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This study aimed to analyze the outcomes of HCC patients treated with a novel technique-pulsed microwave ablation (MWA)-in terms of safety, local tumor progression (LTP), intrahepatic recurrence (IHR), and overall survival (OS). A total of 126 pulsed microwave procedures have been performed in our center. We included patients with mono- or multifocal HCC (BCLC 0 to D). The LTP at 12 months was 9.9%, with an IHR rate of 27.8% at one year. Survival was 92.0% at 12 months with 29.4% experiencing post-operative complications (28.6% Clavien-Dindo 1-2, 0.8% Clavien-Dindo 3-4). Stratifying patients by BCLC, we achieved BCLC 0, A, B, C, and D survival rates of 100%, 93.2%, 93.3%, 50%, and 100%, respectively, at one year, which was generally superior to or in line with the expected survival rates among patients who are started on standard treatment. The pulsed MWA technique is safe and effective. The technique can be proposed not only in patients with BCLC A staging but also in the highly selected cases of BCLC B, C, and D, confirming the importance of the concept of stage migration. This procedure, especially if performed with a minimally invasive technique (laparoscopic or percutaneous), is repeatable with a short postoperative hospital stay.

The development of liver metastases in colon rectal cancer has a strong impact on the overall survival (OS) of the patient, with a 5-year survival rate of 5% with palliative treatment. Surgical resection combined with pharmacological treatment can achieve a 5-year OS rate of 31-58%. However, in only 20% of patients with colon rectal liver metastases (CRLMs), liver resection is feasible. In highly selected patients, recent trials and studies proved that liver transplantation (LT) for non-resectable CRLM is a surgical option with an excellent long-term OS. The paper aims to review the indications and outcome of LT for CRLMs, with a special focus on immunosuppressive therapy and the management of local and extrahepatic recurrence after LT., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Finotti, Vitale, Gringeri, D'Amico, Boetto, Bertacco, Lonardi, Bergamo, Feltracco and Cillo.)

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease represents an increasing cause of chronic hepatic disease in recent years. This condition usually arises in patients with multiple comorbidities, the so-called metabolic syndrome. The therapeutic options are multiple, ranging from lifestyle modifications, pharmacological options, to liver transplantation in selected cases. The choice of the most beneficial one and their interactions can be challenging. It is mandatory to stratify the patients according to the severity of their disease to tailor the available treatments. In our contribution, we review the most recent pharmacological target therapies, the role of bariatric surgery, and the impact of liver transplantation on the NAFLD outcome.

Liver transplant could be considered for certain tumors even if there is still dubious indication, as in the case of hepatic small vessels neoplasms that pose a difficult differential diagnosis with liver angiosarcoma. Liver transplant could be the best choice for patients with stable or slow-progressing tumors, for young patients with impaired quality of life, and when it would use organs that would be otherwise discarded but are capable of affording a good function. Vascular tumors are very heterogeneous cancers and our case represents the first description of a new histologic lesion that cannot be included in any of the pre-existing diagnostic categories. In our paper we want to present our decision to transplant a patient in whom the diagnosis was hepatic small vessels neoplasms (but was still in doubt for angiosarcoma as suggested by pathologists form other institutions). Furthermore, we want to highlight that after liver transplant, a new lesion never described before resulted from the specimen analysis that does not fit any of the pathologic diagnostic categories. This finding could open a scenario for additional improvement in molecular analysis in order to differentiate liver vascular tumors or even single lesion histotypes. This article emphasizes how little we know about the real behavior of liver vascular tumors and their clinical and therapeutic outcomes; we want to raise a question about the possibility for liver transplant in the setting of tumors not yet fully known and in which, in cases of diagnostic doubts, this option has been traditionally excluded, possibly bypassing ethical implications by using marginal donors., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Liver transplantation (LT) is currently considered the gold standard treatment for end-stage liver failure. Compared to the first decades of its use, LT is associated with lower comorbidity and mortality, with a 5-year survival over 70%. Worldwide, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma represent the major indications to LT. However, almost 1% of LT is performed for rare diseases or rare indications, which include non-hepatocellular malignancy, vascular disorders, metabolic and congenital liver disorders. These diseases can lead to hepatocellular necrosis, biliary tree abnormality and/or hepatomegaly. Most of these diseases are not associated with liver failure but in highly selected patients, LT represent an effective therapy improving the overall survival and quality of life. Rare indications for LT often overlap with rare diseases. However, rare LT indications for non-rare diseases are rising in the last decades, especially for benign primary liver tumor, colon rectal liver metastasis, neuroendocrine liver metastasis, and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Non-rare diseases with rare indication for LT and rare adult disease with an indication for LT are categorized and discussed in detail, focusing on some disorders for which the literature provides a more definitive evidence base. Early referral to a transplant center is encouraged to provide an effective therapeutic option in these non-standard indications for LT., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/tgh-19-282). The series “Recent Advances in Rare Liver Diseases” was commissioned by the editorial office without any funding or sponsorship. Alessandro Vitale serves as an unpaid editorial board member of Translational Gastroenterology and Hepatology from Jan 2020 to Dec 2021. The authors have no other conflicts of interest to declare., (2021 Translational Gastroenterology and Hepatology. All rights reserved.)

Background: Liver resection represents the first curative treatment to treat primary and secondary hepatic tumors. Thoracoscopic liver ablation is a viable and minimally invasive alternative treatment, especially for patients with previous multiple abdominal surgeries. The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of thoracoscopic ablation for liver tumors. Methods: Retrospective analysis of a prospective database of patients with liver tumors, treated with thoracoscopic trans-diagrammatic ablation (MWA or RFA) at our institution from 2012 to 2018. The primary endpoint was post-operative mortality at 30 days, while secondary endpoints were morbidity and efficacy of ablation (i.e., response rate evaluated according to mRECIST criteria, and overall patient survival). Patient demographics, operational characteristics, and complications were recorded. Results: A total of 13 nodules were treated in 10 patients with a median age of 65.5 years. Post-operative mortality was 0%, and overall morbidity was 40% (Clavien-Dindo I complications 30%, II 0%, III 10%, IV 0%). Complete radiological response was obtained in 83.3% of nodules at 3 months. After a median follow-up of 20.95 months, the local tumor progression rate was 30%, with an intra-segmental-recurrence of 30%, and an intra-hepatic-recurrence of 30%. The overall 1-, 2-, and 3-years survival rates were 80%, 58%, and 58%. Conclusion: Thoracoscopic trans-diaphragmatic ablation proved to be a safe and effective way to treat liver tumors when abdominal approach is not feasible. Considering the low morbidity, it is a viable option to treat patients with recurrent disease and/or previous multiple abdominal surgeries., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Cillo, Finotti, Di Renzo, Vitale, Zanus, Gringeri, Bertacco, Polacco and D'Amico.)

Objective: Historically, bile in the biliary tract has been considered sterile. Most of the series are based on patients with biliary tract diseases or the bile has been obtained with procedures susceptible to contamination. Methods: We evaluated the bile in a heterogeneous cohort of liver donors and recipient patients, with samples obtained in a sterile way, directly from the gallbladder and the common bile duct. Results: We assessed the bile microbiota in six liver donors and in six liver recipients after whole or split liver procedures in adult or pediatric recipients. Bile samples were studied using PCR sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplification (rDNA). Conclusions: We demonstrated that the bile is sterile, thereby ruling this out as a source of contamination following transplant., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 D'Amico, Bertacco, Finotti, Di Renzo, Rodriguez-Davalos, Gondolesi, Cillo, Mulligan and Geibel.)

3D Printing has become a mainstay of industry, with several applications in the medical field. One area that could benefit from 3D printing is intestinal failure due to injury or genetic malformations. We bioprinted cylindrical tubes from rat vascular cells that were sized to form biopatches. 2 mm enterotomies were made in the small intestine of male Sprague-Dawley rats, and sealed with biopatches. These intestinal segments were connected to an ex vivo perfusion device that provided independent extraluminal and intraluminal perfusion. The fluorescence signal of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-inulin in the intraluminal perfusate, a non-absorbable fluorescent marker of intestinal integrity, was measured every 15 min over 90 min, and used to assess the integrity of the segments under both continuous perfusion and alternate-flow perfusion. Enterotomies were made an inch away from the ileocecal junction in male Wistar rats and sealed with biopatches. The animals were monitored daily and euthanized at post-operative days 7, 14, 21, and 30. Blinded histopathological analysis was conducted to compare the patch segments to native intestine. Biopatch-sealed intestinal segments withstood both continuous and pulsatile flow rates without leakage of FITC-inulin above the control baseline. 21 of 26 animals survived with normal activity, weight gain, and stool output. Histopathology of the explanted segments showed progressive villi and crypt formation over the enterotomies, with complete restoration of the epithelium by 30 days. This study presents a novel application of 3D bioprinting to develop a universal repair patch that can seal lesions in vivo, and fully integrate into the native intestine., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background and Aims: Among all transplanted abdominal organs, the small intestine is one of the most ischemia sensitive. Appropriate graft selection, procurement, and preservation are crucial for optimum graft and patient survival. We evaluated ischemic damage in human small intestine grafts under different hypothermic preservation conditions (cold static and continuous perfusion) and solutions: histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) and University of Wisconsin (UW)., Methods: Fourteen small intestinal grafts were procured from deceased donors. HTK and UW were used for the vascular perfusion at the cross clamp, and UW, HTK, or Ringer Lactate were used for the luminal flush at the back table. Therefore, part of the same harvested intestine was stored in cold static storage and in continuous perfusion preservation (with intestinal perfusion unit) simultaneously. Histological samples were collected from the jejunum and ileum at different time points and different preservation conditions. The samples were collected before the initiation of cold storage (T0), after 8 hours of cold static (ST8), or after 8 hours of continuous perfusion preservation (PT8) (n = 161 samples). Blinded histological evaluation was conducted and ischemic damage was determined using the Park/Chiu scale., Results: The ileum had less ischemic damage than the jejunum, regardless of using static or continuous perfusion preservation. There was no significantly ischemic damage difference between intestinal grafts flushed and perfused with UW or HTK., Conclusion: The jejunum is more susceptible to ischemic injury than the ileum. UW and HTK are equivalent to preserve intestinal graft. This suggests that selective transplantation of ileum could reduce ischemia-related postoperative complications., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The infant, like the young un-cooperative or odontophobic patient, constitute the most complex type of patient to be treated and it is frequent in modern society. The treatment of these patients is necessary to resolve the infectious-antalgic urgency and subsequently to build the patient/doctor relationship for continuing general dental care. Conscious sedation is the only way to approach this type of patient. Where therapeutic success with traditional sedation techniques is not achieved, as frequently happens in these patients, sedation with ketamine is the extreme ratio for the purpose of effective resolution of the dental problem, obviously carried out within facilities authorized for these anesthesiological modalities such as private outpatient surgery structures where, when necessary, it is possible to carry out the treatments also under general anesthesia as well as with ketamine., (Copyright 2020 Biolife Sas. www.biolifesas.org.)

Sander bite jumping appliance (BJA) is a functional appliance used to correct Class II malocclusion in growing patients. The aim of this study was to identify the dento-skeletal effects in patients treated with BJA before growth peak and to compare these effects with the ones obtained in a similar group treated with the Andresen activator (AA). Twenty subjects with class II relationship of the skeletal bases and cervical vertebrae maturation stage 1 or 2 were enrolled in the study and treated with BJA. This group were compared to 14 subjects treated with AA. Cephalometric analyses were carried out using landmarks derived from the analyses of Pancherz, Ricketts, Tweed and Steiner. After treatment with BJA Pg/OLp increase was 7.40±3.81 mm (P<0.001); Pg/OLp+Co/OLp significantly heightened from T0 to T1 (T0: 82.20±4.65 mm vs T1: 89.62±4.27, P<0.001). Overjet (is/OLp - ii/OLp) significantly decreased from T0 to T1 (T0: 7.40±2.31 mm vs T1: 3.05±1.34 mm, P<0.001). Molar relationship improved passing from 1.46±1.68 mm at T0 to -3.56±2.04 mm at T1 (P<0.001). No statistically significant differences were found between BJA and AA groups at T0 and T1. BJA treatment determined a Class II malocclusion correction in all patients. The correction of molar relationship was mainly due to the increase in mandibular length; the correction of the overjet was due to the increase in mandibular length, to the slight pro-inclination of the lower incisors and the mild retro-inclination of the upper incisors. No significant differences were found in effectiveness between BJA and AA., (Copyright 2020 Biolife Sas. www.biolifesas.org.)

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a major disease under study for over the last twenty years. Different classifications have been proposed and many therapies for the different stages have been applied. The evolution of treatments lead to an increasingly conservative approach. Numerous adjuvant treatments have been proposed in the last decade. All these complementary treatments have been proposed mainly to resolve or reduce the painful stress, predominantly caused by bacterial infection, simplifying the wound healing process and improving patients' compliance. Nowadays "secondary" treatments, such as autologous platelet concentrates (APCs, more specifically PRP, PRGF or PRF), hyperbaric oxygen (HBO), Auto/tetracycline fluorescence-guided bone surgery (AF-GBS/TF-GBS), medical drugs like teriparatide or the combination between pentoxifylline and tocopherol, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), laser and/or low-laser therapy and ozone therapy are more or less well documented and known considering their clinical effectiveness. The aim of the present review is the evaluation of the quantity and quality of scientific studies concerning this specific topic., (Copyright 2020 Biolife Sas. www.biolifesas.org.)

The introduction of computer-assisted and guided surgery has radically improved the possibility of using all available bone for implant support, reducing the need for extensive grafting procedures and allowing for better implant placement and restoration. Moreover, fresh frozen homologous bone (FFB) grafts have shown good osteoconductive properties and biocompatibility with results comparable to autologous bone patients. The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the survival and the success rate of implants and related fixed full arch prosthesis at the 5 to 8 years follow-up when performed with immediate function using a flapless surgical procedure and computer-aided technology (NobelGuide®, Nobel Biocare® AB, Goteborg, Sweden) in patients previously treated with FFB grafts; treated at the University of Verona with the NobelGuide® system from January 2007 to December 2012 with at least 5 years follow-up were reviewed. Survival implants and survival prosthesis' percentage reached 95% in a 5 to 8-year period. This study indicates that patients previously augmented with FFB graft for maxillary or mandibular bone atrophy can be safely treated with implant supported prosthesis based on the NobelGuide® protocol, with the aid of computer-generated guide., (Copyright 2020 Biolife Sas. www.biolifesas.org.)

The atrophic posterior ridges are usually characterized by poor bone quality and quantity: this situation requires the use of bone regenerative techniques. Other alternative surgical approaches are investigated. Nowadays the use of trans-sinus implants offers some advantages due to its feasibility. Today, bone grafting may be practical, but depends on many factors, such as the type of bone graft used (autogenous, alloplastic, or xenograft), host response, age of the patient, various complications associated with grafting procedures, infection, and, most importantly, the time spent while the grafted material matures and is taken up by the bone. So, this case report describes the feasibility of an alternative surgical technique associated to PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma)., (Copyright 2020 Biolife Sas. www.biolifesas.org.)

Bisphosphonate Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (BRONJ) is a pathology initially described in the early 2000s that has become increasingly common in clinical dentistry and maxillofacial practice due to the frequent use of bisphosphonates medical drugs (BPs) to treat various diseases such as osteoporosis, Paget's syndrome, osteomyelitis and in bone metastases secondary to tumors. Supragingival irrigation applied as monotherapy and in combination with root planning or BFs related bone necrosectomy revealed that supragingival irrigation with a variety of agents reduced the gingival microbial load and gingival inflammation. In this 4-year follow-up study we analyze the use of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as an antimicrobial agent for maintenance periodontal health, improving the longevity of teeth and oral cavity healing process., (Copyright 2020 Biolife Sas. www.biolifesas.org.)

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most frequent liver tumor and is associated with chronic liver disease in 90% of cases. In selected cases, liver transplantation represents an effective therapy with excellent overall survival., Area Covered: Since the introduction of Milan criteria in 1996, numerous alternative selection systems to LT for HCC patients have been proposed. Debate remains about how best to select HCC patients for transplant and how to prioritize them on the waiting list., Expert Opinion: The selection of the best scoring system to propose in the context of LT for HCC is far to be identified. In this review, we analyze and categorize the various selection systems, assessing their roles in the different decisional phases.

Background: The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) has been localized and characterized in numerous tissues throughout the body. In the mammalian gastrointestinal tract, the CaSR is known to act as a nutrient sensor and has recently been found to play a role in intestinal fluid and electrolyte balance. This study aims to demonstrate the functionality of the CaSR as a modulator of fluid secretion and absorption along the small intestine., Methods: Small intestine regions (proximal, middle, and distal) were isolated from Sprague Dawley rats and loaded into an ex vivo intestinal perfusion device that provides independent intraluminal and extraluminal (serosa/basolateral) perfusion. The regions were perfused with 5 and 7 mM of Ca 2+ , both in the presence and absence of forskolin (FSK), a potent secretagogue. Control experiments were conducted with intraluminal perfusate containing standard Ringer-HEPES buffer with a physiological concentration of Ca 2+ (1 mM). A second set of comparison experiments was performed with intraluminal perfusates containing AC-265347, a CaSR activator and agonist, in the presence of FSK. In all experimental conditions, the intraluminal perfusate contained fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-inulin, a nonabsorbable fluorescent marker of secretion and/or absorption. Intraluminal fluorescence signal was utilized as a measure of water movement at the start of the experiment and every 15 min for 90 min., Results: Under physiological conditions, increasing the concentration of Ca 2+ in the luminal perfusate reduced intestinal fluid secretion in all regions. At a Ca 2+ concentration of 7 mM, net fluid absorption was observed in all regions. In the presence of FSK, 5 mM Ca 2+ significantly decreased fluid secretion and 7 mM Ca 2+ abolished FSK-induced fluid secretion. Intraluminal perfusion with 5 mM Ca 2+ was as effective as AC-265347, in reducing secretagogue-induced fluid hypersecretion in the proximal and middle regions., Conclusion: This study concludes that apical CaSR is active along the small intestine. Its activation by Ca 2+ and/or calcimimetics reduces fluid secretion in a dose-dependent manner, with higher Ca 2+ concentrations, or application of a calcimimetic, leading to fluid absorption. We furthermore show that, in the presence of FSK, receptor activation abates FSK secretagogue-induced fluid secretion. This presents a new therapeutic target to address secretory diarrheal illnesses.

Background: Although liver resection is still the best treatment for primary or metastatic hepatic lesions, a conventional surgical approach may be challenging in patients with a history of previous abdominal surgery. We present a case of a 58-year-old white man with paracaval, subdiaphragmatic, recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma; he had a history of multiple abdominal surgeries., Methods: In select patients, percutaneous ultrasound-guided thermal ablation is a valid non-surgical alternative due to its safety, efficacy, and good tolerability. Hepatic lesions located in the posterosuperior segments, however, can be difficult to reach via a percutaneous approach., Result: For these cases, one-lung left-sided ventilation may be particularly helpful in blocking the right hemidiaphragm and improving the acoustic window to the liver., Conclusion: We present a case of paracaval, subdiaphragmatic, recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma in which the tumor was only reachable after one-lung left-sided ventilation that was successfully treated by percutaneous ultrasound-guided microwave ablation.

The atrophic posterior ridges are usually characterized by poor bone quality and quantity: this situation requires the use of bone regenerative techniques. Other alternative surgical approaches are investigated. Nowadays the use of tilted implants offers some advantages due to its feasibility. Today, bone grafting may be practical, but depends on many factors, such as the type of bone graft used (autogenous, alloplastic, or xenograft), host response, age of the patient, various complications associated with grafting procedures, infection, and, most importantly, the time spent while the grafted material matures and is taken up by the bone. So this case report describes the feasibility of an alternative surgical technique.

Vascular disease - including coronary artery disease, carotid artery disease, and peripheral vascular disease - is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The standard of care for restoring patency or bypassing occluded vessels involves using autologous grafts, typically the saphenous veins or internal mammary arteries. Yet, many patients who need life- or limb-saving procedures have poor outcomes, and a third of patients who need vascular intervention have multivessel disease and therefore lack appropriate vasculature to harvest autologous grafts from. Given the steady increase in the prevalence of vascular disease, there is great need for grafts with the biological and mechanical properties of native vessels that can be used as vascular conduits. In this review, we present an overview of methods that have been employed to generate suitable vascular conduits, focusing on the advances in tissue engineering methods and current three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting methods. Tissue-engineered vascular grafts have been fabricated using a variety of approaches such as using preexisting scaffolds and acellular organic compounds. We also give an extensive overview of the novel use of 3D bioprinting as means of generating new vascular conduits. Different strategies have been employed in bioprinting, and the use of cell-based inks to create de novo structures offers a promising solution to bridge the gap of paucity of optimal donor grafts. Lastly, we provide a glimpse of our work to create scaffold-free, bioreactor-free, 3D bioprinted vessels from a combination of rat vascular smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts that remain patent and retain the tensile and mechanical strength of native vessels., (©2018 Maina R.M. et al., published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston.)

A 25-year-old man presented with a maxillary transverse discrepancy, posterior cross bite, anterior open bite, molar and canine class III. Treatment included a corticotomy in the upper lateral and posterior teeth, a palatal expansor and a sectional archwire to assist the expansion. The following treatment phase included bonding with Incognito System lingual appliance, interproximal reduction to solve the crowding and bite blocks to control the verticality. Two months after the bonding intermaxillary class III elastics were used to solve the sagittal discrepancy and eight months after the bonding vertical elastics were used in order to solve the anterior open bite until the end of the treatment. A Boston splint was applied for the upper arch, an essix splint was applied for the lower arch. The patient compliance was an essential aspect in the success of the orthodontic treatment., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Pancreatic intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasm is a rare primary neoplasm of unknown pathogenesis. This kind of tumor represents 0.2-2.7% of all pancreatic cancers and they may proceed to malignant lesions. In this study, we describe a case of pancreatic intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor (4.3 cm) with normal tumoral markers and nuclear atypia. We perform also a systematic review of the literature on MEDLINE and find only one relevant study that used microwave ablation for the palliative treatment of pancreatic tumor. We describe the case of a 70-year-old Caucasian male who was diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor with biliary tree dilatation. The patient underwent computed tomography (CT), percutaneous biopsy, and an endoscopic positioning of prosthesis in the biliary tree. Due to the worsening of jaundice and cholestasis, and considering the severe systemic disease status, palliative surgery with microwave thermoablation in the head of pancreas was performed. No complications were observed. The hospitalization lasted for 11 days after surgery, with normal liver and pancreatic lab tests at discharge. The patient followed a line of chemotherapy for 6 months with a complete response for 8 months. One month after the treatment, a staging CT scan was performed showing the size of the cephalopancreatic lesion had decreased from 43 to 35 mm with signs of complete ablation. The patient had a total response at the imaging of 10 months. One year later, a CT scan follow-up showed progression of the pancreatic disease. The disease remained stable for 18 months. The patient died due to cardiovascular complications with an overall survival of 30 months. Microwave ablation in our case report has been demonstrated to be feasible and safe without complications. It can be used as a phase of multimodality treatment in patients with severe systemic disease status and advanced intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasm.

In recent years, several surgical techniques have been proposed with the main goal of reducing the length of orthodontic treatment. Some of these techniques use a piezoelectric surgical instrument to perform alveolar bone cuts and promote localized bone turnover. One of the main limitations of these surgical techniques is that corticotomies may damage dental roots since traditional radiographic examinations do not allow the surgeon to precisely determine the length and three-dimensional position of the roots. In this case report, the authors aim to describe a method in which, starting from the patient's CBCT dicom files, they were able to plan the location and depth of the bone cuts and to build a surgical guide to be used during piezoelectric bone surgery. In addition, the technique and final results are described, as well as a two-year follow-up showing stable results., (Copyright © 2017 CEO. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Hemoperitoneum is a possible complication of hepatocellular carcinoma that may require emergency surgery as an alternative to radiological locoregional therapies., Case Presentation: We present a case report of a 78-year-old white man with alcoholic-related cirrhosis and a multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma. An abdominal computed tomography scan showed multiple and bilateral foci of bleeding from broken liver cancer. He was urgently transferred from our radiology unit to our operating room for massive hemoperitoneum. A middle line laparotomy detected a massive hemoperitoneum. His liver was cirrhotic and completely subverted by a tumor; there were two spontaneous bleeding lacerations on segments II and IV, which were uncontrollable with conventional hemostatic techniques. Therefore, it was decided to carry out the coagulation of the multiple vascular afferents of each single mass by means of radiofrequency ablation cycles performed circumferentially on both nodules for a total of 40 minutes. Hemostasis was achieved; the radiofrequency ablation controlled the bleeding from his ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma. He was transferred to our intensive care unit for postoperative monitoring in terms of hemodynamic stability. On postoperative day 2 he was discharged from our intensive care unit., Conclusions: Multifocal bleeding hepatocellular carcinoma still has an extremely high mortality. The angiographic control of multiple bilateral bleeding lesions can be extremely difficult and can be contraindicated by the location of the lesions and by the overall clinical condition of the patient. In this case, treatment with radiofrequency ablation has proven to be effective in the control of multiple and bilateral hepatic lesions. This particular technique allowed us to attack the lesion at the level of the vascular pedicle in order to control the bleeding.

Acute dental abscess is a frequent and sometimes underestimated disease of the oral cavity. The acute dental abscess usually occurs secondary to caries, trauma, or failed endodontic treatment. After the intact pulp chamber is opened, colonization of the root canals takes place with a variable set of anaerobic bacteria, which colonize the walls of the necrotic root canals forming a specialized mixed anaerobic biofilm. Asymptomatic necrosis is common. However, abscess formation occurs when these bacteria and their toxic products breach into the periapical tissues through the apical foramen and induce acute inflammation and pus formation. The main signs and symptoms of the acute dental abscess (often referred to as a periapical abscess or infection) are pain, swelling, erythema, and suppuration usually localized to the affected tooth, even if the abscess can eventually spread causing a severe odontogenic infection which is characterized by local and systemic involvement culminating in sepsis syndrome. The vast majority of dental abscesses respond to antibiotic treatment, however, in some patients surgical management of the infection may be indicated. In the present work, a retrospective analysis of the patients with dental orofacial infections referred to the Unit of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery of the University of Verona from 1991 to 2011 has been performed.

Chlormadinone acetate (CMA) is a progesterone derivative (17α-acetoxy-6-chloro-4,6-pregnadiene-3,20-dione), first synthesized in 1961. It was used as progestin-based hormone replacement therapy; since 1999 it was first used for oral contraception combined with ethinyl estradiol (EE). CMA exerts a potent progestagenic effect, about one third higher than that observed with endogenous progesterone. CMA is also an anti-estrogen, showing no androgenic effects (at birth control dose). Unlike progesterone, it has a mild glucosteroidal effect with no anti-mineralocorticoid effect at all. These biological actions have allowed CMA to have a role for therapeutic use in dysmenorrhea, hyperandrogenism, and as a contraceptive agent. In addition, CMA has exhibited beneficial neuroendocrine effects on women's mood. CMA-EE combination has shown excellent contraceptive efficacy, high tolerability, and compliance due to its risk-benefit profile, having additional benefits on skin and hair, such as reduction of seborrhea and acne. Metabolic tolerance of CMA has been demonstrated in several clinical studies. Currently, CMA is formulated to be taken as oral caplets in a 21 caplets package containing 0.03 mg/EE and 2 mg CMA per pill with/without seven placebo additional pills. Another presentation has 24 caplets containing 0.02 mg/EE and 2 mg CMA plus four placebo pills.

This clinical report illustrates a multidisciplinary approach for the rehabilitation of a young adult patient affected by a bilateral edentulous space and an anterior deep bite. The patient required orthodontics and surgical corticotomy and implantology (both performed with a piezo device). A multidisciplinary planning approach, including orthodontics, oral and periodontic surgery, and restorative dentistry, has an important role in the final outcome of treatment. In fact a dental class I occlusion has been established only on the right side. The left side could not be restored to an ideal class I relationship due to the pontic prosthesis. The original collapsed right posterior occlusion was corrected. A stable posterior occlusion was established, and the balancing interference was eliminated. Centric relation and centric occlusion were established at the same vertical dimension of occlusion. The cephalometric analysis and clinical aspect at the end of treatment showed that the patient had improvements in overbite and overjet.Multidisciplinary management, including endodontic and restorative dentistry, periodontics, corticotomy-assisted orthodontics, implants, and prosthetics, was used for a young female patient with multiple missing teeth, anterior deep bite, and a malocclusion with cant of the occlusal plane. The interaction of interdisciplinary specialties and careful treatment planning were required. The patient also benefited esthetically from our effort.

Purpose: Ultrasonic bone cutting was recently introduced as a feasible alternative to the conventional tools of cranio-maxillofacial surgery because it offers improved precision and safety.This study examined the feasibility of minimally invasive orthodontic or preprosthetic surgery using a piezosurgery device for latero-posterior maxillary segmental osteotomy., Materials and Methods: Four fresh cadaveric heads were obtained for this study. Maxillary posterior osteotomy was performed using piezoelectric surgery. To preserve the vascular supply, only 1 vestibular incision was made during surgery. The Mectron Piezosurgery unit is a multipurpose device that uses micrometric ultrasonic piezoelectric vibrations with a variable frequency and cutting energy. The strategy for maxillary osteotomy included 1 horizontal osteotomy, 2 vertical osteotomies, and 1 palatal osteotomy performed transantrally without incision of the mucoperiosteum. The osteotomies were performed using a piezodevice (OT7-type inserts: 0.55 and 0.35 mm). In total, 1 horizontal cut (3 mm above the roots of the teeth), 2 vertical bone cuts, and 1 palatal osteotomy were made without incision of the palatal mucoperiosteum.Gentle dissection of the buccal fat pad was used to promote the healing of hard and soft tissues in the osteotomized zone., Results: No damage to soft tissues, including the palatal mucosa, occurred. The buccal fat pad was mobilized easily without requiring an additional incision. The osteotomic sites were linear and clean in the palatal aspect. The integrity of the vascular network was maintained because of the lack of damage to the palatal mucosa. No chisels were used during the osteotomies., Discussion: This cadaveric study shows the feasibility of using piezosurgery for segmental maxillary osteotomy. This report outlines a new and simple application of segmental maxillary micro-osteotomy.

Purpose: Root fracture is a combined injury of cementum, dentin, and pulp. Many of these traumas remain untreated, mistreated, or overtreated. It leads to a more complicated treatment in case of tooth loss. Many different treatment procedures, with a very changeable success rate, have been proposed for years to treat teeth with root fractures. The objective of the following clinical studies was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of implants placed in fresh extraction sites to treat teeth with horizontal root fracture., Methods: The study group included 25 patients (15 men and 10 women) between the ages of 20 and 65 years. After an initial examination and a treatment planning, all of the patients underwent periodontal treatment, which was deemed necessary to favor wound healing. All the 25 teeth were extracted because of horizontal root fracture located at the level of the middle third. The second-stage surgery was performed 6 months after the initial procedure. The following clinical parameters, presence or absence of mobility, presence or absence of pain, and presence or absence of suppuration, were evaluated in each patient at 6 and 12 months after implant placement. Radiographs were taken using the standard method to evaluate the marginal bone loss., Results: The healing period was uneventful for all patients. All implants had osseointegrated. After 12 months, patients were asymptomatic and showed no signs of infection or bleeding when probed., Conclusions: On the basis of this study, implants placed right after tooth extraction are a valid treatment procedure, which induces predictable results as treatment of fractured teeth.

A young patient complained of missing inferior second premolars. Clinical and cephalometric parameters suggested the indication for a prosthetic solution, opening the spaces between first premolars and molars, aiming to correct occlusal relationships. Space closure was thus excluded. After full arch alignment a selective conservative channel-like wedge shaped osteotomy, distal to the second molars, was performed, applying a piezo-microsurgery technique, which uses fine inserts (0.5-0.7 mm) and ultrasound. The method allows for good patient compliance, improved rapid healing, and no secondary adverse effects. Both second and first molars can then be easily and rapidly distalized with a bodily movement, avoiding distal tipping. After space opening implants could be applied and the occlusion finalized. Though further tests will be needed, the method appears a valid improvement to conventional methods, facilitating distalization in selected cases and possibly shortening treatment time.