To assess the progression of dental caries among Malaysian infantry soldiers after 5 years in military service. A retrospective cohort study with a self-administered questionnaire and a clinical oral examination. Data were available for 173 (67.3%) soldiers. Mean decayed, missing, or filled teeth had increased significantly by 20.6% (P = .001) over 5 years. The highest increase was in the missing teeth component (+120%), followed by filled teeth (+23%). This was accompanied by a decrease in decayed teeth (-23.5%; P < .05). In terms of surfaces, mean decayed, missing, or filled surfaces, missing surfaces, and filled surfaces had increased significantly (P < .05). Caries experience was significantly associated with smoking status and rank (P < .05). Dental caries experience was worse after 5 years in military service compared with during recruitment, and there were more tooth extractions than restorations. Health promotion interventions are needed to prevent further tooth loss among soldiers.
Extrinsic pulmonary artery stenosis caused by anterior mediastinum teratoma presenting with an ejection systolic murmur is a rare phenomenon. Till date, 15 cases have been reported (inclusive of this case) in the English literatures. Herein we report a 20 year old female with extrinsic pulmonary artery stenosis because of compression by an anterior mediastinal teratoma with a loud ejection systolic murmur. The case report aims to highlight the awareness of such rare presentation of anterior mediastinal teratomas that may mimic congenital valvular heart diseases among clinicians.
Aortoilliac occlusive disease is occlusive atherosclerosis disease involving the distal aorta and bifurcation of iliac arteries and it is a subtype of peripheral arterial disease. Total occlusion of the abdominal aorta is a rare occurrence with an incidence of 3% -8.5% among the aortoiliac occlusive disease patients. We present a case of a 53 years old patient with a background history of hypertension and ex intravenous drug abuser with negative retroviral screening status, with no previous complaints who was brought to the Emergency Department with sudden onset of altered sensorium and 1 episode of seizure. Computed tomography angiogram of the brain showed a ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm. Diagnostic conventional angiogram of the brain was planned; however, difficulty was encountered during bilateral femoral artery cannulation with the abrupt termination of bilateral common iliac arteries. Computed tomography angiogram of the abdomen showed incidental finding of total occlusion of the abdominal aorta. As a conclusion, total occlusion of abdominal aorta secondary to aortoiliac occlusive disease with an associated intracranial aneurysm is never reported in the literature to date. This case highlights the possibility of association in between these two conditions which may benefit from further research.