Quality of life and epilepsy surgery in childhood and adolescence

Epilepsy can affect the quality of life (QOL) of patients. The temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is often refractory to medication, which has an adverse impact on QOL. The surgery can be a form to control the seizures and to improve the QOL of the patients. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the QOL of children and adolescents with TLE who underwent surgery for epilepsy, comparing QOL before and after surgery and investigating which parameters showed improvement. METHOD: We used semi-structured questionnaire in the pre-and post-surgery in 13 patients. The data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: The analysis showed that there was general improvement in the QOL postoperatively. There was improvement in general health issues, adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs and the relationship with parents. CONCLUSION: When properly indicated, epilepsy surgery improves quality of life of patients with TLE

Concurrent language disorders in children with idiopathic epilepsy

Abstract Objectives The relationship between language and epilepsy remains complex. Language disorder and epilepsy can be concomitant but unrelated phenomena. They can also be separate consequences of the same underlying brain pathology. Epilepsy can also be the direct cause of the language disorder. The aim of this study was to study concurrent language disorders in children with idiopathic epilepsy. Study design This cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 children attending the Neurology Clinic at Alexandria University Children Hospital at El-Shatby with the diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy. Their ages ranged from 3 to 6 years, and 29 were male and 21 were female. These children were divided into two groups: group 1 included 25 cases with idiopathic generalized epilepsy, and group 2 included 25 cases with idiopathic focal epilepsy. All cases were subjected to thorough history taking, assessment of epilepsy severity using the National Hospital Seizure Severity Scale, and comprehensive neurological examination. They were also subjected to digital electroencephalographic recording. The studied cases had undergone psychometric assessment using the Stanford–Binet Test and language assessment using the Comprehensive Arabic Language Test. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee at the Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University. Consent was taken from all cases to participate in the study. Results Thirty-two (64%) children with idiopathic epilepsy presented with developmental language disorders. As regards the observed disorders, 30 (93.7%) cases presented with phonological disorder, 29 (90.6%) presented with semantic disorders, 29 (90.6%) presented with syntax disorders, 20 (62.5%) presented with morphological disorders, and 28 (87.5%) cases presented with pragmatic disorders. Male sex, age (54.48±9 months), and uncontrolled epilepsy demonstrated to have a higher risk for developmental language disorders. Conclusion Male sex, age, and uncontrolled epilepsy are risk factors

Morphometrical analysis of cleaning capacity using nickel-titanium rotary instrumentation associated with irrigating solutions in mesio-distal flattened root canals Análise morfológica da capacidade de limpeza promovida pela instrumentação rotatória, associada à soluções irrigantes, com limas de níquel-titânio em canais radiculares com achatamento mesio-distal

Variations in the internal anatomy of root canals may interfere with the success of root canal because tissue remnants may remain in the isthmus, re-entrances and ramifications of flattened root canals making instrumentation more difficult. Successful root canal treatment depends fundamentally on shaping, cleaning, disinfection and obturation. This study verified the quality of cleaning of ProFile .04 rotary technique associated with different irrigating solutions: 0.5% sodium hypochlorite, calcium hydroxide + Tergentol and 2% chlorhexidine in canals with mesio-distal flattening. Twelve human mandibular central incisors were randomly divided into 3 groups and instrumented up to ProFile 0.4 #35 file after cervical preparation, and processed histologically. After optical microscopic evaluation, statistical analysis showed that the percentage of cleaning of the three irrigating solutions was statistically different. Two-by-two comparisons classified the irrigating solutions in increasing order of cleaning: calcium hydroxide + Tergentol < chlorhexidine < 0.5% sodium hypochlorite.<br>As variações da anatomia interna de cada canal radicular podem interferir no sucesso da terapêutica endodôntica devido ao fato de que em canais radiculares achatados, pode persistir remanescentes teciduais em istmos, reentrâncias e ramificações dificultando a execução das técnicas de instrumentação. O sucesso do tratamento dos canais radiculares depende fundamentalmente do preparo da forma, limpeza, desinfecção e obturação. Poucos trabalhos avaliaram a limpeza dos canais radiculares após a instrumentação rotatória. O presente trabalho verificou a qualidade de limpeza dos canais radiculares, por meio da microscopia óptica, promovida pela técnica de instrumentação rotatória associada ao hipoclorito de sódio 0,5%, HCT20 e clorexidina, em canais achatados no sentido mésio-distal. Doze incisivos centrais inferiores humanos foram divididos aleatoriamente em três grupos para que fossem instrumentados com instrumetação rotatória (ProFile .04). A análise estatística evidenciou que os valores da porcentagem de limpeza para as diferentes soluções irrigantes foram estatisticamente diferentes entre si. Comparações duas a duas permitiram dispor as soluções irrigantes em ordem crescente de efetividade na limpeza, sendo: hipoclorito de sódio a 0,5% > clorexidina > HCT20