Perioperative and anesthetic deaths: toxicological and medico legal aspects

Background: Anesthesia has become safer during decades, though there is still a preventable mortality; the complexity of medical and surgical interventions, increasingly older and sicker patients, has created a host of new hazards in anesthesiology. In this paper, some of these perioperative (PO) fatal adverse events are investigated in terms of health responsibility. Selective literature research in several data bases, concerning perioperative and anesthetic deaths and medical responsibility, was performed. Main text: A generally accepted definition of the anesthesia and perioperatory-related death still remains one of the major concerns in forensic pathology, and the terms “operative deaths” and “anesthetic deaths” are usually applied inaccurately within the medico-legal literature. Such events involve comprehensively PO fatalities and allow for subtle separation of natural and unnatural death, at least from the prospective of forensic pathology. Iatrogenic deaths in this field can be separated into some major categories, as attributable to previous patient’s unfavorable conditions or depending from surgical procedure per se (such as PO cardiac and cerebrovascular events). In this review, the authors carried out syntheses of specific research areas regarding epidemiology, complications of general and spinal anesthetic, failure in airway management and patient’s circulatory homeostasis, and adverse drugs reactions; analysis considering the challenge of anesthetic-related mortality, epidemiology and classifications, by indicating causal chain of death, in respect of both contributing and associated anesthetic and surgery facts. Conclusions: Perioperative quality control programs and its relevance for medico-legal evaluation are emphasized as, although mortality rates have decreased worldwide over the last decades, however, preventable drug-related deaths still happen. Such fatal events have to be considered within the field of forensic pathology experts, with regard of malpractice claims, to implement a strategy for preventing potentially fatal complications

Is a soft tissue graft harvested from the maxillary tuberosity the approach of choice in an isolated site?

Soft tissue augmentation procedures are becoming more popular these days. Different soft tissue graft harvesting approaches have been proposed. Nonetheless, the location of the donor site (whether anterior-, lateral-, superficial-, deep-palate or the maxillary tuberosity) can affect the graft shape and its composition. Soft tissue grafts from the maxillary tuberosity are rich in connective tissue fibers, with minimal presence of fatty or glandular components. Clinical, histological, and molecular evidence shows that a soft tissue graft obtained from the maxillary tuberosity has unique properties. In addition, harvesting from this area presents minimal risk for intra- or postoperative complications, leading to reduced patient morbidity. The aim of this commentary is to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of harvesting a soft tissue graft from the tuberosity and to compare it with the traditional palatal graft, while highlighting functional, esthetic, and patient-related outcomes.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151301/1/jper10300_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151301/2/jper10300.pd

Potential use of sicilian landraces in biofortification of modern durum wheat varieties: Evaluation of caryopsis micronutrient concentrations

The selection process has caused modern durum wheat cultivars to achieve higher yields with different protein quality but also to have low micronutrient amounts. In order to evaluate the suitability of germplasm for the recovery of such nutrient content, macro- and microelements concentrations in twelve ancient Sicilian durum wheat landraces and in three modern cultivars were compared. According to the results, the substantial differences in macro- and micro-element concentrations between the two groups of wheat genotypes suggest ancient Sicilian landraces can effectively represent a suitable genetic material for biofortification plans of micronutrients in modern varieties

Huntingtin-mediated axonal transport requires arginine methylation by PRMT6

The huntingtin (HTT) protein transports various organelles, including vesicles containing neurotrophic factors, from embryonic development throughout life. To better understand how HTT mediates axonal transport and why this function is disrupted in Huntington's disease (HD), we study vesicle-associated HTT and find that it is dimethylated at a highly conserved arginine residue (R118) by the protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6). Without R118 methylation, HTT associates less with vesicles, anterograde trafficking is diminished, and neuronal death ensues—very similar to what occurs in HD. Inhibiting PRMT6 in HD cells and neurons exacerbates mutant HTT (mHTT) toxicity and impairs axonal trafficking, whereas overexpressing PRMT6 restores axonal transport and neuronal viability, except in the presence of a methylation-defective variant of mHTT. In HD flies, overexpressing PRMT6 rescues axonal defects and eclosion. Arginine methylation thus regulates HTT-mediated vesicular transport along the axon, and increasing HTT methylation could be of therapeutic interest for HD.Telethon-Italy and Autonomous Province of Trento (TCP12013 to M.P.); Association Française contre les Myopathies (AFM-22221 to M.P. and M.B.); PRIN-MUR (2017F2A2C5 to M.P.); National Institutes of Health (1R21NS111768-01 to M.P. and U.B.P.); PROGRAM RARE DISEASES CNCCS-Scarl-Pomezia (M.P.); FONDAZIONE AIRC-Italy (24423 to M.P.); Alzheimer Trento Onlus with the legato Baldrachi (M.B.); the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-15-JPWG-0003-05 JPND CIRCPROT and ANR-18-CE16-0009-01 AXYON to F.S.) and the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (RTI2018-096322-B-I00 MCIU/AEI/FEDER-UE to J.J.L.

Huntingtin-mediated axonal transport requires arginine methylation by PRMT6

The huntingtin (HTT) protein transports various organelles, including vesicles containing neurotrophic factors, from embryonic development throughout life. To better understand how HTT mediates axonal transport and why this function is disrupted in Huntington's disease (HD), we study vesicle-associated HTT and find that it is dimethylated at a highly conserved arginine residue (R118) by the protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6). Without R118 methylation, HTT associates less with vesicles, anterograde trafficking is diminished, and neuronal death ensues—very similar to what occurs in HD. Inhibiting PRMT6 in HD cells and neurons exacerbates mutant HTT (mHTT) toxicity and impairs axonal trafficking, whereas overexpressing PRMT6 restores axonal transport and neuronal viability, except in the presence of a methylation-defective variant of mHTT. In HD flies, overexpressing PRMT6 rescues axonal defects and eclosion. Arginine methylation thus regulates HTT-mediated vesicular transport along the axon, and increasing HTT methylation could be of therapeutic interest for HD

Dentin dysplasia type I: a challenge for treatment with dental implants

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dentin dysplasia type I is characterized by a defect of dentin development with clinical normal appearance of the permanent teeth but no or only rudimentary root formation. Early loss of all teeth and concomitant underdevelopment of the jaws are challenging for successful treatment with dental implants.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A combination of sinus lifting and onlay bone augmentation based on treatment planning using stereolithographic templates was used in a patient with dentin dysplasia type I to rehabilitate the masticatory function.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>(i) a predisposition for an increased and accelerated bone resorption was observed in our patient, (ii) bone augmentation was successful using a mixture of allogenic graft material with autogenous bone preventing fast bone resorption, (iii) surgical planning, based on stereolithographic models and surgical templates, facilitated the accurate placement of dental implants.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Bony augmentation and elaborate treatment planning is helpful for oral rehabilitation of patients with dentin dysplasia type I.</p

Prevention and treatment of peri-implant diseases—The EFP S3 level clinical practice guideline

Background: The recently published Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) for the treatment of stages I–IV periodontitis provided evidence-based recommendations for treating periodontitis patients, defined according to the 2018 classification. Peri-implant diseases were also re-defined in the 2018 classification. It is well established that both peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis are highly prevalent. In addition, peri-implantitis is particularly challenging to manage and is accompanied by significant morbidity. Aim: To develop an S3 level CPG for the prevention and treatment of peri-implant diseases, focusing on the implementation of interdisciplinary approaches required to prevent the development of peri-implant diseases or their recurrence, and to treat/rehabilitate patients with dental implants following the development of peri-implant diseases. Materials and Methods: This S3 level CPG was developed by the European Federation of Periodontology, following methodological guidance from the Association of Scientific Medical Societies in Germany and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation process. A rigorous and transparent process included synthesis of relevant research in 13 specifically commissioned systematic reviews, evaluation of the quality and strength of evidence, formulation of specific recommendations, and a structured consensus process involving leading experts and a broad base of stakeholders. Results: The S3 level CPG for the prevention and treatment of peri-implant diseases culminated in the recommendation for implementation of various different interventions before, during and after implant placement/loading. Prevention of peri-implant diseases should commence when dental implants are planned, surgically placed and prosthetically loaded. Once the implants are loaded and in function, a supportive peri-implant care programme should be structured, including periodical assessment of peri-implant tissue health. If peri-implant mucositis or peri-implantitis are detected, appropriate treatments for their management must be rendered. Conclusion: The present S3 level CPG informs clinical practice, health systems, policymakers and, indirectly, the public on the available and most effective modalities to maintain healthy peri-implant tissues, and to manage peri-implant diseases, according to the available evidence at the time of publication