Faculty Bibliography

We analyzed 3 cases of malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCTs), comprising 1 dysgerminoma and 2 immature teratomas, by banded chromosome analysis and by in situ hybridization (ISH) using a chromosome 12p painting probe. We found evidence of 12p abnormalities in two of them. A possible common genetic pathway of origin of a subset of MOGCTs with testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) is discussed.

We have studied six cases of choriocarcinomas in the female by conventional cytogenetic analysis and by in situ hybridization using a 12p painting probe, and found evidence for chromosome 12 abnormalities in two of them. Abnormalities of chromosome 12 are a common occurrence in genitourinary tumors of the female, but their significance is not known. We discuss the present findings in relation to those in malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCTs).

Patients with Apert's syndrome typically exhibit craniosynostosis, exorbitism, midface hypoplasia, and symmetric syndactyly. There have also been occasional descriptions of the variable dysmorphology of the inner surface of the calvarium. We present a patient with Apert's syndrome who had an intracranial herniation of a portion of the frontal lobe through a ridge of ossified dura. The ridge and the gliotic cortical tissue were removed when the patient underwent repair of the hypertelorism at age six. Bone grafts for this repair were fashioned in part from the resected ridge. We believe this finding may be the result of a small dural tear that occurred during prior surgery.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:This study evaluated the relationship of the mandibular third molar to the lingual nerve. MATERIALS AND METHODS/METHODS:An anatomic dissection of the lingual nerve in the third molar region was done on 20 cadavers (40 sides). RESULTS:The position of the nerve on one side bore no statistical relationship to the position of the nerve on the opposite side. The position of the lingual nerve was variable in both the sagittal and coronal planes. In two specimens the nerve lay superior to the lingual plate and in another the superior surface of the nerve was level with the crest of the lingual plate. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:These findings have implications for the avoidance of lingual nerve damage during surgery in the third molar and retromolar region of the mandible.

The purpose of this paper is to present a new method of breast reconstruction utilizing skin and fat from the buttock without muscle sacrifice. Cadaver dissections were done to study the musculocutaneous perforators of the superior gluteal artery and vein. Eleven breasts were reconstructed successfully with skin/fat flaps based on the superior gluteal artery with its proximal perforators. Long flap vascular pedicles allow the internal mammary or thoracodorsal vessels to be used as recipient vessels. This new technique has several advantages over the previously described gluteus maximus myocutaneous flaps, including long vascular pedicle and no muscle sacrifice.