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Biomedical subjects

N C Gordon

Publications and source records attributed to N C Gordon.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Post-operative pain: effect of extent of injury and attention.

The relationship to pain level of extent of injury (as measured by number of teeth extracted) and attention paid to the injury (as measured by frequency of pain ratings) was studied in patients with dental postoperative pain. Patients had either 2 or 4 impacted wisdom teeth removed and rated their pain either 2 or 5 times during the experiment. A positive correlation was found between extent of injury and reported pain level as well as between frequency of pain rating and pain level. The correlation between frequency of pain rating and pain level was found only in patients with 4 teeth extracted. To our knowledge, this is the first study which quantitatively evaluates the relationship between amount of injury and level of pain. This study also suggests that the degree to which manipulations of psychological variables alter an individual's pain perception may depend on the extent of injury.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Self-instruction guides in the undergraduate oral surgery curriculum.

A study was undertaken to evaluate the self-instruction guides in oral surgery developed at the University of Washington School of Dentistry. The third-year dental class enrolled in the basic oral surgery course was divided into four groups. Group I received the traditional lecture series and textbook. Group II attended the lectures series, used the standard textbook, and were given the guides to study at their own convenience. Students in Group III received only the self-instruction guides and were assigned to review them in a study hall during the usual lecture hours. Members of Group IV were given only the guides to be studied at their own convenience. Scores on the midterm and final examinations and on the oral surgery section of the National Dental Board examination showed no significant differences in performance among the four groups, indicating that students can learn oral surgery from these self-instruction guides.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1980

Medical palatine cyst and maxillary antral osteoma: report of an unusal case.

A case is presented of a patient with the coincidental occurrence of two unusual lesions, median palatine cyst and osteoma of the maxillary antrum. There was no atypia of either lesion, but this combination led to the impression that the median palatine cyst had eroded into the maxillary antrum. Both lesions are usually asymptomatic and were incidental findings in this case. An occlusal radiograph is best for showing the palatal radiolucent area and is usually diagnostic. The preferred treatment for median palatine cyst is enucleation; a palatal splint is an excellent aid for reapproximation of the mucoperiosteal flap. The maxillary antrum was explored to obtain a biopsy specimen for a microscopic diagnosis of the radiopaque lesion; this proved to be an osteoma. The diagnosis of an osteoma is an indication for a radiographic survey to rule out Gardner syndrome, which has serious implications.

Humans↗
PubMed1980

Closure of oronasoantral defects: report of case.

A brief review of the techniques for closure of defects of the palate is presented. A case is reported in which an oronasoantral defect was successfully closed using the Fickling's inkwell technique. The importance of delayed closure and careful planning and preparation of the flap is emphasized.

Female↗
PubMed1979

Lead poisoning. A comprehensive review and report of a case.

Lead, a ubiquitous heavy metal which has realized increased use, can cause poisoning by environmental contamination in either its organic or its inorganic form. Lead poisoning can be either acute or chronic, with the latter being the more common. The clinical signs and symptoms of lead poisoning are nonspecific, resulting in a difficult diagnostic problem, especially when it is not industrially related. On occasions, the dentist or oral surgeon may be the first to see an afflicted patient because of oral manifestations.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Role of pain in placebo analgesia.

The hypothesis that perceived pain intensity can influence placebo analgesia was tested. One hundred and seven subjects rated their pain from from 0 to 10 on a visual analog scale after a standard wisdom tooth extraction. The expected course of such postoperative pain in the absence of therapy or placebo is a steady increase; this was confirmed by blind administration of the placebo. When placebos were given intravenously in view of the patients, some (placebo nonresponders) reported that their pain increased, whereas others (placebo responders) reported that their pain either decreased or remained the same over the next 60 min. A placebo response was more likely to occur if the pain rating 5 min prior to placebo administration (initial pain) was greater than 2.6. Furthermore, placebo responders with initial pain above this 2.6 level reported significantly greater mean analgesia than those with lower initial pain. Indeed, responders with initial pain less than 2.6 reported no change in pain during the 60 min after administration of a placebo. When their initial pain level was greater than 2.6, they reported a steady decline in pain over this period. However, above the 2.6 level there was no obvious relationship between the magnitude of the placebo analgesia and the initial pain.

Analgesia↗
PubMed1979

The effects of local hypothermia on odontogenesis.

Cryosurgery, with temperatures ranging from -40 C to -140 C, was performed on 32 developing mandibular third and fourth premolar buds of dogs. Evaluations were made on clinical, radiographic, and histologic bases at prescribed time intervals. There was complete inhibition of odontogenesis in 62.5% of third premolars and 25% of fourth premolars. There was 25% partial inhibition of third premolars and a 56.25% inhibition of fourth premolars. The adjacent developing tooth buds and bone were not affected.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Delayed rupture of the spleen in a patient with mandibular fracture.

A case of blunt abdominal trauma with subsequent damage to and rupture of the spleen is presented. Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and sequelae and complications of injury are discussed. This case report demonstrates the insidious nature of trauma to the spleen and the ultimate dangers of delayed rupture. Treatment and disposition of the case are discussed and recommendations for physical examination of the patient who has suffered trauma to the abdomen are outlined.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

The mechanism of placebo analgesia.

The effect of naloxone on dental postoperative pain was studied to examine the hypothesis that endorphins mediate placebo analgesia. All patients had extraction of impacted mandibular third molars with diazepam, N2O, and local block with mepivacaine. 3 h and 4 h after surgery naloxone or a placebo was given under randomised, double-blind conditions. Pain was evaluated on a visual analogue scale. Patients given naloxone reported significantly greater pain than those given placebo. Patients given placebo as their first drug was either placebo responders, whose pain was reduced or unchanged, or nonresponders whose pain increased. Naloxone given as a second drug produced no additional increase in pain levels in nonresponders but did increase pain levels of placebo responders. Nonresponders had a final mean pain rating identical to that of responders who received naloxone as their second drug. Thus the enhancement of reported pain produced by naloxone can be entirely accounted for by its effect on placebo responders. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that endorphin release mediates placebo analgesia for dental postoperative pain.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of the method of drug administration on analgesic response.

The appropriate control group in studies of placebo-induced analgesia has not been established. A traditional control has been a 'no treatment' or natural-history group. In some studies, the natural-history group receives a hidden infusion of vehicle, a physiologically inactive substance such as saline solution, to eliminate differences in expectation of the outcome on the part of the experimenter. To evaluate whether 'hidden' as well as open infusion of vehicle can elicit a placebo response, we have now tested a different natural-history group, one which received an infusion of vehicle from a syringe pump controlled by a programmable timer. A comparison of these two control groups provides evidence that hidden infusion of vehicle can elicit a placebo response. Use of this new control group also permitted a clear distinction between a naloxone-antagonizable component of placebo analgesia and naloxone antagonism of endorphin-mediated analgesia induced by surgical stress. Our study underscores the power of the placebo and emphasizes that even the most subtle cues can elicit a placebo response.

Analgesia↗