A comparison between clearing and radiographic techniques in the study of the root-canal anatomy of maxillary first and second molars.

AIM: To compare a clearing technique with conventional radiography in studying certain features of the root-canal system of maxillary right first and second molars. A secondary aim was to assess interexaminer agreement for these features using radiographs. METHODOLOGY: Eighty-three recently extracted permanent maxillary right first molars and 40 recently extracted maxillary right second molars from an Irish population were included. Standard periapical radiographs were taken from a buccolingual and mesiodistal direction. The specimens were then decoronated, demineralized in 10% hydrochloric acid for 8 days and then cleared using methyl salicylate. The cleared teeth were examined using a dissecting microscope (x20), and data relating to number of roots, canal type following Vertucci's classification, presence of lateral canals, presence of transverse anastomoses and position/number of apical foramina were collected. The radiographs were examined by two independent trained endodontists using an X-ray viewer and a magnifying lens (x2) in a dark room for the same features studied using the clearing technique. RESULTS: The Kappa values for the agreement between the radiographic examiners A and B and the clearing technique and between the two examiners for the number of roots were 0.60, 0.64 and 0.53; for the root-canal type, 0.37, 0.41 and 0.42; for the number of roots with lateral canals, 0.21, 0.18 and 0.14; and for the transverse anastomoses, 0.29 for radiographic Examiner A. Radiographic Examiner B did not feel capable of accurately recognizing transverse anastomoses from the radiographs. For the position/number of apical foramina, the Kappa values were 0.33 and 0.24, respectively. In general, the Kappa values were low to modest for all comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the agreement between the two radiographic examiners and the agreement between either radiographic examiner and the clearing technique were poor to moderate, indicating the limited value of radiographs alone when studying certain aspects of the root-canal system.

Improved survival in steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease after non-myeloablative allogeneic transplantation using a daclizumab-based strategy with comprehensive infection prophylaxis.

Approximately 15% of patients undergoing non-myeloablative allogeneic haematopoietical cell transplantation (NMHCT) develop steroid-refractory acute-graft versus host disease (aGVHD), a usually fatal complication. We encountered 18 cases of steroid-refractory aGVHD in 146 patients, undergoing NMHCT from a related human leucocyte antigen-compatible donor following cyclophosphamide/fludarabine-based conditioning. Our initial cohort of steroid-refractory aGVHD patients treated with antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and mycophenolate mofetil (regimen-1: n = 6) had high GVHD-related mortality. Therefore, we investigated an alternative strategy for subsequent patients developing this complication (regimen-2: n = 12), consisting of daclizumab (alone or combined with infliximab/ATG) and targeted broad spectrum antibacterial and aspergillus prophylaxis in conjunction with rapid tapering of steroids to minimize opportunistic infections. In a retrospective analysis, patients receiving regimen-2 were significantly more likely to have complete resolution of GVHD compared with those receiving regimen-1 [12/12 (100%) vs. 1/6 (17%); P < 0.001]. When compared with those receiving regimen-1, regimen-2 patients also had a higher probability of survival at day 100 (100% vs. 50%) and day 200 (73% vs. 17%) post-transplant, and improved overall survival (median 453 d vs. 42 d from aGVHD onset; P < 0.0001). GVHD-related mortality was 89% for regimen-1 patients vs. 17% for regimen-2 patients (P < 0.0001). These data suggest that a co-ordinated approach using immunoregulatory monoclonal antibodies, pre-emptive antimicrobial therapy and judicious steroid withdrawal can dramatically improve outcome in steroid-refractory aGVHD.

Root canal anatomy of maxillary first and second permanent molars.

AIM: The aim of this investigation was to study the root canal anatomy of maxillary first and second molar teeth from an Irish population sample using a clearing technique. METHODOLOGY: Eighty-three extracted permanent maxillary right first molars and 40 permanent right maxillary second molars were included in this investigation. The specimens were demineralized and then cleared using methyl salicylate. The following observations were made: number of roots, prevalence of fusion, types of root canals using Vertucci's classification, presence and position of lateral canals, presence and position of transverse anastomoses, number and position of apical foramina and the frequency of occurrence of apical deltas. RESULTS: Eleven per cent of maxillary first molars and 43% of maxillary second molars had fused roots. A total of 78% of mesiobuccal roots in maxillary first and 58% in maxillary second molars had two canals. Sixty-two per cent of maxillary first and 50% of maxillary second molars had two apical foramina. There was a significant inverse relationship between age and the occurrence of two canals and between age and the occurrence of transverse anastomoses in both tooth morphotypes (P < or = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that a significant proportion of the first and second molar specimens studied had two canals in the mesiobuccal root (78% and 58%, respectively) and that the occurrence of two canals and transverse anastomoses decreased significantly with increasing age.