Whiplash injury is a common and troublesome disorder and approximately 10-40 per cent of its victims develop chronic symptoms. The annual incidence is estimated at 1/1000 inhabitants and the prevalence at 1%. The cause of chronic symptoms after whiplash injury is still unknown and no effective treatment has been presented so far. The present study is divided into two parts; the first part includes clinical, radiographic and psychological investigations, and the second part the effect of surgical intervention as well as intervention with medication. MRI studies (n=39) showed a larger proportion of pathologic findings compared to normal subjects, but no correlation with initial neurologic deficits was found. At the 2-year follow-up all patients with disc herniations with medullary impingement had persistent symptoms. Three patients had disc herniations that deteriorated from slight and moderate initial changes on the MRI to severe changes with medullary cord impingement. This deterioration might be a first sign of disc degeneration. Thus our results indicate that disc pathology is a contributing factor in the development of chronic symptoms. Measurements from standard lateral radiographs taken in neutral position were evaluated (n=48). A graphic digitizer connected to a microcomputer was used and the sagittal diameters were determined. Multivariate analysis of variance showed that the spinal canal was significantly smaller in patients with persistent symptoms indicating that a narrow spinal canal is unfavourable in patients subjected to whiplash injury. A psychological investigation (n=70) revealed no relationship between pre-existing personality traits and persistent symptoms. In our study, whiplash patients showed no differences in personality traits compared to normal controls. Our results after discectomy and anterior cervical fusion (n=20) because of chronic symptoms after whiplash injury were not satisfactory. We noticed that about half of the cases had less headache and neck pain but no beneficial effects on radicular pain, vertigo, visual and auditory symptoms were observed. Based on the criteria of a surgical evaluation, two patients were classified as good, nine as fair and nine as poor. A prospective randomised double-blind study of high-dose methyl-prednisolone compared to placebo was conducted (n=40). A clinical follow-up with repeated neurological examinations and a standardised questionnaire including VAS-scales and a pain sketch form were used for the evaluation of initial symptoms, before drug administration and at the follow-ups at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 6 months after the injury. At the 6-month follow-up there was a significant difference between the actively treated patients and placebo concerning disabling symptoms defined as inability to return to previous work, number of sick-days and sick-leave profile. All the actively treated patients had returned to work and none had multiple symptoms though three of them complained of intermittent neck pain. Our conclusion is therefore that acute treatment with high-dose corticosteroids might be beneficial to the prevention of disabling symptoms after whiplash injury. / <p>Härtill 6 uppsatser</p> / digitalisering@umu

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A proposta deste estudo ex vivo foi avaliar a influência da utilização de diferentes instrumentos endodônticos na determinação do diâmetro anatômico apical de pré-molares superiores com dois canais (n=30). Os espécimes foram submetidos a um mesmo protocolo desde a remoção da coroa até o alargamento dos terços cervical e médio com brocas Gattes-Glidden #1 a #4. Os instrumentos foram divididos em quatro grupos distintos, de acordo com o tipo de instrumento utilizado: Grupo 1 Flexofile; Grupo 2 - LightSpeedLSX; Grupo 3 - Nitiflex; Grupo 4 - Tipo K. Após a confirmação da patência com limas K #8, o número do primeiro instrumento de cada grupo a ficar travado no comprimento de trabalho proposto foi anotado. A análise estatística dos resultados baseou-se em dois conjuntos de dados: a capacidade dos instrumentos atingirem o comprimento de trabalho proposto, e o valor do diâmetro anatômico, determinado pelo número do primeiro instrumento travado no comprimento de trabalho. O teste estatístico Qui-quadrado apontou diferença estatisticamente significante entre os grupos para a capacidade de atingir o comprimento de trabalho, tendo o Grupo 2 apresentado os piores resultados (P<0,001). Em relação ao valor do diâmetro anatômico, através dos testes estatísticos de Análise de Variância e de Comparações Múltiplas pelo método LSD (P>0,05), não foi observada forte correlação entre o tipo de lima utilizado e a determinação do diâmetro anatômico no comprimento de trabalho. / The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the instrument type on gauging the apical size of human premolars (n=30). The same preparatory protocol was used for all specimens, ending after the use of Gates-Glidden burs #1 to #4. Four experimental groups were created, according to the endodontic instrument used: Group 1 Flexofile; Group 2 - LightSpeedLSX; Group 3 - Nitiflex; Group 4 - K type. After the insertion of a #8 patency file, the first instrument of each group to bind at the working length was recorded. Statistical analysis was performed for two sets of data: percentage of files that achieved the working length, and apical canal diameter, as determined by the first bound instruments number. Chi-square statistical test showed significant differences between groups for the achievement of working length dada, which was related to Group 2 (P<0,001). ANOVA and LSD Multiple Comparisons tests showed absence of strong correlation between the instrument type and the established apical canal diameter (P>0,05).

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A proposta deste estudo ex vivo foi avaliar a influência da utilização de diferentes instrumentos endodônticos na determinação do diâmetro anatômico apical de pré-molares superiores com dois canais (n=30). Os espécimes foram submetidos a um mesmo protocolo desde a remoção da coroa até o alargamento dos terços cervical e médio com brocas Gattes-Glidden #1 a #4. Os instrumentos foram divididos em quatro grupos distintos, de acordo com o tipo de instrumento utilizado: Grupo 1 Flexofile; Grupo 2 - LightSpeedLSX; Grupo 3 - Nitiflex; Grupo 4 - Tipo K. Após a confirmação da patência com limas K #8, o número do primeiro instrumento de cada grupo a ficar travado no comprimento de trabalho proposto foi anotado. A análise estatística dos resultados baseou-se em dois conjuntos de dados: a capacidade dos instrumentos atingirem o comprimento de trabalho proposto, e o valor do diâmetro anatômico, determinado pelo número do primeiro instrumento travado no comprimento de trabalho. O teste estatístico Qui-quadrado apontou diferença estatisticamente significante entre os grupos para a capacidade de atingir o comprimento de trabalho, tendo o Grupo 2 apresentado os piores resultados (P<0,001). Em relação ao valor do diâmetro anatômico, através dos testes estatísticos de Análise de Variância e de Comparações Múltiplas pelo método LSD (P>0,05), não foi observada forte correlação entre o tipo de lima utilizado e a determinação do diâmetro anatômico no comprimento de trabalho. / The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the instrument type on gauging the apical size of human premolars (n=30). The same preparatory protocol was used for all specimens, ending after the use of Gates-Glidden burs #1 to #4. Four experimental groups were created, according to the endodontic instrument used: Group 1 Flexofile; Group 2 - LightSpeedLSX; Group 3 - Nitiflex; Group 4 - K type. After the insertion of a #8 patency file, the first instrument of each group to bind at the working length was recorded. Statistical analysis was performed for two sets of data: percentage of files that achieved the working length, and apical canal diameter, as determined by the first bound instruments number. Chi-square statistical test showed significant differences between groups for the achievement of working length dada, which was related to Group 2 (P<0,001). ANOVA and LSD Multiple Comparisons tests showed absence of strong correlation between the instrument type and the established apical canal diameter (P>0,05).