were equally present in individuals with skeletal jaw relationship of Class I and III (40.7%) and the least present in individuals with Class II/I (16.7%). The number of regular profiles was doubly greater in female individuals (66.7%) in comparison with male ones (33.3%). The presence of all 3 profile types in individuals with Class I and Class II/2, straight and convex profiles in individuals with Class II/1, and straight and concave profiles in individuals with Class III indicated that these profiles are the result of the effect of dentoskeletal jaw relationship as well as some other factors. Only the complete profile cephalometric analysis may provide an adequate treatment planing that leads to harmonization of occlusal relationships and good aesthetic result.