Comparison of Carbon Dioxide Laser With Surgical Blade for Removal of Epulis Fissuratum. A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: Epulis fissuratum is often formed as a result of a poor fitting denture. The conventional treatment for this fibrous hyperplastic tissue is to excise it using a scalpel and to close the wound by a continuous or an interrupted suture. The increased utilization of lasers in dentistry also includes the utilization of carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers in place of surgical scalpels in soft tissue surgeries. The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of utilizing CO2 laser in place of scalpel in surgical treatment of epulis fissuratum.Methods:In this clinical trial research (IRCT code: IRCT2016071124969N2), 19 patients were selected with nearly symmetrical epulis fissuratums in the anterior part of the jaws. The hyperplastic tissue was evenly divided into two sections in each patient. One section was randomly selected and cut by CO2 laser and the other section by a surgical scalpel. The wound created by the scalpel was closed by appropriate number of interrupted sutures. Surgery duration and bleeding as well as vestibular depth, re-epithelialization and edema in both sections were noted and recorded after 7 and 14 days postoperatively.Results:The time of surgery and the amount of bleeding during surgery in the laser section was less and the vestibular depth was more than surgical scalpel section (P < 0.05). Surgical scalpel wound at day seventh healed significantly better than the section treated by the CO2 laser (P< 0.05). Wound in both sections healed similarly on day 14 and no statistical difference was observed. Edema presence was also equal in both sides after 7th and 14th following the surgery.Conclusion:According to the results it could be concluded that the use of CO2 laser may result in less surgery time, less bleeding during surgery, more vestibular depth, better re-epithelialization of the wound and less need for suturing. CO2 laser may be a clinically preferred method for surgical treatment of epulis fissuratum

Prevalence and Correlates of Psychiatric Disorders in a National Survey of Iranian Children and Adolescents

Objective: Considering the impact of rapid sociocultural, political, and economical changes on societies and families, population-based surveys of mental disorders in different communities are needed to describe the magnitude of mental health problems and their disabling effects at the individual, familial, and societal levels. Method: A population-based cross sectional survey (IRCAP project) of 30 532 children and adolescents between 6 and 18 years was conducted in all provinces of Iran using a multistage cluster sampling method. Data were collected by 250 clinical psychologists trained to use the validated Persian version of the semi-structured diagnostic interview Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-PL (K-SADS-PL). Results: In this national epidemiological survey, 6209 out of 30 532 (22.31%) were diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder. The anxiety disorders (14.13%) and behavioral disorders (8.3%) had the highest prevalence, while eating disorders (0.13%) and psychotic symptoms (0.26%) had the lowest. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was significantly lower in girls (OR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.80-0.90), in those living in the rural area (OR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.73-0.87), in those aged 15-18 years (OR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.86-0.99), as well as that was significantly higher in those who had a parent suffering from mental disorders (OR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.63-2.36 for mother and OR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.07-1.66 for father) or physical illness (OR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.17-1.35 for mother and OR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.10-1.28 for father). Conclusion: About one fifth of Iranian children and adolescents suffer from at least one psychiatric disorder. Therefore, we should give a greater priority to promoting mental health and public health, provide more accessible services and trainings, and reduce barriers to accessing existing services

Safety of Uterine Compression Suture in the Management of Postpartum Hemorrhage: A Case Report

Uterine atony is the main cause of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Uterine compression suture is a common technique to control PPH in caesarean delivery. This article aimed to report a complication of this method for post-delivery atony. A 27-year-old primigravida woman with term pregnancy underwent caesarean delivery and was unresponsive to medical therapy and uterine artery ligation due to uterine atony. Two compression sutures were placed on her uterus. However, after 11 days, the patient underwent surgery again due to severe fever, infection, and a necrotic mass in the uterine cavity. The necrotic mass was we removed during the surgery. Although uterine compression suture is an effective method for the treatment of PPH, we witnessed some side effects in the patient, especially myometrium necrosis

Fracture resistance of upper central incisors restored with different posts and cores

Objectives To determine and compare the fracture resistance of endodontically treated maxillary central incisors restored with different posts and cores. Materials and Methods Forty-eight upper central incisors were randomly divided into four groups: cast post and core (group 1), fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) post and composite core (group 2), composite post and core (group 3), and controls (group 4). Mesio-distal and bucco-lingual dimensions at 7 and 14 mm from the apex were compared to ensure standardization among the groups. Twelve teeth were prepared for crown restoration (group 4). Teeth in other groups were endodontically treated, decoronated at 14 mm from the apex, and prepared for posts and cores. Resin-based materials were used for cementation in groups 1 and 2. In group 3, composite was used directly to fill the post space and for core build-up. All samples were restored by standard metal crowns using glass ionomer cement, mounted at 135° vertical angle, subjected to thermomechanical aging, and then fractured using a universal testing machine. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to analyze the data. Results Fracture resistance of the groups was as follows: Control (group 4) > cast post and core (group 1) > fiber post and composite core (group 2) > composite post and core (group 3). All samples in groups 2 and 3 fractured in restorable patterns, whereas most (58%) in group 1 were non-restorable. Conclusions Within the limitations of this study, FRC posts showed acceptable fracture resistance with favorable fracture patterns for reconstruction of upper central incisors

Factors Influencing Anxiety in Infertile Women Undergoing IVF/ICSI Treatment

Background & aim: Infertility can lead to a diminished sense of well-being and is associated with a high frequency of psychosomatic and somatic disorders. Generally, infertile women are more affected by infertility than men. This study aimed to determine factors influencing anxiety among infertile women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 224 infertile women who were candidate for IVF/ICSI referred to Milad IVF Center, Mashhad, Iran, from September 2015 to July 2016. Prior to the treatment, the participants completed the demographic characteristics questionnaire and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) to assess the level of anxiety. Additionally, a self-structured questionnaire containing the infertility-associated data including the duration and cause of infertility as well as history and the duration of treatment, was completed by the respondents. The subjects were selected through purposive sampling technique. Data analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, Fisher exact test, regression tests, as well as Spearman’s correlation coefficient in SPSS software, version 16.   Results: The results obtained from BAI showed that 38.4% of the subjects had moderate anxiety. There was a significant relationship between the level of anxiety and age (P=0.001), the cause of infertility (P=0.007), and the duration of treatment (P=0.001). Conclusion: As the level of anxiety was higher in infertile women with younger age, female factor infertility and longer duration of treatment, it is recommended to consider this population more vulnerable and to provide them supportive counseling to be able to overcome their anxiety

Prevalence, comorbidity and predictors of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents

Childhood anxiety may lead to serious health consequences in later life. The present study provides the prevalence, comorbidity, and predictors of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents. This was a cross-sectional national project that was implemented on 28,698 children and adolescents in Iran. Participants entered the study by multistage cluster sampling with an equal number of each gender and three age groups (6-9, 10-14, and 15-18 years) within each cluster. The tools used in this research were the demographic questionnaire and K-SADS-PL. To analyze the data logistic regression and chi-square tests were used in SPSS (ver. 16). The prevalence of anxiety disorder in children and adolescents was 13.2 in boys and 15.1 in girls. Furthermore, gender, age, place of residence and history of psychiatric hospitalization of parents could predict anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders had comorbidity with behavioral disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, substance abuse disorders, and elimination disorders. According to our findings in this study, anxiety disorders affect the performance, health and life of children and adolescents, identifying the childhood anxiety, as well as finding diseases that are associated with anxiety disorders, can help in the prevention of the disorder. Keywords: Anxiety disorder; Children and adolescents; Comorbidity; Predictors; Prevalence