Lorenzo Trevisiol

Specific Antibodies Reacting with SV40 Large T Antigen Mimotopes in Serum Samples of Healthy Subjects

Simian Virus 40, experimentally assayed in vitro in different animal and human cells and in vivo in rodents, was classified as a small DNA tumor virus. In previous studies, many groups identified Simian Virus 40 sequences in healthy individuals and cancer patients using PCR techniques, whereas others failed to detect the viral sequences in human specimens. These conflicting results prompted us to develop a novel indirect ELISA with synthetic peptides, mimicking Simian Virus 40 capsid viral protein antigens, named mimotopes. This immunologic assay allowed us to investigate the presence of serum antibodies against Simian Virus 40 and to verify whether Simian Virus 40 is circulating in humans. In this investigation two mimotopes from Simian Virus 40 large T antigen, the viral replication protein and oncoprotein, were employed to analyze for specific reactions to human sera antibodies. This indirect ELISA with synthetic peptides from Simian Virus 40 large T antigen was used to assay a new collection of serum samples from healthy subjects. This novel assay revealed that serum antibodies against Simian Virus 40 large T antigen mimotopes are detectable, at low titer, in healthy subjects aged from 18–65 years old. The overall prevalence of reactivity with the two Simian Virus 40 large T antigen peptides was 20%. This new ELISA with two mimotopes of the early viral regions is able to detect in a specific manner Simian Virus 40 large T antigen-antibody responses.

Guided bone regeneration with autogenous block grafts applied to Le Fort I osteotomy for treatment of severely resorbed maxillae: a 4- to 6-year prospective study.

INTRODUCTION Edentulism causes progressive bone resorption of the maxillae, which can lead to altered maxillo-mandibular relationships. The aim of the study was to evaluate the applicability of guided bone regeneration (GBR) to Le Fort I osteotomies with interpositional bone grafts for treatment of patients with severe maxillary atrophy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty consecutive patients characterized by severely atrophic maxillae were treated from January 2003 to January 2006 in order to resolve maxillary edentulism. All patients underwent pre-prosthetic surgery, including a Le Fort I osteotomy associated with autologous interpositional bone grafts to move the alveolar arch forward and to resolve the maxillary atrophy. Barrier membranes were also used to cover the bone grafts and the osteotomy line, favoring the healing process according to GBR principles. Maxilla advancement and alveolar crest augmentation were measured to assess the degree of reconstruction. A total of 154 implants were inserted in reconstructed maxillae 4 months after surgery and were restored with fixed full-arch dentures after another 4 months. Surgical and prosthetic complications were recorded and previously established implant success criteria were used to assess the success of this treatment protocol. RESULTS The outcome of pre-prosthetic surgery and implant-supported rehabilitation was prospectively evaluated every year. All Le Fort I osteotomies were successfully carried out, with a mean maxilla advancement of 4.2 cm (range: 3.1-5 cm), which appeared to be stable during the follow-up. After a mean follow-up of 66.4 ± 18.4 months, only four implants failed according to the success criteria, yielding a cumulative success rate of 95.8%. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Le Fort I osteotomies with the use of barrier membranes to cover the interpositional bone grafts can be a predictable treatment for edentulous patients with severely resorbed maxillae. The study data suggest that this approach makes it possible to compensate for both sagittal and vertical discrepancies due to maxilla atrophy, with a minimum resorption of advanced maxillae and grafted bone. A GBR-based protocol seems to lead to high implant success rates, although further randomized controlled studies are needed to demonstrate the usefulness and advantageousness of GBR.

Soccer-related Facial Fractures: Postoperative Management With Facial Protective Shields

Facial fractures are one of the most common orofacial injury sustained during participation in sporting events. The frequency of maxillofacial lesions varies according to the popularity that each sport has in a particular country. Soccer is the most popular sport in Italy, and it is responsible for a large number of facial traumas. Traumas and fractures in soccer mainly involve the zygomatic and nasal regions and are especially caused by direct contact that takes place mainly when the ball is played with the forehead. In particular, elbow-head and head-head impacts are the most frequent dangerous contacts. Soccer is not a violent sport, and the use of protective helmets is not allowed because it could be dangerous especially when players play the ball with the head. The use of protective facial shields are exclusively permitted to preserve players who underwent surgery for facial fractures. The use of a facial protection mask after a facial fracture treatment has already been reported. This article describes a clinical experience of management of 4 soccer-related facial fractures by means of fabrication of individual facial protective shields.

Zygomatic and Maxillary Implants Inserted by Means of Computer-Assisted Surgery in a Patient With a Cleft Palate

This report describes the possibility of treating a patient affected by unilateral cleft palate and an extremely atrophied edentulous maxilla using zygomatic implants inserted in a conventional manner and maxillary implants inserted by means of a computer-assisted surgery. A cross-arch prosthesis supported by 4 maxillary and 2 zygomatic implants may be an ideal mode of prosthetic rehabilitation for these kinds of patients. The use of zygomatic implants is essential to optimize load distribution and to increase prosthesis stability, whereas the use of computer-assisted surgery facilitates surgical procedures and makes it possible to improve patient satisfaction.

Grafting of large mandibular advancement with a collagen-coated bovine bone (Bio-Oss Collagen) in orthognathic surgery.

Abstract Current principles for correction of dentoskeletal deformities ask to satisfy different treatment goals, making large mandibular advancements a common practice in orthognathic surgery. A main consequence of significant mandibular movements is the potential for unfavorable bone healing of osteotomy sites after traditional sagittal split procedures. This drawback, which mainly occurs at the level of inferior mandibular borders, can affect the stability and support of overlying soft tissues. Whereas the role of bone grafting for upper jaw defects after Le Fort I osteotomy is well addressed in the Literature, until now, just a few articles discussed the potential for grafting of mandibular osteotomy sites. The aim of this study is to evaluate the healing of mandibular bone defects because of large advancement (>8 mm) after sagittal spit procedures. In 20 patients treated for correction of class II dentoskeletal deformities, mandibular osteotomies defects have been grafted with a collagen-coated bovine bone substitute. Clinical, radiological, and histological evaluation of grafted sites showed a good healing of grafted area both in terms of recontouring of inferior mandibular borders and in terms of quality of newly formed bone. This confirms how this procedure could help to avoid the drawbacks related to significant mandibular advancement.

Computer-assisted surgery: double surgical guides for immediate loading of implants in maxillary postextractive sites.

Implant-supported prostheses are a predictable treatment of totally edentulous patients. Progresses in implantology allowed realizing prostheses that are supported by immediately loading implants. Implants can be inserted in the healed site as fresh extraction sites, without differences about long-term results. Using computer-assisted surgery, it is possible to insert implants in a predetermined position and to create a prostheses, which can be immediately fixed on the implants. Patients have major comfort and an immediate aesthetic and functional result. The use of computer-assisted surgery in fresh extraction sites is a procedure that has not been evaluated because of technical difficulties: teeth extraction eliminates references for surgical guides. The absence of guidelines to treat dentulous areas is often likely caused by lack of computer-assisted surgery: we attempted to use this procedure to replace residual teeth with an immediate implant prosthetic rehabilitation. The aim of this clinical report was to show the possibility to apply computer-assisted surgery in dentulous patient using a double surgical template: one before extraction and the other after extraction of selected teeth.

Is Le Fort I Osteotomy Associated With Maxillary Sinusitis

PURPOSE The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between Le Fort I osteotomy and the anatomic, radiologic, and symptomatic modifications of the maxillary sinus. MATERIALS AND METHODS Subjects who had undergone Le Fort I osteotomy from January 2008 to December 2013 were enrolled in a retrospective cohort study. The eligibility criteria were the availability of a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan taken before and 12 to 24 months after the procedure. The exclusion criteria were the unavailability of CBCT scans, the use of tobacco, and previous orthognathic procedures. The primary predictor variable was time (pre-vs postoperative). The primary outcome variables were the sinus volume, mucosal thickening, iatrogenic alterations in the sinus anatomy, and rhinosinusitis symptoms, evaluated using the Sino-Nasal Outcome 20-item Test (SNOT-20). Descriptive statistics were computed for each variable, and paired analyses were used to compare the pre- and postoperative values. RESULTS The data from 64 subjects (mean age 27; 59.4% were female; median follow-up 32.4 months, range 13 to 66 months) were studied. Postoperatively, 1.6% of the sample (0% preoperatively) had moderate-to-severe and 15.6% (3.1% preoperatively) had mild-to-moderate sinusitis symptoms. The rest of the sample presented with mild to no symptoms. The increase in the SNOT scores after surgery was statistically significant (P = .016). Radiologic evidence of postoperative inflammatory processes affecting the paranasal sinuses was found in 27.3% of the sinuses (9.4% preoperatively). The postoperative Lund-Mackay scores were significantly greater (P = .0005). A 19% decrease was found in the mean postoperative sinus volume, with a 37% incidence of iatrogenic injury. CONCLUSIONS The study results indicate that Le Fort I osteotomies can have an important impact on sinus health. The postoperative radiologic evidence of maxillary sinus inflammatory processes and the incidence of rhinosinusitis symptoms and iatrogenic damage in these patients have led us to conclude that CBCT scans and the SNOT-20 questionnaire should be used routinely during postoperative monitoring. Larger long-term studies are warranted to clarify the postoperative outcomes and complications.

Sliding Genioplasty Using Fresh-Frozen Bone Allografts

OBJECTIVE To present our experience in the use of fresh-frozen human bone allograft as an interpositional grafting material for sliding genioplasty to correct chin deformities. METHODS Ten patients underwent sliding genioplasty using morcellized and corticospongious fresh-frozen human bone. Four patients underwent orthognathic surgery associated with genioplasty. Six patient underwent genioplasty associated with rhinoplasty. Panorex, lateral, and frontal cephalogram and computed tomographic scans have been performed for each case preoperatively and 12 months after surgery. One patient subsequently asked for plate removal, and with his consent, a bone biopsy specimen was obtained during the operation. RESULTS Stable aesthetic and functional results were observed in all cases. No infections occurred, and no bone resorption has been clinically or radiologically observed. CONCLUSION The use of fresh-frozen bone allograft reduces patient morbidity and operative time, providing a stable and excellent aesthetic result.

Simultaneous Le Fort I osteotomy and zygomatic implants placement with delayed prosthetic rehabilitation.

AbstractPatients affected by severe maxillary atrophy and skeletal malocclusion have been widely treated by simultaneous orthognathic surgical procedures, interpositional bone insertion and immediate or delayed implant placement.Although several authors have described that the “quad” technique using 4 zygomatic fixtures as an effective way to fully rehabilitate the severe atrophic maxilla, there are still no experiences relative to the use of zygomatic fixtures associated to maxillary osteotomies in case of large skeletal discrepancy.The aim of this study is to report a 1-step surgical rehabilitation of severe atrophic maxilla by means of Le Fort I osteotomy for maxillary forward repositioning and simultaneous insertion of 4 zygomatic implants with immediate prosthetic loading.

Clinical, microbiologic and radiologic assessment of soft and hard tissues surrounding zygomatic implants: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES To assess the clinical, microbiologic, and radiologic status of soft and hard tissues surrounding zygomatic implants. STUDY DESIGN Patients who had at least two zygomatic implants were eligible for the study. Their soft tissues were analyzed, and microbial samples were collected. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and orthopantomography were used to measure bone levels. The patients were also asked to complete a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) questionnaire assessing their satisfaction. RESULTS A total of 65 zygomatic implants placed in 20 patients were assessed. As one zygomatic implant was lost, the cumulative survival rate was 98.5%. All the prostheses were successful. Peri-implant soft tissues were generally in a healthy condition. The patients with a history of periodontitis had worse mean peri-implant clinical parameters and showed more bacterial colonization with respect to their nonperiodontal counterparts. The implant recipients had low levels of crestal and zygomatic bone loss and high VAS scores indicating their general satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS Although zygomatic implants were confirmed to be a reliable treatment option, patients with a history of periodontitis were, nevertheless, found to have special needs, such as frequent dental hygiene sessions.