Postoperative Complications of Impacted Mandibular Third Molar Extraction Related to Patient’s Age and Surgical Difficulty Level: A Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study

Mandibular third molar surgical extraction, either partially erupted or fully impacted, is the most common surgical procedure in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS). However, this procedure can be associated with many postoperative complications including persistent pain, swelling, trismus, and paresthesia due to nerve injury. This study aimed to identify the correlation of postoperative complications with patient’s age, sex, and surgical difficulty level. This study was a cross-sectional retrospective and single-center research conducted on patients with a history of mandibular third molar surgical extraction in the period between 2017 and 2019 at Dental and Oral Hospital Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia. The researchers assessed the factors of age, sex, and surgical difficulty level regarding postoperative complications on the first day of the surgery and after one week on the 7th day of it. Among 916 respondents, the majority of the sample was females (59%) and the dominant age group (60.9%) was the age group of 21–30 years while the dominant surgical difficulty level was shown by the advanced cases group (77%). The statistical analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between surgical difficulty level and postoperative complications including pain, trismus, and paresthesia on the first-day assessment. On the other hand, age was significantly related to complications like pain, swelling, and trismus on the first-week assessment. Age and surgical difficulty level were the most common risk factors of the mandibular third molar extraction postoperative complications. Dentists should take into consideration that older patients (≥51 years) and patients with complex surgical level are more vulnerable to severe postoperative complications.

Application of a Cone-Beam Computed Tomography-Based Index for Evaluating Surgical Sites Prior to Sinus Lift Procedures—A Pilot Study

Objectives. Radiography-based indices can help surgeons perform detailed examinations of the surgical site and predict the surgical difficulty of cases. We aimed to develop and validate a novel CBCT-based index that can predict the surgical difficulty of sinus-augmentation procedures. Materials and Methods. In the first stage, five experienced dental specialists performed a review of the literature and closed group discussions and designed the novel index. In the next stage, the index was validated. CBCT scans of 30 patients scheduled for sinus-augmentation procedures were evaluated and assigned presurgical CBCT evaluation scores (PSCESs) by five examiners. Subsequently, one oral surgeon performed sinus augmentation using the lateral antrostomy technique and assigned surgical difficulty scores (SDSs) to each of the 30 cases along with 2 observers. The PSCESs and SDSs were statistically analysed to determine the interrater reliability and validity of the index. Results. The interrater agreement of the PSCES among the five presurgical evaluators was 0.85. The PSCES of the five evaluators had highly significant correlation ( P < 0.001 , r = 0.68 to 0.76 ) with the SDS. Regression analysis revealed that for every unit increase in the PSCES, there is 0.46 to 0.57 increase in the SDS value. Conclusion. The results of this pilot study revealed that a novel CBCT-based index can be used as a reliable tool for predicting the surgical difficulty of sinus-augmentation procedures. However, the novel index needs to be tested on a larger sample of patients and evaluators for a more concrete validity and reliability.

Association of Risk Factors for the Mortality and Morbidity of Stoma Closure

Background: Anastomal leakage is a main surgical difficulty and requires stoma closure. Objective: To find associated risks for mortality and morbidity of stoma closure. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study Place and Duration of Study: Department of Surgery Ward 2, Jinnah Sindh Medical University/Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi from 1st July 2020 to 30th June 2021. Methodology: One hundred and twenty patients undergone rectal carcinoma surgeries were enrolled. The complications were graded by Clavien-Dindo classification system. The stoma closure was done by two different methods; the anterior wall technique or resection with anastomosis. Time duration of surgery, scoring by American Society of Anaesthesiologists was done and clinical and demographic information documented. Results: There were 62.5% males while 37.5% females and mean age was 65.5±8.5 years range between 31 to 72 years. Vascular blood supply affected leaking anastomaly. No significant effect of stoma type or closing technique was seen. However the time of stoma (p=0.044) and ASA score closure was a main risk for causing complications and increasing morbidity or mortality chances. Conclusion: Time of closure, American Society of Anaesthesiologists score as well as vascular supply are risk factors for morbidity or mortality in stoma closure. Keywords: Surgical stoma closure, Risk factors, Morbidity, Mortality

Laparoscopic Anatomical Resection of Liver Segment 8 via a Hepatic Parenchymal Transection-first Approach Guided by the Middle Hepatic Vein

Background Although recent technological developments and improved endoscopic procedures have further extended the application of laparoscopic liver resection, pure laparoscopic anatomic resection of liver segment 8 (S8) is still rarely performed due to the lack of an appropriate surgical approach. This article discusses the technical tips and operation methods for laparoscopic anatomical resection of liver S8 via a hepatic parenchymal transection-first approach.Methods Clinical data of 14 patients who underwent laparoscopic anatomical resection of liver segment 8 via a hepatic parenchymal transection-first approach guided by the middle hepatic vein (MHV) in the Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University) from May 2017 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications, and hospitalization duration were observed.Results The operation was successful with no complications. No other abnormality was noted during outpatient follow-up examination.Conclusions Laparoscopic anatomical resection of liver S8 is still quite challenging at present, and it is our goal to design a reasonable procedure with accurate efficacy and high safety. We use hepatic parenchymal transection-first approach guided by the MHV for laparoscopic anatomical resection of liver S8. This technique overcomes the problem of high technical risk, greatly reduces the surgical difficulty and achieves technological breakthroughs, but there are still many problems worth further exploration.

Antibiotic Prophylaxis in the Prevention of Postoperative Infections in Mandibular Third Molar Extractions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis in the prevention of surgical wound infection (SWI) following mandibular third molar extraction. Methods: A systematic search on electronic databases and a manual search on paper journals was carried out. Two independent reviewers selected the studies. The onset of SWI was used as the main outcome. The data from the studies were analyzed, both with the fixed and the random models, according to the type of antibiotic and the method of administration; a further stratification was adopted, if possible, based on surgical difficulty. The risk of bias and heterogeneity were evaluated. Results: 15 studies were included. Antibiotic prophylaxis, especially in pre-surgical administration and in case of osteotomy, is effective in the prevention of SWI in case of mandibular third molar extraction. Post-surgical administration of prophylaxis, although effective, does not seem to be fully supported by the literature. Pre- and post-surgical prophylaxis did not demonstrate superiority compared to pre-surgical administration alone. Conclusions: Antibiotic prophylaxis is effective in reducing SWI after third molar extraction; pre-surgical administration, minimizing antibiotics administration, allows one to reduce complications related to antibiotic and risk of onset of antibiotic resistance.

A Comparative Study of Difficulty Prediction Indices in Lower Third Molar Surgery

In third molar surgery, it is important to take into account multiple clinical and radiographic variables that, grouped into indices and classifications, allow estimating the degree of surgical difficulty. The present study proposes to evaluate the efficacy and congruence of these indices. Material and methods: a cross-sectional retrospective study in 77 patients. 123 lower third molar surgeries were performed using the Pederson, WHARFE and Parant prediction indices; to know the efficacy of the classifications, a statistical analysis with measures of central tendency, association through chi-square test and tables of frequency distribution were used, as well as non-parametric tests when determining an asymmetric distribution in the data through the Kolmogorov and Kruskall-Wallis test. Results: Analyzing the correlation between the Pederson and WHARFE indices, a strong association of P = .906 (Gamma), P = .761 (Kendall’s Tau “C”) and P = .834 (Somers “D”) was found, accepting frequency correlation through chi-square test. X2 test (P = 0.000) was performed accepting association between the Parant and Pederson scale, as well as for the WHARFE and Parant scales, resulting positive with a strong intensity and a direct association with a P = 0.796 (Gamma). Discussion: The difficulty prediction indices evaluated in the present study proved to be congruent with each other, their predictions regarding the type of surgery performed allow estimate degrees of complexity, type of surgical procedure, approximate time and possible complications, thus improving treatment planning. Keywords: Third molars; degree of difficulty; surgical tooth extraction; prediction

Adapted Bag-in-the-Lens Implantation Technique in Children with Congenital Ectopia Lentis

Background Subluxation of the crystalline lens in childhood confronts the surgeon with a dilemma: to operate or to wait and see. Surgery is usually not performed when the subluxation is still limited. However, postponing the surgery increases the surgical difficulty as the capsular bag becomes more difficult to use as a means of support for the intraocular lens (IOL). A large number of children already present a pronounced subluxation at first presentation. In this paper, we describe a technique to optimise centration and fixation of the bag-in-the-lens (BIL) IOL in children younger than 7 years of age with congenital ectopia lentis. Methods Between October 2019 and December 2020, we performed lens extraction using a combination of bean-shaped segments to support the BIL IOL and a 6 – 0 polypropylene loop fixated at the sclera, following the Yamane technique, for the purpose of centration. We used this technique for seven eyes of four patients. The patients were between 2 and 6 years old; 3 boys and 1 girl. A definite diagnosis of Marfan syndrome was made for two children; for the other two, there was no proven underlying pathology. The luxation was upwards in all cases. The degree of luxation was severe in all eyes. The preoperative refraction values showed high astigmatism values for all eyes, ranging from 6.5 to 11.25 dioptres. Three out of the four patients were myopic, ranging from − 1.5 to − 9 dioptres. Results The surgery could be performed without major complications in all eyes. Good centration was obtained, which remained stable in the postoperative period. Refraction improved with greatly diminished degrees of astigmatism (ranging from 0.25 to 3 dioptres) and myopia (spheres ranging from − 2 to + 1.75 dioptres). Conclusion Our novel technique incorporated the BIL technique with the addition of bean-shaped segments and a polypropylene 6/0 suture fixated at the sclera. In this way, we were able to obtain good centration and stability of the implanted IOL, as well as a good refractive outcome in all cases.