Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how open contacts impact the natural teeth and dental implant prostheses. Materials and Methods: Following criteria were used to select 20 implant crowns with open proximal contacts as the experimental group (Group A): the restorations were delivered in Chosun University Dental Hospital between 2008 and 2018, the restorations are in the posterior region, opposing teeth are fixed dental prostheses, neighboring teeth are sound natural teeth, the patient had been on the maintenance program for at least 3 years. Another 20 implant crowns with closed proximal contacts were selected as the control group (Group B) using the same criteria. Between the two groups, dental caries and food impaction of the neighboring natural teeth and marginal bone-loss of the implants were compared and evaluated. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between Group A and Group B in the occurrence rates of dental caries, food impaction, and marginal bone-loss. The amount of marginal bone-loss, however, revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups, with Group A showing 0.80 ± 0.39 mm loss and Group B showing 1.1 ± 0.43 mm loss. Conclusion Implant prostheses with open contacts could be clinically considered in select cases as such restorations revealed no harmful effects on neighboring teeth and implant restorations within the perimeters of this study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the causes of varicocele recurrence and assess the use of embolization and subinguinal varicocelectomy in its treatment in patients with angiography and subinguinal varicocelectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study involved 15 patients with recurrent varicoceles. The mean patient age was 21.2 years (range: 12-42 years). Preoperative angiography was performed in 11 patients. Embolization was used in patients with patent internal spermatic veins (ISVs). Patients without patent ISVs or preoperative angiography underwent magnification-assisted subinguinal varicocelectomy which included testicular retrieval and ligation of all collateral veins except arteries and deferential veins. RESULTS: Seven among 11 patients (64%) which had preoperative angiography had patent ISVs and underwent embolization and 8 patients underwent subinguinal varicocelectomy. Of those 8 patients, 6 had dilated ISVs and external spermatic veins (ESVs), one had dilated ISVs and gubernacular veins, and one had dilated ISVs, ESVs and gubernacular veins. No patient experienced recurrence or testis atrophy. CONCLUSION: Patent ISVs or collateral veins may be the cause of recurrence after varicocelectomy. Angiographic embolization was successful in 64% of recurrent varicoceles patients with patent ISVs. However, microscope-assisted subinguinal varicocelectomy may be the best overall treatment for patients with recurrent varicoceles.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Angiography ; Child ; Humans ; Male ; Spermatic Cord/radiography/surgery ; Urogenital Surgical Procedures ; Varicocele/*radiography/*surgery ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: This study aimed at investigating the role of albumin as a boundary lubricant in the lubrication of the Co-Cr femoral head of artificial hip implants by measuring the tribological parameters of the Co-Cr femoral head with Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples were prepared from the main wear region of a Co-Cr femoral head from revision hip surgery. Two types of solutions were prepared as lubricants: PBS (Phosphate Buffered Saline) as a control solution and BSA (Bovine Serum Albumin) as a lubricant at concentrations of 10, 20, 30 and 40 mg/ml in PBS solution. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in the frictional coefficients (micron) of a Co-Cr head between the PBS control and all the concentrations of BSA (10, 20, 30, 40 mg/ml) (P<0.001). Similarly, there were statistically significant differences for the micron between the BSA concentrations of 10, 20, 30 and 40 mg/m for all the cases except between the BSA of 30 and 40 mg/ml (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: There exists a maximum protein concentration of BSA to play a role as an effective boundary lubricant through adsorption on the surface of Co-Cr femoral head.
Adsorption ; Arthroplasty ; Friction ; Head ; Hip ; Lubrication