Zerrin Çebi

Effects of folk medicinal plant extract Ankaferd Blood Stopper® on early bone healing

Objective Several haemostatic agents are available for clinical use. Ankaferd Blood Stopper® (ABS), a mixture of five medicinal plant extracts, has been used historically as a haemostatic agent. The aim of this in vivo study was to investigate the effects of ABS on early bone healing using a rat tibia defect model. Material and Methods Sixteen male Wistar rats were randomized into two groups of 8 animals each. After deep anesthesia with ketamine, bone defects (3 mm diameter and 2 mm deep) were created in the right and left tibiae of all animals and either treated with 1 cc of ABS (Group 1) or left untreated (Group 2; control). Surgical areas were closed primarily. The animals were sacrificed on the 7th postoperative day and bone samples were collected from the tibias. The samples were examined histopathologically for infection, necrosis, fibrosis, new bone formation and foreign body reaction. The histomorphometric results were analyzed statistically by the chi square test, with the level of significance set at p<0.05. Results Significant differences were found in both groups in terms of inflammation, necrosis and new bone formation (p=0.001, p=0.0001, p=0.001). No foreign body reaction was observed in the experimental group. ABS application decreased fibrosis in the experimental group, but there were no statistically significant differences from the control group. Conclusions Histopathologically, it was observed that the application of ABS decreased the occurrence of inflammation and necrosis, while increasing new bone formation in early bone healing period. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are necessary for evaluating the benefits and possible adverse effects of the application of this herbal product on wound healing.

DOES INTRAVENOUS TRANEXAMIC ACID REDUCE BLOOD LOSS DURING SURGICALLY ASSISTED RAPID PALATAL EXPANSION

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of tranexamic acid (TXA) in reducing blood loss during surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE) procedure. Subjects and Methods: A total of 34 patients (12 male, 22 female) who had been treated surgically under general anesthesia with SARPE including pterygoid disjunction for transverse maxillary deficiency (TMD) were included in this study. The study group (n=17) received intravenous (IV) TXA 10 mg/kg as a preoperative bolus; the control group (n=17) received normal saline solution. Preoperative and postoperative haemoglobin and haematocrit values, intraoperative blood loss, and any blood product transfusion were recorded. Results: Blood loss during SARPE was statistically significantly less in the study group than the control group (p=0.0001). Conclusion: Preoperative IV administration of TXA can effectively control blood loss during when SARPE with pterygoid disjunction is performed.

Immediate Implants After Enucleation of an Odontogenic Keratocyst: An Early Return to Function

An odontogenic keratocyst is a unique cyst because of its locally aggressive behavior, high recurrence rate, and characteristic histologic appearance. In this article we present the case of a 22-year-old male patient with a large odontogenic keratocyst and describe his treatment with immediate dental implants.