Libyan Medical Journal

Assessment of surface roughness and microhardness of resin composites after different finishing and polishing procedures

Rehab Akhlaif, Mohamed Issa, Hussein Al-Masmari, Naeima Betamar — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the influence of three different finishing and polishing (F&P) procedures on the surface roughness and microhardness of four resin composite restorative materials. A total of 160 disc-shaped specimens (10 mm × 2 mm) were prepared in metal mold using four resin composites and stored in distilled water at 37˚C for 24 h. The specimens were then divided into four experimental groups (n=40) according to the type of resin composite. Gp1: Microhybrid composite (Dynamic plus), Gp2: Nanohybrid composite (Nexcomp), Gp3: Supernano composite (ES-TELITE Σ QUICK), and Gp4: Nanoceramic composite (ZENIT). For each type of resin composite the forty specimens were further divided into four sub-groups (A, B, C, & D) based on the type of finishing and polishing procedure as follow: A- Sandpaper, B- Fine diamond bur, C- Astropol cups and discs (two-step) F&P system, and D- Sof-lex discs (four-step) F&P system. Surface roughness measurements were made for all specimens using a USB digital surface profile gauge, and data were recorded using computer software (Elcomaster 2, Elcometer Instruments). The surface Microhard-ness of the specimens was measured using Digital Display Vickers Microhardness Tester. The ob-tained data statistically analyzed using SPSS software. Significant differences in surface roughness and microhardness were found according to the type of F&P systems and resin composite (P<0.05). The smoothest surface value was recorded for nanoceramic composite. The highest microhardness value was obtained with microhybrid composite finished with the Soflex discs (four-step) F&P sys-tems. Based on the limitations of this in vitro study, the following conclusions were drawn. The sur-face roughness and microhardness of the tested resin composites were greatly influenced by the F&P procedure. Among the tested composites, nanoceramic and supernano composites exhibited the low-est surface roughness, while the nanohybrid composite had the highest surface roughness when fin-ished with the Soflex F&P system. The microhybrid composite had the highest microhardness. The smoothest surface finish was achieved when using a fine diamond bur, particularly with the supernano and nanoceramic composites. One-step procedures showed the best results.

Follicle-stimulating hormone and age as predictors forpositive sperm retrieval in patients with azoospermia

Agzail Elhddad, Mohammed Abugilah, Majduldeen Alhlafi — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Azoospermia is the complete absence of sperm in the semen, one of the causes of infertility, affecting around 1% of the male population and 10-12% of the male with infertility. Follicle-stimulating Hor-mone [FSH] and age are commonly used predictors to estimate the outcome of sperm retrieval. How-ever, the precision of the FSH level and age of patients as predictors for positive sperm retrieval is variable between studies. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of the patient’s age and FSH level on successful sperm retrieval. A pilot retrospective medical records review study was conducted. Sixty-eight infertile patients with azoospermia who underwent sperm retrieval pro-cedures were included. Trans-epididymal sperm aspiration [TESA] was conducted on 35 azoosper-mic patients, and 33 patients underwent trans-epididymal sperm extraction [TESE] at Albayda Fer-tility Teaching Centre/Libya. Data was collected from the 1st of October 2017 to the 15th of October 2022. SPSS software version 26 was used for data analysis. All the included subjects were with pri-mary subfertility. The total number of cases with successful sperm extraction were 34 [50%] and it was 17 [48.6%] and 17 [51.5%] for TESA and TESE respectively and the difference was non-signif-icant between the two procedures [χ2 = 0.059, p = 0.81]. Patients with successful sperm retrieval rates had significantly lower mean FSH levels [9.82 mIU/mL, SD ± 7.43] than patients with high FSH levels [16.26 mIU/mL, SD ± 11.56, p = 0.008]. The mean age of successful sperm retrieval was 41 years [SD ± 7 years]. Patients who were aged 40 years and above also had the highest extraction rate [71.0%] compared with patients between 20-29 years and 30-39 years [27.3% and 34.6%, re-spectively], and. Low FSH levels and older age were associated with a higher success rate of sperm retrieval. Further studies are warranted to investigate the cause of low sperm retrieval rates among younger azoospermic patients.

Aberrant right hepatic duct in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a case report

Adnan Shareif, Abdou Mahmoud — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Anatomical variants of the biliary tree present a challenge to surgical management during laparo-scopic cholecystectomy and affect the post-operative outcomes. An aberrant right hepatic duct is defined as a connection into the cystic duct is a practically important variation because of the sus-ceptibility to serious post-operative refractory bile leakage and some other serious complications. We report a successful case of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the presence of posterior aberrant right hepatic duct in a patient diagnosed with chronic calcular cholecystitis.

Influence of anaemia on prevalence of gestational diabetes among pregnant women in Tripoli, Libya

Ahmed Atia, Hosam Elmahmoudi — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is raised globally leading to substantial maternal and foetal morbidity. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of GDM among pregnant women delivering in different private polyclinics in Tripoli, Libya. A cross-sectional study was conducted among preg-nant women who were admitted to gynecology department of in different medical polyclinics, Tripoli, Libya from Jan to Dec 2022. The prevalence of GDM in pregnant women increased with increase of the gestational age to reach maximum (86%) at the third trimester of gestation. About 31% (96 pa-tients) anemic pregnant women were observed in 312 GDM. Careful surveillance is required for these pregnancies in high-risk units for early detection and treatment of possible complications, in order to try to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidities.

Neonatal pneumothorax: incidence, predisposing factors, and outcomes in a Libyan Neonatal Unit at Al Wahda Teaching Hospital, Derna

Aisha M. Bojazyah, Mohamed O. Bohlala — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Neonatal pneumothorax (NP) presents a significant challenge in neonatal care, often leading to respiratory distress and morbidity. Despite advancements, NP remains a leading cause of concern. This study aims to investigate the incidence, predisposing factors, survival, and outcomes associated with NP. A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted on the medical records of neonates admitted to a city hospital in Derna, Libya, from January 2016 to December 2021. Patients diagnosed with NP were identified, and their records were reviewed. Baseline characteristics, predisposing factors, and outcomes were analyzed. The incidence of NP was 1.37% among total live births and 8.3% among hospitalized neonates. Predisposing factors included respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and thoracic air leak. Survival rate was 79.2%, with mortality primarily associated with comorbidities such as cyanotic congenital heart disease (CHD) and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Treatment involved chest tube placement, with a resolution time averaging 16 hours. Most cases occurred within 24 hours post-birth, primarily unilateral. The average hospital stay was 3 days. NP predominantly occurred within 24 hours post-birth, with a high survival rate. Predisposing factors included RDS and thoracic air leak. Survival was influenced by comorbidities such as CHD and IVH. These findings emphasize the importance of timely identification and management of NP and its associated risk factors to improve outcomes.

Congenital epulis: a case report

Khadija Haghegh, Mohammed Almughrabi — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Congenital epulis is a rare and benign tumor affecting the oral cavity which is predominantly observed in female infants. It originates from the gingival mucosa and its size varies from few millimeters to few centimeters. While spontaneous regression is possible, larger congenital epulis lesions can lead to airway obstruction and feeding difficulty, which is why surgical excision is considered the treatment of choice. Our study sheds light on this condition, presenting the management done to a two-day-old female newborn diagnosed with an epulis originating from the anterior maxillary alveolar ridge at birth. The mass was successfully excised under general anesthesia, leading to a positive outcome as evidenced by the return to regular feeding on the first postoperative day. Histological examination verified the presence of large polygonal granular cells with granular eosinophilic cytoplasm and round central nuclei which confirms the diagnosis of congenital epulis. This case underscores the importance of early recognition and multidisciplinary collaboration in managing congenital epulis to ensure favorable outcomes.