Recent Articles

Main purpose: This paper aimed to confirm a relationship between chronic hypertrophic tonsillitis (CHT) and bad mouth odour. To this end, detailed identification of the microbial flora inhabiting affected tonsils was carried out. The results obtained might be helpful in specifying indications for tonsillectomy. Materials and method: From among 247 patients with clinically diagnosed CHT, 33 generally healthy individuals aged 18- 40 (10 male and 23 female) were selected. Patients in whom other causes could be the possible reason for their fetor ex ore (halitosis) were not included. Before and 2 to 3 months after tonsillectomy, organoleptic and halimeter testing was undertaken for each patient. A swab was collected from the interior of the enucleated tonsils in a sterile manner, and was inoculated onto surfaces enabling the culture of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and fungi. A histopathological examination was subsequently performed. Results: Fetor ex ore was initially found in 95% of the patients with CHT. In 90% of cases with confirmed halitosis, after tonsillectomy a significant reduction in its intensity was observed. On average, the concentration of VSC in the patient decreased by approximately 75 ppb (62%), which was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). It was also shown that the concentration of VSC in carriers of anaerobic bacteria, compared to carriers of only aerobic bacteria, was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). The results obtained confirm the role of CHT in the pathogenesis of halitosis. Conclusions: Halitosis in patients with CHT requires a number of laboratory tests and specialist consultations to exclude other possible causes of fetor ex ore. A dental examination plays an important role in the differential diagnosis. Performing targeted microbiological testing to determine the patient’s carrier state for anaerobes should eventually be considered. When these conditions are met, halitosis can be considered an independent indication for tonsillectomy.

Background: Health workers get sick annually because of the characteristics and routine of their work and the peculiarity of dealing with the pain of others. Being sensitive and predisposed to care for the other suffering, involves empathy and compassion. Continuous and prolonged exposure to this labor context can generate stress and exhaustion of the professional, due to prolonged affectation with the pain and suffering of others, which can cause fatigue through compassion. Objective: to reflect about compassion fatigue in the context of health. Methodology: bibliographic review. Results and discussion: Health professionals present a commitment that moves them to relieve and intervene in the pain of the other. When the care is lived exhaustively and chronically, with the excessive use of compassion, it can directly affect the health of the worker, interfering in their quality of life and in the execution of their work, leading to fatigue by compassion. Final considerations: Fatigue of compassion can impact psychologically on health professionals and the ability to tolerate pain and suffering of the patient, interfering negatively in their work. Therefore, it is necessary that more research be developed in the different fields of professional work in health, aiming to stimulate reflections and actions focused on the quality of life of these professionals

Introduction: Communication is a central element in any social situation, be it in the ordinary context of everyday life, or in a moment of illness. When health is compromised, communication should be exemplary between the health professional and the patient, but this is not always what happens. Several aspects emerge in this context, with a sender sending the message to a receiver, which may suffer contextual, cultural and individual influences. Every communication process is susceptible to interference, which is called noise, which can compromise the receiver’s understanding of the message, causing distorted interpretations and inappropriate reactions, which may occur due to the situational and subjective aspects of those involved. Objective: To report situations in the hospital psychological practice that identified interference in communication and the psychologist acted as a mediator, aiming to minimize the suffering of the patient. Methodology: Experience report. Results and Discussion: When communication takes place in a health context, it becomes more delicate and careful, as it involves a condition sometimes of suffering, pain, impaired perceptual abilities, regressive state of the patient, denial of the condition. illness, or pharmacological therapy. In this scenario, these elements compromise the understanding of information and guidance provided for recovery. Depending on what the patient experiences in the hospital environment, they can signal the most diverse messages, ranging from signaling life expectancy to the prospect of death. Cultural, social, emotional and psychological aspects are present, as well as physiological evidence. Common situations of interference in communication, which generated noise and a misunderstanding about the diagnosis, procedures, use of medications, postoperative were: false compliments about the patient’s condition, reinforcement of denial of reality, explanations of partial and fragmented procedures, of treatment steps with excessive use of technical terms, double message about evolution, rough touch, facial expressions and gestures that point to an inconsistency…

BACKGROUND: There are five major types of inflammatory myopathies (IM), including dermatomyositis, polymyositis, immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy, antisynthetase syndromes, and inclusion body myositis. Grouped together, the incidence of IM is >4 cases/100,000 with a prevalence of 14-32/100,000. Type-specific IM diagnoses are based on the pattern of muscle weakness and the results of electromyographs, MRIs, muscle biopsies, and measurements of myositis-specific autoantibodies1. We report the case of an elderly man with an inflammatory myopathy whose presenting complaint was dysphagia. OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical and laboratory manifestations of inflammatory myopathy-associated dysphagia. CASE REPORT: The patient is an 81-year-old retired Navy aviator who presented with a chief complaint of difficulty in swallowing both solids and liquids of several months duration. The dysphagia was associated with bouts of coughing, the expectoration of white foamy sputum, increased production of saliva, a weight loss of 5 kg, generalized myalgias, and worsening fatigue and weakness. The patient had a past medical history of essential hypertension, hyperlipidemia, autoimmune thyroiditis, V617F JAK2 + essential thrombocytosis, white matter microangiopathy, and a small lacunar infarction of the right caudate nucleus. There was no family history of autoimmune disease. On neurological examination, testing of cranial nerves II-XII and sensation to light touch, pin, temperature, and vibration was normal. The shoulder and upper arm strength was diminished bilaterally without evident muscle tenderness, atrophy or fasciculations. The patient could not rise from the supine position without assistance nor keep his arms elevated above his head without fatiguing. The strength in his lower extremities was normal. Deep tendon reflexes were normal and plantar responses were flexor. He had a single Gottron’s nodule and a faint erythematous rash involving his scalp, back and forearms. His Myositis Disease Activity Assessment (MDAAT) is shown in Table 1. Table 1. Myositis Disease Activity Assessment Tool (MDAAT) Findings on laboratory…

Horseshoe kidney is one of the most common congenital renal abnormalities with increased incidence of stone formation. We present a case of an HIV seropositive patient with a both-ends encrustated 3 year forgotten DJ stent and a staghorn stone in the left moiety of a horseshoe kidney. He was treated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy in the supine flank free modified position and simultaneous cystolitholapaxy. Supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy is safe and feasible in horseshoe kidney and facilitates simultaneous thansurethral access for cystolitholapaxy.

Oral mucositis is a sequel of cytoreductive treatment induced by radiotherapy and / or chemotherapy, with signs and symptoms ranging from pain, swelling and burning sensation, to ulcerations in the oral mucosa. The nursing staff should be able to offer therapies that give the patient better quality of life, once because the professionals develops closer contact with the patient and family. To analyze the scientific evidences about nursing assistant in the management of oral mucositis in oncology patients. Integrative Review in databases LILACS, Scopus, SciELO, LILACS and BDENF with complete articles published in the last 10 years, in Portuguese, English and Spanish. It was demonstrated that nurses can provide treatments such as oral hygiene, administration of analgesics, cryotherapy, treatment of xerostomia, chlorhexidine rinses, sodium bicarbonate and other substances that promotes pain control in patients with consequent increase of quality of life. The impact of nurses’ actions in improving the patient, control of oral mucositis, as well as studies that generate strong evidence for the development and / or enhancement of new nursing care are aspects to consider this issue.

Objective: To analyse the frequency of haemoglobin variants detected in the neonatal screening program in the state of Pernambuco from January / 2015 to July / 2016. Methodology: Descriptive study based on data provided by the health secretary of the state of Pernambuco referring to newborns submitted to the Guthrie’s test between 01/01/2015 to 07/31/2016. Results: During the period included in the study, 162,236 children participated in the neonatal screening program to evaluate haemoglobinopathies through the health department. From these, 5,997 (3.69%) presented some haemoglobin variant, being 5.019 (3.09%) carrying HbS in hetero or homozygous. Conclusions: It was possible to observe a high incidence of children diagnosed as having haemoglobin variants, especially HbS, showing the importance of performing this test so that all children can be assisted from the beginning of their lives.

Breastfeeding is internationally promoted as the ideal method of infant nutrition due to its numerous benefits to mothers, children, and communities. To enlighten the benefits of breastfeeding and to investigate the influence of breastfeeding preparation and techniques on the frequencies of exclusive breastfeeding. This systematic literature review was built from a bibliography research of scientific papers, publications and materials available on the Internet in English and Portuguese. From this research, four essential themes were identified: benefits of breastfeeding, clinical management of breastfeeding, breastfeeding preparation and techniques, pain and discomfort in the practice of breastfeeding and nipple trauma. In the end, it was possible to notice that counseling sections with the mother throughout the pregnancy and after giving birth are fundamental to the effectiveness and exclusivity of breastfeeding.

Introduction: Moebius syndrome is a rare congenital neurological disease of unknown etiology, that involves several cranial nerves. The main clinical characteristic of this syndrome is the “mask-like face”, that is, the absence of facial expression in situations of sorrow or joy. Objective: This study aims to describe the characteristics of Moebius syndrome and its main implications for dentistry. Methodology: In this study, a literature review was carried out, with searches in the following databases: scholar.google.com, pubmed and medline. Furthermore, eight articles were selected, among which three were literature reviews and five were reports of clinical cases. Results: In addition to the genetic relation of the syndrome, there are factors that lead to this disorder, such as the use of misoprostol during pregnancy, for example. Conclusion: Early care for patients with Moebius syndrome by a multidisciplinary team is extremely important, since it will attenuate the effects of this pathology.

Introduction: Rett syndrome (RS) consists in a neurological severe disorder caused by a mutation in the X chromosome, mainly on the MECP2 gene, affecting the neuropsychomotor development. It is known too that the disease manifests, with higher indices in the female gender. Objective: This work is designed to present, through a review of the literature, the general aspects about the Rett syndrome and their principal implications in the dentistry. Methodology: In the present study was conducted a review of the literature with the clearance of information on the following database: Scielo, Periódicos CAPES and Google Acadêmico. There were selected eleven articles, six of these articles were review of literature and the others five were cases report. Results: Besides the genetic linkage of the syndrome, there are factors which aggravate demonstrations on individual’s overall health, mainly lack of adequate dental care’s monitoring. Conclusion: It is very important the frequency of dentistry ambulatory and clinical care to the patient with the syndrome, with the objective of promoting an oral health and prevent grievances to the general health, providing a better quality of life to this patients.