A hypothesis that facial wounds are the most common soft tissue injuries resulting from assault has been tested by examining the records of 225 consecutive victims of assault (169 males, median age 22 years; 56 females, median age 24 years) attending the Accident and Emergency Department of the Bristol Royal Infirmary during 1984/85. Demographic factors including age and sex of patients and time, day and month of attendance were recorded. Results supported the hypothesis but significantly more men (72%) than women (57%) had facial injuries (chi 2 = 12.2, p = less than 0.01). Chest, abdominal and limb injuries were proportionately more frequent in women (p = less than 0.001). Middle third wounds were the commonest facial injuries (affecting 59% of patients) followed by upper third (25%) and lower third (16%). Left-sided facial injury was more common than right-sided (chi 2 = 14.6; p = less than 0.01). Young adult males most commonly attended, but very few elderly patients. "Risk" of assault appeared highest at weekends, between 10 pm and 2 am and between July and October. The involvement of plastic and oral surgeons in the treatment of assault victims is likely to be considerable.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1987

The medication of patients with oral lichen planus and the association of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with erosive lesions.

While the cause of lichen planus remains unclear, a number of drugs are known to produce oral and cutaneous lesions that clinically and histologically resemble lichen planus. In this study, the medication taken by 225 consecutive patients with oral lichen planus was compared with the drug histories of 202 age- and gender-matched control patients who were treated at the same clinics. Fifty-three percent of the patients with lichen planus and 44% of the control patients were taking one or more drugs (p greater than 0.05). However, 17% of the patients with lichen planus were taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) compared with 9% of the control patients (p less than 0.05). There were no significant differences in the use of antihypertensive, oral hypoglycemic, or psychotropic drugs between the two groups. Almost 30% of the patients with the more severe erosive form of lichen planus were taking NSAID while fewer than 9% of the patients without erosions were taking this type of medication indicating a relationship between NSAID and the more severe form of lichen planus (p less than 0.01). Withdrawal from NSAID resulted in resolution or marked clinical improvement in the 12 patients tested. These results indicate that oral lichen planus may be aggravated or precipitated by NSAID and that withdrawal from the drug may benefit some patients.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗

PubMed1987

The association between burning mouth syndrome and psychosocial disorders.

Twenty-five patients with a diagnosis of nonorganic burning mouth syndrome were matched for age and sex with twenty-five patients with organically based painful disorders of the mouth. All patients were interviewed by a psychiatrist and completed the General Health Questionnaire to screen for psychiatric disorders. A diagnosis of psychiatric disorder based on clinical examination findings was made in 44% (11/25) of the patients with burning mouth syndrome and in 16% (4/25) of the controls.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

Medical information from referral letters.

The letters of referral to the hospital with respect to 70 dental patients with medical problems relevant to dental treatment were studied for information about the medical history. The relevant medical history had been documented in fewer than 40% of the referrals. Referrals from medical practitioners more frequently contained relevant histories (57%) than did those from dental practitioners (34%). Some important problems, such as the tendency to bleed and the predisposition to infective endocarditis, were documented in most instances but other problems, such as a history of corticosteroid treatment or of respiratory disease, were often omitted. Dental practitioners should appreciate that their documentation of medical problems is not superfluous since it helps by providing another line of defense against error.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1987

Angina bullosa haemorrhagica: clinical and laboratory features in 30 patients.

Angina bullosa haemorrhagica (ABH) is a relatively recently recognized bullous disorder in which recurrent oral blood blisters appear in the absence of any identified systemic disorder. This study has examined the clinical, histologic, immunologic, and hemostatic features of 30 British patients and demonstrates that ABH is predominantly a localized disorder of middle-aged or elderly patients of either sex that is evident mainly as blood blisters on the soft palate. Trauma appears to be the most common identifiable precipitating factor, but the essential tissue defect is as yet unidentified.

Aged↗

PubMed1987

Mandibular fractures in India during the Second World War (1944 and 1945): analysis of the Snawdon series.

The records of Major J. W. E. Snawdon of the No. 2 Indian Maxillofacial Unit provide a rare and detailed insight into the treatment of mandibular fractures during the Second World War. Notable features were the high frequency of civilian-type injuries, the considerable delays between injury and definitive treatment, the lengthy periods of intermaxillary fixation required, the high incidence of infections and the common occurrence of delayed union. Despite these problems, only 12% of fractures resulted in non-union, usually when these were missile injuries with considerable destruction. Reporting of the details from Snawdon's records should be of interest particularly to young oral surgeons, whose experience of trauma belongs to an entirely different environment.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1987

Angina bullosa haemorrhagica: lesional immunostaining and haematological findings.

The aetiology of angina bullosa haemorrhagica remains obscure. Fourteen patients with clinical features suggestive of angina bullosa haemorrhagica were investigated. Haemostatic function tests were carried out on an initial 5 patients and immunostain studies on a total of 12 patients. The results indicate that the aetiology of angina bullosa haemorrhagica is associated with neither a haemostatic defect, nor an immunopathogenic basis, and the cause is, as yet, unclear.

Aged↗

PubMed1987

A case of squamous cell carcinoma arising in an area treated with a carbon dioxide laser.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Aged↗

PubMed1987

Use and acceptability of rubber gloves for outpatient dental treatment.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed1987

Loss of epithelial cell surface carbohydrates during experimental oral carcinogenesis in the rat.

Cell surface glycoconjugates were investigated in a rat model of oral chemical carcinogenesis. The lectins Griffonia simplicifolia (GS-I-B4; specific for alpha-D-galactosyl end groups) and Ulex europeus (UEA-I; specific for alpha-L-fucosyl groups) were examined microspectrofluorimetrically in the oral epithelium of rats painted with the carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide (4NQO) and compared with those treated with solvent alone. After labelling with GS-I-B4, the fluorescent intensity of the basal and parabasal epithelial cells was significantly less after 9 months of 4NQO treatment and in overt squamous cell carcinomas compared to controls. The fluorescent activity of the spinous epithelial cells in the non-invasive tissues treated with 4NQO and in the well differentiated (sites of keratin elaboration) malignant epithelium of squamous cell carcinomas was unchanged after labelling with UEA-I. UEA-I failed to stain undifferentiated (areas lacking keratin) malignant epithelium. The findings indicate that alpha-D-galactosyl residues are diminished on the membranes of premalignant and malignant rat epithelial cells. The expression of alpha-L-fucosyl groups, however, remains unchanged in premalignant rat oral epithelium and is closely correlated to the presence of keratin in the malignant epithelium of squamous cell carcinomas.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗