Australian dental journal
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Australian dental journal · Jun 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialParacetamol versus paracetamol-codeine in the treatment of post-operative dental pain: a randomized, double-blind, prospective trial.
Codeine is frequently added to paracetamol to treat post-operative dento-alveolar pain; studies have shown effectiveness in relief of post-operative pain at high doses but at the expense of central nervous and gastrointestinal side effects. There has been no trial to compare the efficacy and safety of paracetamol 1000 mg with paracetamol 1000 mg combined with codeine 30 mg. ⋯ A combination of 1000 mg paracetamol and 30 mg codeine was significantly more effective in controlling pain for 12 hours following third molar removal, with no significant difference of side effects during the 12 hour period studied.
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Australian dental journal · Jun 2002
Case ReportsSuccessful defibrillation of a dental patient in cardiac arrest.
Cardiac arrest is a very rare event in a dental patient. However, practitioners have a duty of care to their patients if ever such an event occurs. The cardiac arrest discussed in this case report occurred in an elderly person with an implanted pacemaker whilst undergoing restorative dental treatment. Cardiac arrest was diagnosed and cardiopulmonary resuscitation instituted immediately, followed within three minutes by successful defibrillation using the School's semi-automatic defibrillator.
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Australian dental journal · Mar 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialIntra-muscular ketorolac administered as a supplemental analgesic for removal of impacted third molar teeth: a prospective study.
Post-operative pain follows dentalveolar oral surgery. Ketorolac is a potent non-steroidal analgesic with moderate anti-inflammatory effects. The purpose of this study was to test whether a single supplementary dose of ketorolac reduced post-operative pain experienced by patients having third molar teeth removed. ⋯ A single supplemental dose of ketorolac 30mg provides improved pain relief in the immediate post-operative phase following the removal of third molar teeth. Oral ketorolac can be recommended as a oral analgesic for post-operative pain, with minimal side effects.
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The decisions in two recent Australian cases, emphasize the tendency for the Courts to place weight on the reliance of patients and others, to act on the advice provided by practitioners. In doing so, the duty of the practitioner to his or her patient has been extended to include third parties such as the patient's sexual partner and the patient's parents. Additionally, the decisions have shown that practitioners need to maintain a level of knowledge in the provision of advice expected of a professional as patients rely heavily on the information provided by the practitioners. This may include information that is available on the Internet.