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Purpose: (i) To examine the criterion taller-than-wide (TTW) for the sonographic assessment of thyroid nodules in areas of iodine deficiency in terms of frequency, anatomical distribution within the thyroid gland and risk of malignancy. (ii) To develop a model for nodule growth in the thyroid gland. Methods: German multicenter study consisting of two parts. In the prospective part, thyroid nodules were sonographically measured in all three dimensions, location within the thyroid gland and contact to a protrusion-like formation (horn) in the dorsal position of thyroid gland was noted. In addition, further sonographic features such as the composition, echogenity, margins and calcifications were investigated. All nodules from the prospective part were assessed for malignancy as part of clinical routine at the decision of the treating physician adhering to institutionally based algorithms. In the retrospective part, only nodules with fine needle aspiration and/or histology were included. The risk of malignancy in TTW nodules was determined by correlating them with cyotological and histological results. Results: Prospective part: out of 441 consecutively evaluated thyroid nodules, 6 were found to be malignant (1.4%, 95% CI 0.6–2.7%). Among the 74 TTW nodules (17%), 1 was malignant (1%, 95% CI 0–4%). TTW nodules were more often located in the dorsal half of the thyroid than non-TTW nodules (factor 2.3, p = 0.01, 95% CI 2.1–2.5) and more often located in close proximity to a horn than non-TTW nodules (factor 3.0, p = 0.01, 95% CI 2.4–3.8). Retrospective part: out of 1315 histologically and/or cytologically confirmed thyroid nodules, 163 TTW nodules were retrieved and retrospectively analyzed. A TTW nodule was 1.7 times more often benign when it was dorsal (95% CI 1.1–2.5) and 2.5 times more often benign when it was associated with a horn (95% CI 1.2–5.3). The overall probability of malignancy for TTW nodules was 38% (95% CI 30–46%) in this highly preselected patient group. Conclusion: TTW nodules are common in iodine deficient areas. They are often located in the dorsal half of the thyroid gland and are frequently associated with a dorsal protrusion-like formation (horn) of the thyroid. Obviously, the shape of benign nodules follows distinct anatomical preconditions within the thyroid gland. The frequency of TTW nodules and their predominant benignity can be explained by a pole concept of goiter growth. The difference between the low malignancy risk of TTW nodules found on a prospective basis and the high risk found retrospectively may be the result of a positive preselection in the latter.
Background: Computerized virtual patients (VP) have spread into many areas of healthcare delivery and medical education. They provide various advantages like flexibility in pace and space of learning, a high degree of teaching reproducibility and a cost effectiveness. However, the educational benefit of VP as an additive or also as an alternative to traditional teaching formats remains unclear. Moreover, there are no randomized-controlled studies that investigated the use of VP in a dental curriculum. Therefore, this study investigates VP as an alternative to lecturer-led small-group teaching in a curricular, randomized and controlled setting.
Methods: Randomized and controlled cohort study. Four VP cases were created according to previously published design principles and compared with lecturer-led small group teaching (SGT) within the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery clerkship for dental students at the Department for Cranio-, Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany. Clinical competence was measured prior (T0), directly (T1) and 6 weeks (T2) after the intervention using theoretical tests and a self-assessment questionnaire. Furthermore, VP design was evaluated using a validated toolkit.
Results: Fifty-seven students (VP = 32; SGT = 25) agreed to participate in the study. No competence differences were found at T0 (p = 0.56). The VP group outperformed (p < .0001) the SGT group at T1. At T2 there was no difference between both groups (p = 0.55). Both interventions led to a significant growth in self-assessed competence. The VP group felt better prepared to diagnose and treat real patients and regarded VP cases as a rewarding learning experience.
Conclusions: VP cases are an effective alternative to lecture-led SGT in terms of learning efficacy in the short and long-term as well as self-assessed competence growth and student satisfaction. Furthermore, integrating VP cases within a curricular Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clerkship is feasible and leads to substantial growth of clinical competence in undergraduate dental students.
Background: Previous studies reported decreased volumes of acute stroke admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to examine whether aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) volumes demonstrated similar declines in our department. Furthermore, the impact of the pandemic on disease progression should be analyzed.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in the neurosurgical department of the university hospital Frankfurt including patients with the diagnosis of aSAH during the first year of the COVID pandemic. One year cumulative volume for aSAH hospitalization procedures was compared to the year before (03/2020 – 02/2021 vs. 03/2019 – 02/2020) and the last 5 pre-COVID-pandemic years (2015-2020). All relevant patient characteristics concerning family history, disease history, clinical condition at admission, active/past COVID-infection, treatment management, complications, and outcome were analyzed.
Results: Compared to the 84 hospital admissions during the pre-pandemic years, the number of aSAH hospitalizations (n = 56) declined during the pandemic without reaching significance. No significant difference in the analyzed patient characteristics including clinical condition at onset, treatment, complications, and outcome, between 56 patients with aSAH admitted during the COVID pandemic and the treated patients in the last 5 years in the pre-COVID period were found. In our multivariable analysis, we detected young age (p < 0.05; OR 4.2) and no existence of early hydrocephalus (p < 0.05; OR 0.13) as important factors for a favorable outcome (mRS ≤ 0–2) after aSAH during the COVID pandemic. A past COVID-infection was detected in young patients suffering from aSAH (Age < 50years, p < 0.05; OR 10.5) with an increased rate of cerebral vasospasm after aSAH onset (p < 0.05; OR 26). Nevertheless, past COVID-infection did not reach significance as a high-risk factor for unfavorable outcomes.
Conclusion: There was a relative decrease in the number of patients with aSAH during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the extremely different conditions of hospitalization, there was no impairing significant effect on the treatment and outcome of admitted patients with aSAH. A past COVID infection seemed to be an irrelevant limiting factor concerning favorable outcomes.
Objective: The aim of this study was to retrospectively review the midface and orbital floor fractures treated at our institution with regard to epidemiological aspects, surgical treatment options and postoperative complications and discuss this data with the current literature. Study design: One thousand five hundred and ninety-four patients with midface and orbital fractures treated at the Department of Oral, Cranio-Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery of the Goethe University Hospital in Frankfurt (Germany) between 2007 and 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were evaluated by age, gender, etiology, fracture pattern, defect size, surgical treatment and complications. Results: The average patient age was 46.2 (± 20.8). Most fractures (37.5%) occurred in the age between 16 and 35. Seventy-two percent of patients were male while 28% were female. The most common cause of injury was physical assault (32.0%) followed by falls (30.8%) and traffic accidents (17.0%). The average orbital wall defect size was 297.9 mm2 (± 190.8 mm2). For orbital floor reconstruction polydioxanone sheets (0.15 mm 38.3%, 0.25 mm 36.2%, 0.5 mm 2.8%) were mainly used, followed by titanium meshes (11.5%). Reconstructions with the 0.15 mm polydioxanone sheets showed the least complications (p < 0.01, r = 0.15). Eighteen percent of patients who showed persistent symptoms and post-operative complications: 12.9% suffered from persistent hypoesthesia, 4.4% suffered from post-operative diplopia and 3.9% showed intra-orbital hematoma. Conclusion: Results of the clinical outcome in our patients show that 0.15 mm resorbable polydioxanone sheets leads to significantly less post-operative complications for orbital floor defects even for defects beyond the recommended 200 mm2.
Background: The high-oblique sagittal osteotomy (HOSO) is an alternative to a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO). Due to its novelty, there are no long-term studies which have focused on describing the incidence and type of complications encountered in the post-operative follow-up. The aim of this retrospective study is to analyze patients operated on with this surgical technique and the post-operative complications encountered. Patient and methods: The electronic medical records of all patients treated with orthognathic surgery at the Department of Oral, Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, between the years 2009 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: A total of 116 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The cases operated on with the standard osteosynthesis (X, Y, and straight) showed a complication rate of 36.37% (n = 4/11). The cases operated on with the HOSO-dedicated plates (HOSO-DP) showed, in total, a complication rate of 6.67% (n = 7/105). The most common post-operative complication resulting from both fixation methods was a reduction in mouth opening and TMJ pain for 4.3%. During the first years of performing the surgery (2009–211), a variety of standard plates had material failure causing non-union or pseudarthrosis. No cases of material failure were observed in the cases operated on with the HOSO-DP. The statistical results showed a highly significant dependence of a reduction in OP-time over the years, when the HOSO was performed without additional procedures (R2 > 0.83, P < 0.0015). Conclusion: The rate of complications in the HOSO were shown to be comparable to the rate of complications from the BSSO reported in the literature. Moreover, the use of the ramus dedicated plate appears to provide enough stability to the bone segments, making the surgery safer. Clinical relevance: The HOSO needs to be considered by surgeons as an alternative to BSSO. Once the use of the HOSO-DP was established, the rate of complications and the operation time reduced considerably.
Due to the increasingly heterogeneous trajectories of aging, gerontology requires theoretical models and empirical methods that can meaningfully, reliably, and precisely describe, explain, and predict causes and effects within the aging process, considering particular contexts and situations. Human behavior occurs in contexts; nevertheless, situational changes are often neglected in context-based behavior research. This article follows the tradition of environmental gerontology research based on Lawton’s Person-Environment-Interaction model (P-E model) and the theoretical developments of recent years. The authors discuss that, despite an explicit time component, current P-E models could be strengthened by focusing on detecting P-E interactions in various everyday situations. Enhancing Lawton’s original formula via a situationally based component not only changes the theoretical perspectives on the interplay between person and environment but also demands new data collection approaches in empirical environmental research. Those approaches are discussed through the example of collecting mobile data with smartphones. Future research should include the situational dimension to investigate the complex nature of person environment interactions.
Background: Recent advances in 3D printing technology have enabled the emergence of new educational and clinical tools for medical professionals. This study provides an exemplary description of the fabrication of 3D‐printed individualised patient models and assesses their educational value compared to cadaveric models in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Methods: A single‐stage, controlled cohort study was conducted within the context of a curricular course. A patient's CT scan was segmented into a stereolithographic model and then printed using a fused filament 3D printer. These individualised patient models were implemented and compared against cadaveric models in a curricular oral surgery hands‐on course. Students evaluated both models using a validated questionnaire. Additionally, a cost analysis for both models was carried out. P‐values were calculated using the Mann‐Whitney U test.
Results: Thirty‐eight fourth‐year dental students participated in the study. Overall, significant differences between the two models were found in the student assessment. Whilst the cadaveric models achieved better results in the haptic feedback of the soft tissue, the 3D‐printed individualised patient models were regarded significantly more realistic with regard to the anatomical correctness, the degree of freedom of movement and the operative simulation. At 3.46 € (compared to 6.51 €), the 3D‐printed patient individualised models were exceptionally cost‐efficient.
Conclusions: 3D‐printed patient individualised models presented a realistic alternative to cadaveric models in the undergraduate training of operational skills in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Whilst the 3D‐printed individualised patient models received positive feedback from students, some aspects of the model leave room for improvement.
Purpose: To retrospectively compare the high-angled sagittal split osteotomy (HOO) and the bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) for the correction of skeletal dysgnathias regarding intra- and postoperative complications.
Methods: The electronic medical records of all patients treated with an orthognathic surgery at the Department for Oral, Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany, between the years 2009 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed.
Results: Two hundred ninety-one patients were included. The overall complication rates were 19.78% (BSSO) compared to 12.5% (HOO) (p = 0.14). Significant differences were found regarding the operation time (HOO < BSSO, p = 0.02), material failure (HOO > BSSO, p = 0.04), and early recurrence requiring revision surgery (HOO < BSSO, p = 0.002). The use of a ramus plate significantly reduced the risk of plate failure (2.8% < 13.6%, p = 0.05). More bad splits (p = 0.08) and early sensory disorders (p = 0.07) occurred in the BSSO group.
Conclusion: The HOO presents a possible alternative to the BSSO since newly developed osteosynthesis material significantly reduces the risk of material failure. The BSSO is accompanied by higher risks of developing complications like a bad split and sensory disorders but, however, remains the standard for large anterior–posterior transpositions of the mandible.
Introduction: The treatment of carious lesions is one of the most fundamental competencies in daily dental practice. However, many commercially available training models lack in reality regarding the simulation of pathologies such as carious lesions. 3D printed models could provide a more realistic simulation. This study provides an exemplary description of the fabrication of 3D printed dental models with carious lesions and assesses their educational value compared to commercially available models in conservative dentistry.
Materials and Methods: A single-stage, controlled cohort study was conducted within the context of a curricular course. A stereolithographic model was obtained from an intraoral scan and then printed using fused deposition modelling. These models were first piloted by experts and then implemented and compared against commercial models in a conservative dentistry course. Experts and students evaluated both models using a validated questionnaire. Additionally, a cost analysis for both models was carried out.
Results: Thirteen dentists and twenty-seven 5th year dental students participated in the study. The 3D printed models were rated significantly more realistic in many test areas. In particular, the different tactility and the distinction in colour was rated positively in the 3D printed models. At 28.29€ (compared to 112.36€), the 3D printed models were exceptionally cost-efficient.
Conclusions: 3D printed dental models present a more realistic and cost-efficient alternative to commercial models in the undergraduate training of conservative dentistry.