Effect on nasal resistance of an external nasal splint and isotonic exercise. (1/246)

OBJECTIVES: The now commonplace wearing of external nasal splints by sportsmen and athletes has never been scientifically evaluated. The present study looks into the effect of isotonic exercise on nasal resistance, and examines whether this effect is altered by the wearing of an external nasal splint. METHODS: Twenty subjects not suffering from rhinitis were tested. Nasal resistance measurements were recorded using an anterior rhinomanometer before and after isotonic exercise with and without an external nasal splint. Pulse and blood pressure were measured before and after exercise. RESULTS: Significant changes were observed in pulse (p < 0.001) and both systolic (p < 0.002) and diastolic (p < 0.001) blood pressure in response to exercise. Significant differences were seen in nasal resistance when the splint was applied (p < 0.001) and after exercise (p < 0.003). No significant difference was observed after exercise when the splint was worn (p = 0.167). CONCLUSIONS: External nasal splints decrease nasal resistance at rest but are of little value during isotonic exercise.  (+info)

Simultaneous bilateral elbow dislocation in an international gymnast. (2/246)

Elbow dislocation is a rare injury in elite athletes. We report an unusual case of simultaneous bilateral elbow dislocations with a unilateral radial head fracture in an international female athlete competing on the asymmetrical bars. These injuries require prompt reduction and immediate mobilisation if an abrupt end to a promising career is to be prevented.  (+info)

Traditional bone setter's gangrene. (3/246)

Traditional bone setter's gangrene (TBSG) is the term we use to describe the sequelae sometimes seen after treatment with native fracture splints. Twenty five consecutive complications were recorded in 25 patients aged between 5-50 years with a median age of 10 years. The major complication of the native fracture splint treatment was distal limb gangrene necessitating proximal amputations in 15 cases.  (+info)

Effect of mandibular advancement splint on psycho-intellectual derangements in patients with sleep apnea syndrome. (4/246)

The mandibular advancement splint (MAS) was recently introduced for the management of sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), although its effects on psycho-intellectual functions have not been elucidated yet. We examined psycho-intellectual function before and after treatment with MAS in patients with SAS. Twenty patients with SAS underwent psycho-intellectual function testing before and after treatment with MAS for 3 to 4 weeks. The apnea index significantly decreased from 19.0+/-15.6 to 2.4+/-1.9. The state anxiety score significantly decreased from 44.6+/-12.1 to 33.7+/-11.1, the trait anxiety score significantly decreased from 46.2+/-13.4 to 37.6+/-13.8, and the depression scale score significantly decreased from 39.2+/-11.0 to 30.8+/-9.9 with MAS treatment. By the Cornell Medical Index and the Yatabe-Guilford test, the patients became less neurotic and less eccentric after treatment. By the Uchida-Kraepelin psychodiagnostic test, calculation ability significantly increased from 1247.4+/-402.1 to 1950.2+/-651.9. We conclude that MAS treatment reduces apneic episodes and improves psycho-intellectual derangements in patients with SAS.  (+info)

Avascular necrosis and the Aberdeen splint in developmental dysplasia of the hip. (5/246)

Between January 1987 and December 1988 there were 7575 births in the Swansea maternity unit. Of these 823 (10.9%) were considered to be at 'high risk' for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Static ultrasound examination was performed in each case and the results classified on the basis of the method of Graf. A total of 117 type III-IV hips in 83 infants was splinted using the Aberdeen splint. Radiographs of these hips were taken at six and 12 months. Hilgenreiner's measurements of the acetabular angle were made in all cases and the development of the femoral capital epiphysis was assessed by measuring the epiphyseal area. The effect of splintage on the acetabular angle and the epiphyseal area between the normal and abnormal splinted hips was compared. Radiographs of 16 normal infants (32 normal unsplinted hips) were used as a control group. This cohort has now been followed up for a minimum of nine years. There have been no complications as a result of splintage. The failure rate was 1.7% or 0.25 per 1000 live births. No statistical difference was found when comparing the effect of splintage on the acetabular angle and epiphyseal area between normal and abnormal splinted hips and normal unsplinted hips. Our study has shown that while the Aberdeen splint had a definite but small failure rate, it was safe in that it did not produce avascular necrosis. The current conventional view that a low rate of splintage is always best is therefore brought into question if the Aberdeen splint is chosen for the management of neonatal DDH.  (+info)

Initial orthopaedic displacement compared with longitudinal displacement of the maxilla after a forward force application. An experimental study in dogs. (6/246)

The aim of this study was to compare the initial orthopaedic displacement of the maxilla in vivo and the longitudinal changes after a forward force application. The sample consisted of five 1-year-old dogs. An anterior force of 5 N on the maxilla was applied by a coil spring system pushing between Branemark implants and a maxillary splint. The initial displacement of the maxilla after force application was measured by means of speckle interferometry. The longitudinal displacement of the maxilla after a force application during 8 weeks was measured by superimposing standardized lateral cephalograms. The initial, as well as the longitudinal, displacement of the maxilla of the dogs was in a forward direction with some counterclockwise rotation. There was no statistical difference between the initial and longitudinal displacement. The biological response after force application during 8 weeks can be predicted by the initial orthopaedic displacement.  (+info)

The effectiveness of turnbuckle splinting for elbow contractures. (7/246)

We have treated 22 patients with an elbow contracture using a static progressive turnbuckle splint for a mean of 4.5 +/- 1.8 months. All had failed to improve with supervised physiotherapy and splinting. The mean range of flexion before splintage was from 32 +/- 10 degrees to 108 +/- 19 degrees and afterwards from 26 + 10 (p = 0.02) to 127 +/- 12 degrees (p = 0.0001). A total of 11 patients gained a 'functional arc of movement,' defined as at least 30 degrees to 130 degrees. In eight patients movement improved with turnbuckle splinting, but the functional arc was not achieved. Six of these were satisfied and did not wish to proceed with surgical treatment and two had release of the elbow contracture. In three patients movement did not improve with the use of the turnbuckle splint and one subsequently had surgical treatment. Our findings have shown that turnbuckle splinting is a safe and effective treatment which should be considered in patients whose established elbow contractures have failed to respond to conventional physiotherapy.  (+info)

Septal splint with wax plates. (8/246)

To pack or not to pack, has always been a debate, especially after septal and functional endoscopic sinus surgery. The authors have studied the symptoms of packing versus not packing in their series of 100 patients having undergone nasal surgery. They advocate the use of dental wax for the fashioning of septal splints, since they are easy to introduce, cheap and malleable. The patients postoperative comfort is greatly enhanced with the use of dental wax plate splints instead of nasal packing.  (+info)