A Case of Periodontal Necrosis following Embolization of Maxillary Artery for Epistaxis

Embolization of the maxillary artery (MA) is a common treatment modality for refractory epistaxis. Tissue necrosis after embolization of the MA is a rare complication. Here, we reported the first case of the development of necrosis of soft tissue and alveolar bone in the periodontium after embolization. A 48-year-old man with poor oral hygiene and a heavy smoking habit was referred to our clinic due to intractable epistaxis. After treatment with anterior-posterior nasal packing (AP nasal packing), the epistaxis relapsed. Therefore, he underwent embolization of the MA. Although he did not experience epistaxis after embolization, periodontal necrosis developed gradually. The wound healed with necrotomy, administration of antibiotics and prostaglandin, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. We speculated that the periodontal necrosis was provoked by reduction of blood supply due to embolization and AP nasal packing based on this preexisting morbid state in the periodontium. Poor condition of the oral cavity and smoking may increase the risk of periodontal necrosis after embolization

The Role of Immediate Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Reconstruction for Thyroid Cancer Surgery

Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) is one of the most serious problems in conducting surgery for thyroid cancer. Different treatments are available for the management of UVFP including intracordal injection, type I thyroplasty, arytenoid adduction, and laryngeal reinnervations. The effects of immediate recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) reconstruction during thyroid cancer surgery with or without UVFP before the surgery were evaluated with videostroboscopic, aerodynamic, and perceptual analyses. All subjects experienced postoperative improvements in voice quality. Particularly, aerodynamic analysis showed that the values for all patients entered normal ranges in both patients with and without UVFP before surgery. Immediate RLN reconstruction has the potential to restore a normal or near-normal voice by returning thyroarytenoid muscle tone and bulk seen with vocal fold denervation. Immediate RLN reconstruction is an efficient and effective approach to the management of RLN resection during surgery for thyroid cancer

Pressure-induced reversal of Peierls-like distortions elicits the polyamorphic transition in GeTe and GeSe

While polymorphism is prevalent in crystalline solids, polyamorphism draws increasing interest in various types of amorphous solids. Recent studies suggested that supercooling of liquid phase-change materials (PCMs) induces Peierls-like distortions in their local structures, underlying their liquid-liquid transitions before vitrification. However, the mechanism of how the vitrified phases undergo a possible polyamorphic transition remains elusive. Here, using high-energy synchrotron X-rays, we can access the precise pair distribution functions under high pressure and provide clear evidence that pressure can reverse the Peierls-like distortions, eliciting a polyamorphic transition in GeTe and GeSe. Combined with simulations based on machine-learned-neural-network potential, our structural analysis reveals a high-pressure state characterized by diminished Peierls-like distortion, greater coherence length, reduced compressibility, and a narrowing bandgap. Our finding underscores the crucial role of Peierls-like distortions in amorphous octahedral systems including PCMs. These distortions can be controlled through pressure and composition, offering potentials for designing properties in PCM-based devices