Instrument separation is a critical complication during root canal therapy, impacting treatment success and long-term tooth preservation. The etiology of instrument separation is multifactorial, involving the intricate anatomy of the root canal system, instrument-related factors, and instrumentation techniques. Instrument separation can hinder thorough cleaning, shaping, and obturation of the root canal, posing challenges to successful treatment outcomes. Although retrieval of separated instrument is often feasible, it carries risks including perforation, excessive removal of tooth structure and root fractures. Effective management of separated instruments requires a comprehensive understanding of the contributing factors, meticulous preoperative assessment, and precise evaluation of the retrieval difficulty. The application of appropriate retrieval techniques is essential to minimize complications and optimize clinical outcomes. The current manuscript provides a framework for understanding the causes, risk factors, and clinical management principles of instrument separation. By integrating effective strategies, endodontists can enhance decision-making, improve endodontic treatment success and ensure the preservation of natural dentition.
Humans ; Root Canal Therapy/adverse effects* ; Consensus ; Root Canal Preparation/adverse effects*

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common respiratory emergency, but current clinical treatment remains at the level of symptomatic support and there is a lack of effective targeted treatment measures. Our previous study confirmed that inhalation of hydrogen gas can reduce the acute lung injury of ARDS, but the application of hydrogen has flammable and explosive safety concerns. Drinking hydrogen-rich liquid or inhaling hydrogen gas has been shown to play an important role in scavenging reactive oxygen species and maintaining mitochondrial quality control balance, thus improving ARDS in patients and animal models. Coral calcium hydrogenation (CCH) is a new solid molecular hydrogen carrier prepared from coral calcium (CC). Whether and how CCH affects acute lung injury in ARDS remains unstudied. In this study, we observed the therapeutic effect of CCH on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced acute lung injury in ARDS mice. The survival rate of mice treated with CCH and hydrogen inhalation was found to be comparable, demonstrating a significant improvement compared to the untreated ARDS model group. CCH treatment significantly reduced pulmonary hemorrhage and edema, and improved pulmonary function and local microcirculation in ARDS mice. CCH promoted mitochondrial peripheral division in the early course of ARDS by activating mitochondrial thioredoxin 2 (Trx2), improved lung mitochondrial dysfunction induced by LPS, and reduced oxidative stress damage. The results indicate that CCH is a highly efficient hydrogen-rich agent that can attenuate acute lung injury of ARDS by improving the mitochondrial function through Trx2 activation.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with clinical and subclinical Cushing's syndrome caused by primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia(PBMAH).Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 198 patients with Cushing's syndrome caused by PBMAH diagnosed in the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2004 to October 2024.According to clinical manifestations,the patients were classified into clinical type Cushing's syndrome(n=61)and subclinical type Cushing's syndrome(n=137),and the clinical characteristics of the two types were compared.Results The mean age at diagnosis of patients with PBMAH-induced Cushing's syndrome was(53.5±10.4)years,including 118 males and 80 females,with a male-to-female ratio of 1.475:1.Compared with the subclinical type,the clinical type had a higher proportion of females,higher levels of serum cortisol,24-hour urine free cortisol(24 h UFC),and inhibited serum cortisol after low-dose dexamethasone suppression.Additionally,the clinical type had lower plasma ACTH,larger adrenal nodules and a higher risk of surgery(P<0.05)compared with those in subclinical type.The incidences of hypertension,dyslipidemia,obesity,diabetes mellitus,hypokalemia,vitamin D deficiency,osteoporosis,coronary heart disease,and cerebrovascular disease in patients with Cushing's syndrome caused by PBMAH were 87.9%,50.5%,37.1%,36.9%,27.8%,25.9%,18.7%,18.7%and 12.1%,respectively.Among them,compared with subclinical type patients,clinical type patients had higher incidence of hypokalaemia,vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis(P<0.05),while there were no statistically significant differences in the incidences of other comorbidities between the two types(P>0.05).The results of postoperative follow-up for PBMAH patients showed that the short-term biochemical remission rate of unilateral total adrenalectomy was 41.5%(22/53)and the long-term biochemical remission rate was 32.0%(8/25).The short-term biochemical remission rate of unilateral partial(or nodular)adrenalectomy was 52.9%(9/17),and the long-term biochemical remission rate was 14.3%(1/7).All patients who underwent unilateral total adrenalectomy plus contralateral partial resection developed adrenal insufficiency(3/3),and 1 patient(1/3)relapsed 3.4 years after surgery.Conclusion Clinical and subclinical types of Cushing's syndrome caused by PBMAH have their distinct clinical characteristics.Surgery is an effective treatment for PBMAH,but a certain proportion of patients fail to achieve biochemical remission after non-bilateral total adrenalectomy.

Objective To discuss the causes and the therapeutic strategy of acute cardiac tamponade(ACT)occurring as a complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement(TAVR)so as to improve the success rate of the surgery and to make a further understanding of this complication.Methods The general clinical data,surgical procedures,and postoperative follow-up results of five patients,who received TAVR at the Affiliated Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital of Yangzhou University of China and developed ACT from March 2018 to September 2024,were retrospectively analyzed.Results After developing ACT,all the 5 patients received pericardiocentesis together with other adjuvant therapies including blood volume expansion with infusion,vasopressors,heparin neutralization,and blood transfusion.However,due to no obvious reduction in drainage volume and unstable hemodynamics all the 5 patients had eventually to receive open-chest surgery to identify the source of bleeding and to make hemostasis.Surgical exploration revealed that the perforation or rupture of cardiac structures caused by the temporary pacemaker lead or a super-stiff guide wire during the procedure was the main cause of ACT.Finally,after active treatment four patients recovered and discharged,and one patient died.The discharged patients were followed up for 3-12 months,and no procedure-related complications such as acute coronary artery occlusion,severe arrhythmia,exacerbation of heart failure symptoms,valve displacement,or stroke occurred.Conclusion As a severe complication occurring during the TAVR procedure,ACT requires to get a rapid diagnosis and management.Improvement of surgical techniques and operative methods,comprehensive preoperative assessment,and close intraoperative monitoring are crucial points for the prevention of ACT.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) diseases are common clinical conditions. The number of patients with TMJ diseases is large, and the etiology, epidemiology, disease spectrum, and treatment of the disease remain controversial and unknown. To understand and master the current situation of the occurrence, development and prevention of TMJ diseases, as well as to identify the patterns in etiology, incidence, drug sensitivity, and prognosis is crucial for alleviating patients′suffering.This will facilitate in-depth medical research, effective disease prevention measures, and the formulation of corresponding health policies. Cohort construction and research has an irreplaceable role in precise disease prevention and significant improvement in diagnosis and treatment levels. Large-scale cohort studies are needed to explore the relationship between potential risk factors and outcomes of TMJ diseases, and to observe disease prognoses through long-term follw-ups. The consensus aims to establish a standard conceptual frame work for a cohort study on patients with TMJ disease while providing ideas for cohort data standards to this condition. TMJ disease cohort data consists of both common data standards applicable to all specific disease cohorts as well as disease-specific data standards. Common data were available for each specific disease cohort. By integrating different cohort research resources, standard problems or study variables can be unified. Long-term follow-up can be performed using consistent definitions and criteria across different projects for better core data collection. It is hoped that this consensus will be facilitate the development cohort studies of TMJ diseases.

Objective To explore the optimal image-guided verification mode by using combined cone-beam CT(CBCT)and ExacTrac X-ray(ETX)image-guided system for the position verification during the first and remaining fractionated radiotherapy of high-grade glioma patients.Methods Twenty high-grade glioma patients undergoing intensity-modulated radiotherapy at some hospital from January 2018 to June 2020 were analyzed retrospectively.CBCT image-guided system was used for the patients treated for the first time to determine the corresponding position of the treatment center on the body surface and to reset and mark the treatment center,then on-line auto registration of the CBCT images with CT positioning images was carried out,and the residual setup errors were verified with ETX image-guided system;position verification of the setup errors was performed with ETX image-guided sysem during the remaining fractionated treatment.The setup errors and their interval distributionswere calculated for the patients in six directions including left-right direction(Lat),head-foot direction(Lng),anterior-posterior direction(Vrt),rotation around left-right(Pitch),rotation around head-foot(Roll)and rotation around anterior-posterior(Yaw).SPSS 22.0 statistical software was used for data analysis.Results There were 75％patients treated for the first time and 78.62％ones undergoing the remaining fractionated radiotherapy only needed one time of setup error corre-ction.Combined CBCT and ETX image-guided resetting during the first radiotherapy met clinical requirements;during the remaining fractionated radiotherapy there were significant differences between the setup errors in the six directions before and after calibration(P＜0.05).The interval distribution of setup errors showed the error values in the six directions were all restricted within 0 to 1 mm and within 0° to l °during the first and remaining fractionated radiotherapy.Conclusion Involve-ment of combined CBCT and ETX image-guided system in the first and remaining fractionated radiotherapy of high-grade glioma patients after operation contributes to determining and resetting the treatment center rapidly and accurately,decreasing setup errors and enhancing the accuracy and repeatability of radiotherapy.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(8):57-62].

Chemical cleaning and disinfection are crucial steps for eliminating infection in root canal treatment.However,irrigant selection or irrigation procedures are far from clear.The vapor lock effect in the apical region has yet to be solved,impeding irrigation efficacy and resulting in residual infections and compromised treatment outcomes.Additionally,ambiguous clinical indications for root canal medication and non-standardized dressing protocols must be clarified.Inappropriate intracanal medication may present side effects and jeopardize the therapeutic outcomes.Indeed,clinicians have been aware of these concerns for years.Based on the current evidence of studies,this article reviews the properties of various irrigants and intracanal medicaments and elucidates their effectiveness and interactions.The evolution of different kinetic irrigation methods,their effects,limitations,the paradigm shift,current indications,and effective operational procedures regarding intracanal medication are also discussed.This expert consensus aims to establish the clinical operation guidelines for root canal irrigation and a position statement on intracanal medication,thus facilitating a better understanding of infection control,standardizing clinical practice,and ultimately improving the success of endodontic therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of manipulation treatment for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) based on the model of muscle and bone assessment. METHODS: From May 2022 to August 2023, using the methods single-center randomized controlled in Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 72 patients were treated with LDH and divided into muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group and the two step seven gimmick group according to the random number table method, the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group fall off in 1 case, the two step seven gimmick group falls off in 2 cases. There were 35 cases in the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group, including 12 males and 23 females;The age was 27 to 48 years old with an average of (37.77±7.63) years old. The course of disease was 35 to 180 days with an average of (83.68±69.01) days. The patients were treated with manual therapy under the guidance of muscle and bone assessment model, twice a week for 4 weeks. There were 34 cases in the two step seven gimmick group including 12 males and 22 females;The age was 26 to 49 years old with an average of (37.59±7.43) years old;The course of disease was 40 to 175 days with an average of (82.15±68.87) days. The patients were treated with two step seven gimmick method, 2 times a week, for 4 weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (Oswestry disability index, ODI) questionnaire, muscle tension and lumbar spine angle and the straight leg-raising activities were compared between two groups before and 4 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: The VAS of the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group and the two step seven gimmick group(6.51±0.61) and (6.62±0.56) before treatment decreased to 2.40±0.81 and 3.18±0.78 after 4 weeks of treatment, respectively, and the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group was significantly lower than the two step seven gimmick group (P<0.01). The ODI of the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group and the two step seven gimmick group were (64.57±5.11) and (65.02±5.18) before treatment, decreased to (18.60±2.27) and (24.70±2.14) after 4 weeks of treatment, and the ODI of the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group was significantly lower than that of the two step seven gimmick group (P<0.01). Before the treatment, side erector spinae, gluteus medius, and gastrocnemius muscle tension were (59.95±2.60), (62.59±2.51), (49.97±2.01) in the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group and (60.39±3.84), (62.47±3.27), (49.55±1.27) in the two step seven gimmick group;After 4 weeks of treatment, the muscle tension of erector spinae, gluteus medius and gastrocnemius on the affected side were (56.58±2.71), (60.44±2.31) and (49.19±1.57) in the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group, (58.28±3.79), (60.11±2.87), (48.55±0.90) in the two step seven gimmick group, the differences had statistical significance before and after treatment of two groups(P<0.01). The muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group was better than the two step seven gimmick group in improving the erector spinae muscle tension on the affected side (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the rest (P>0.05). Before the treatment, lumbar proneness, stretch, subject to lateral flexion and lateral angle of the straight leg-raising on the affected side were (46.00±8.89)°, (13.57±3.75)°, (12.29±3.50) °, (43.71±7.98) ° in the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group, (45.14±6.24) °, (12.23±3.75) °, (12.66±2.98) ° and (44.18±3.50) ° in the two step seven gimmick group. After 4 weeks of treatment, the angles of lumbar flexion, extension, flexion on the affected side and straight leg raising on the affected side were (76.29±4.43) °, (20.00±1.71) °, (22.43±2.81) °, (70.41±7.59) ° in the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group, and (75.75±6.38) °, (16.43±3.36) °, (20.19±3.52) °, (65.42±6.15) ° in the two step seven gimmick group. The difference had statistical significance before and after treatment in two groups(P<0.01), a comparison between groups, after 4 weeks of treatment, the angles of lumbar flexion and extension, affected side flexion, and lower limb straight leg elevation in the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group were better than those in the two step seven gimmick group (P<0.05). Before the treatment, pelvic tilt, lumbar lordosis angle were (2.71±1.01) mm, (37.63±3.35) ° in the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group, and (2.69±0.97) mm, (36.98±3.73) ° in the two step seven gimmick group;After 4 weeks of treatment, the pelvic tilt and lumbar lordosis angle were (0.84±0.36) mm and (41.64±2.96) ° in the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group, and those in the method of two step seven gimmick group were (1.18±0.75) mm and (41.70±3.14) °. There were significant differences before and after treatment in both groups (P<0.01), and the improvement of pelvic tilt in the muscle and bone assessment model manipulation group was better than that in the method of two step seven gimmick group after 4 weeks of treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The manipulation under the guidance of the muscle and bone assessment model can effectively improve the pain and dysfunction of LDH patients, and has a better effect than the two-step seven-method manipulation group in improving the muscle tension, lumbar motion function and posture.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Lumbar Vertebrae

Objective:To analyze the efficacy of second-line regimens and prognostic factors in patients with first-relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) treated with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (BCD).Methods:A retrospective cohort study. Clinical data were collected in first-relapsed MM patients after BCD treatment from three tertiary hospitals in north China from July 2009 to October 2022. Patients were classified according to the second-line regimen into the immunotherapy group, single novel agent group [either proteasome inhibitor (PI) or immunomodulatory drug (IMiD)], combination treatment group (both PI+IMiD), and traditional treatment group. Responses to second-line regimens and survival data were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis and the Cox proportional risk model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses.Results:A total of 217 patients were enrolled including 8.8% (19/217) in the immunotherapy group, 48.4% (105/217) in the PI/IMiD group, 29.9% (65/217) in the PI+IMiD group, and 12.9% (28/217) in the traditional treatment group. The median age was 62 years (range 31-83 years) and 56.2% (122/217) were males. The overall response rates (ORRs) in the four groups were 94.7% (18/19) vs. 56.2% (59/105) vs. 73.8% (48/65) vs. 32.1% (9/28) ( χ2=24.55; P<0.001), respectively. The progression-free survival (PFS) of the second-line regimens (2ndPFS) was 17.7 vs. 9.0 vs. 9.2 vs. 4.6 months ( χ2=22.74; P<0.001), respectively, among which patients in the PI/IMiD and PI+IMiD groups had comparable 2ndPFS ( χ2=1.76; P=0.923). Patients with high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (HRCAs) achieved the longest 2ndPFS of 22.0 months in the immunotherapy group ( χ2=15.03; P=0.002). Multivariate analysis suggested that immunotherapy ( HR=0.11, 95% CI 0.05-0.27), achievement of efficacy of partial response or better ( HR=0.47, 95% CI 0.34-0.66), and non-aggressive relapse ( HR=0.25, 95% CI 0.17-0.37) were independent prognostic factors of 2ndPFS. Conclusion:In this real-world study, immunotherapy was associated with a more favorable efficacy and PFS for first-relapsed MM patients after BCD treatment, with similar outcomes in patients with HRCAs.

Keratoconus is a chronic, non-inflammatory corneal disease, characterized by thinning of the corneal stroma and local corneal dilation with cone-shaped protrusion, and it usually leads to irregular astigmatism and myopia, posing great threat to eyesight. Corneal topography is the primary diagnostic tool for confirming keratoconus, while optical coherence tomography is now playing an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and treatment of keratoconus due to its ability of corneal sublayer imaging and superiority in repeatability, resolution, and data acquisition speed. This article discusses and reviews the clinical characteristics of keratoconus, the classification and characteristics of optical coherence tomography and its novel applications in the early diagnosis of keratoconus, contact lens fitting, corneal cross-linking therapy, and corneal transplantation; furthermore, progress in derivative technologies including optical coherence elastography, optical coherence tomography angiography, and polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography associated with keratoconus is included in this article. We hope our study will help to further exploit the role of optical coherence technology in clinical keratoconus management.