Osteomyelitis of the jaw is an inflammatory process of the bone marrow that is caused by odontogenic local infection and trauma such as tooth extraction and fractures in the oral and maxillofacial region. The clinical signs include pain, swelling, pus formation, and limited mouth opening. Chronic osteomyelitis presents a diagnostic challenge because of the variability of symptoms across different disease stages and varying health conditions of the patients. This report presents a case of osteomyelitis that was misdiagnosed as a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) after tooth extraction. The patient was treated for inflammation after tooth extraction in the early stage; however, as the osteomyelitis progressed chronically, symptoms mimicked those of a TMD. The patient was finally diagnosed with osteomyelitis 6 months after tooth extraction. A review of this case and relevant literature revealed the necessity for a differential diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis that mimics TMD symptoms.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to analyze the final diagnosis and the pain characteristics of patients with suspected nonodontogenic toothache and to contribute to the knowledge on differential diagnosis. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted based on medical records from 185 patients. The following data were collected: age, sex, pain characteristics, radiographic results, initial diagnosis and treatment, and final diagnosis and treatment. The final diagnosis and the pain characteristics of the 3 most common final diagnoses were analyzed. Results: Myofascial pain (MFP) was the most prevalent diagnosed condition accounting for 37.8% of cases, followed by pulpal pain (P) at 31.4%, and trigeminal neuralgia (TN) at 18.9%. There were significant differences in age, onset of the pain, and pain intensity across the 3 groups (all p<0.01). TN group exhibited a lower frequency of spontaneous and continuous pain than the MFP and P groups (all p<0.001). The proportion of patients reporting pain alleviating and aggravating factors related to dental pain was significantly higher in the P group than in the MFP and TN groups (all p<0.001). A concordance rate of 57.0% was observed between the initial and the final diagnosis. Twenty-six patients underwent tooth extractions and 24 patients had root canal treatments. Conclusions It is important to differentiate between dental pain and nonodontogenic toothache to avoid unnecessary dental treatments. Comprehending the pain characteristics of each condition, taking a thorough history taking, and performing diagnostic tests can help differential diagnosis.

Purpose: We developed a comprehensive return to work (RTW) intervention covering physical, psycho-social and practical issues for patients newly diagnosed and evaluated its efficacy in terms of RTW. Materials and Methods: A multi-center randomized controlled trial was done to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention conducted at two university-based cancer centers in Korea. The intervention program comprised educational material at diagnosis, a face-to-face educational session at completion of active treatment, and three individualized telephone counseling sessions. The control group received other education at enrollment. Results: At 1-month post-intervention (T2), the intervention group was more likely to be working compared to the control group after controlling working status at diagnosis (65.4% vs. 55.9%, p=0.037). Among patients who did not work at baseline, the intervention group was 1.99-times more likely to be working at T2. The mean of knowledge score was higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (7.4 vs. 6.8, p=0.029). At the 1-year follow-up, the intervention group was 65% (95% confidence interval, 0.78 to 3.48) more likely to have higher odds for having work. Conclusion The intervention improved work-related knowledge and was effective in facilitating cancer patients’ RTW.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Leukocytosis and hypoalbuminemia are known to be poor prognostic factors. The aim of this study was to determine how the leukocyte counts and albumin level are related to the colonic endoscopic findings. METHODS: Fifty three pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) patients confirmed by a lower endoscopy were analyzed. Endoscopic degree of pseudomembranous plaque was classified into four grades. The endoscopic severity was classified into two groups (group A: G I~II, group B: G III~IV). RESULTS: The mean age was 64.9 years, the mean onset of diarrhea after exposure to antibiotics was 12.9 days, the reasons for admission were medical (58.5%, 31) and surgical (41.5%, 22). Frequently the causative antibiotic was cephalosporin (81.1%, 43/53), and the mean WBC counts and albumin level were 13,045/mm3 and 3.13 g/dL, respectively. The endoscopic degrees of PMC was grade I (9.4%, 5), grade II (32.1%, 17), grade III (41.5%, 22), and grade IV (17%, 9). The patients' WBC counts and albumin level were not associated with the endoscopic severity. The age, gender, causative antibiotics, diabetes showed no correlation. CONCLUSIONS: There were no correlations between the known poor clinical prognostic factors (leukocystosis and hypoalbuminemia) and the endoscopic severity.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Colitis* ; Colon ; Diarrhea ; Endoscopy ; Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous ; Humans ; Hypoalbuminemia ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytosis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Dieulafoy's lesion is a rare cause of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding, most commonly in the proximal stomach. Although the mechanical hemostatic method has been widely used, it is difficult to access for complete application. This study evaluated the utility of a positional change in patients with a bleeding Dieulafoy's lesion. METHODS: Between January 2003 and March 2004, 15 patients with a bleeding Dieulafoy's lesion were randomly assigned to either a positional change group (right decubitus or supine, n=7) or a left decubitus group (n=8). The demographic characteristics, endoscopic variables, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: The patients' characteristics at entry were similar in both groups. Initial hemostasis was achieved in all patients. Recurrent bleeding developed in only one patients in the left decubitus group. The mean procedure time was significantly shorter in the positional change group than in the left decubitus group (4.5+/-3.4 min vs. 7.4+/-5.2 min, p<0.05). The ineffective hemoclip number (respectively, 0.3+/-0.1 vs. 1.4+/-1.2, p<0.05) was significantly different in the two groups. No major procedure-related complications occurred in the positional change group. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic hemostasis with a positional change is an effective and safe method for treating in a bleeding Dieulafoy's lesion.
Hemorrhage* ; Hemostasis ; Hemostasis, Endoscopic* ; Humans ; Stomach

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The successful colonoscopic insertion has been predicted by several clinical factors including female gender, obesity, poor bowel preparation, and a history of surgery. In addition, anatomical differences, such as Kudo's pattern (B, C of the sigmoid colon), rotation of the hepatic and splenic flexure, and the diameter of the sigmoid colon have also been considered to affect the success of colonoscopic insertion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anatomical factors using virtual CT colonscopy in the case where the colonoscopic insertion is difficult. METHODS: From April 2005 to June 2005, 32 patients who experienced a delayed insertion time > or =10 minutes during colonoscopy (Group I) and other 34 patients whose insertion time was <10 minutes (Group II) were examined by virtual CT colonoscopy. The shape of the sigmoid colon was compared with Kudo's pattern, rotation of hepatic (HFR) and splenic flexure (SFR), and the diameter of the most distended sigmoid colon at the supine position (SCD) in both groups. Excessive SFR or HFR was defined if the splenic flexure or hepatic flexure was rotated by more than 360 degrees from the natural course of the colon. RESULTS: There were significant differences between group I (M : F=16 : 16, mean age: 61.7+/-13.8, SCD: 40.9+/-7.4 mm) and group II (M : F=25 : 9, mean age: 46.9+/-11.4, SCD: 39.7+/-7.2 mm) in terms of gender, age, BMI (24.1+/-3.5 kg/m2 in group I, 23.5+/-2.1 kg/m2 in group II), and the colonoscopic insertion time (18.1 minutes in group I, 6.3 minutes in group II). The Kudo's pattern was as follows: pattern A : B : C=23.3% : 36.7% : 40.0% in group I, and pattern A : B : C=50.0% : 37.5% : 12.5% in group II. Excessive rotation of the splenic flexure was 50% in group I, and 21.9% in group II. However, there were no clinical significant difference in bowel preparation, sedation, previous bowel operation, the type of cathartics and SCD. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical differences can affect a difficult colonoscopic insertion, which includes shape of the sigmoid colon, excessive rotation of the splenic flexure. However a further large randomized trial study will be needed.
Cathartics ; Colon* ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colon, Transverse ; Colonoscopy* ; Female ; Humans ; Obesity ; Supine Position

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The successful colonoscopic insertion has been predicted by several clinical factors including female gender, obesity, poor bowel preparation, and a history of surgery. In addition, anatomical differences, such as Kudo's pattern (B, C of the sigmoid colon), rotation of the hepatic and splenic flexure, and the diameter of the sigmoid colon have also been considered to affect the success of colonoscopic insertion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anatomical factors using virtual CT colonscopy in the case where the colonoscopic insertion is difficult. METHODS: From April 2005 to June 2005, 32 patients who experienced a delayed insertion time > or =10 minutes during colonoscopy (Group I) and other 34 patients whose insertion time was <10 minutes (Group II) were examined by virtual CT colonoscopy. The shape of the sigmoid colon was compared with Kudo's pattern, rotation of hepatic (HFR) and splenic flexure (SFR), and the diameter of the most distended sigmoid colon at the supine position (SCD) in both groups. Excessive SFR or HFR was defined if the splenic flexure or hepatic flexure was rotated by more than 360 degrees from the natural course of the colon. RESULTS: There were significant differences between group I (M : F=16 : 16, mean age: 61.7+/-13.8, SCD: 40.9+/-7.4 mm) and group II (M : F=25 : 9, mean age: 46.9+/-11.4, SCD: 39.7+/-7.2 mm) in terms of gender, age, BMI (24.1+/-3.5 kg/m2 in group I, 23.5+/-2.1 kg/m2 in group II), and the colonoscopic insertion time (18.1 minutes in group I, 6.3 minutes in group II). The Kudo's pattern was as follows: pattern A : B : C=23.3% : 36.7% : 40.0% in group I, and pattern A : B : C=50.0% : 37.5% : 12.5% in group II. Excessive rotation of the splenic flexure was 50% in group I, and 21.9% in group II. However, there were no clinical significant difference in bowel preparation, sedation, previous bowel operation, the type of cathartics and SCD. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical differences can affect a difficult colonoscopic insertion, which includes shape of the sigmoid colon, excessive rotation of the splenic flexure. However a further large randomized trial study will be needed.
Cathartics ; Colon* ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colon, Transverse ; Colonoscopy* ; Female ; Humans ; Obesity ; Supine Position