Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Introduction: Odontogenic myxoma is a rare benign tumor of mesenchymal origin with an aggressive behavior of slow and asymptomatic expansion. The treatment is surgical with various options from conservative to radical surgery. Objective: To present a case of odontogenic myxoma with extensive maxillary involvement with conservative surgical treatment. Clinical Case: A 14-year-old mixed-race male patient presented swelling with facial deformity. The tomography revealed a 10 x 10 cm isodense lesion with involvement of the orbital floor. The diagnosis of odontogenic myxoma was anatomopathological. Conservative surgery was performed: enucleation with peripheral osteotomy and extraction of involved teeth. Six months later, a maxillary obturator prosthesis was placed, and at 6 years of follow-up the patient was asymptomatic without tumor recurrence. Conclusions: Odontogenic myxoma is rare and requires surgical treatment; conservative treatment may be a surgical option which requires long-term periodic monitoring to assess recurrence.

Introduction: Stress in higher education is a social problem that affects students' physical and mental health and academic performance. This situation is exacerbated by changes in the education system brought on by the health emergency, the pos-pandemic scenario, and the educational demands inherent to university life. Objective: To determine the association between stress and academic performance in Medical Technology students. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study was conducted among 341 Medical Technology students from their first to fourth year of studies enrolled in 2023. Data collection was conducted through the application of an Academic Stress Questionnaire, developed by the author, previously validated and reliable. For the academic performance variable, the students' weighted average was analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used, and the nonparametric Kendall test was applied to determine the association between variables. Results: 58.4% of the students were female, 88.9% had moderate academic stress, and 87.7% had good academic performance. The Kendall test for statistical association between stress and academic performance showed a p-value of 0.054, greater than 0.05. Conclusions: It is found that there is no statistically significant association between stress and academic performance in university students of Medical Technology, even though most students show moderate stress.

Introduction: The student-centered approach and active methodologies, due to their characteristics, are relevant in the current social context, which demands that educational systems prepare proactive citizens capable of transforming their environment. Objective: To obtain up-to-date information on the benefits reported in higher education with the use of active methods and the student-centered approach. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in databases Scopus, ERIC, Scielo, Dialnet, DOAJ, and the Google Scholar search engine. The keywords were: student-centered approach, student-centered approach, learning-centered approach, active methods, and active learning methodology; each in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. A total of 318 documents were located, of which 29 were used in the study. The use of Boolean operators allowed for optimization of the search results. Development: The general and distinctive characteristics of the student-centered approach as a constructivist element of the teaching-learning process were identified. In addition, the foundations, advantages, and characteristics of active methods in the teaching-learning process were analyzed, as well as the benefits that both elements contribute to knowledge construction. Conclusions: Active methods and the student-centered approach are established as paradigms in the teaching-learning process. They give students leadership and responsibility in the construction of their learning, in their participation in understanding, and in collaborating in the appropriation of new content.

Introduction: Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial neoplasm in children and the most common in children under one year of age. Its etiology is still unknown. Objective: To present the case of a patient with neuroblastoma in children. Clinical Case: A 12-year-old male, white, with a medical history. He presented to his health care provider with headache. A physical examination revealed palpable and visible enlargement of the hypogastrium and right iliac fossa. He was referred to the Villa Clara Children's Hospital for evaluation and diagnosis. A tumor biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of neuroblastoma. The lesion is unresectable, and other possible metastases are being investigated. The patient's progress is unfavorable. Conclusions: Neuroblastoma is rare, but it is the most common extracranial solid neoplasm in children. It is important to ensure that any patient with suggestive symptoms receives comprehensive care to ensure early diagnosis. Ultrasound is the first imaging test to identify a neuroblastic tumor, and magnetic resonance imaging is the technique of choice for studying local tumors.

Introduction: Oral hygiene is essential to prevent oral diseases and maintain general health. In the military context, good oral hygiene is crucial because of its impact on troop performance. Objective: To determine the level of oral hygiene among the troops of the “Fuerte Arica" barracks in Tacna. Methodology: Descriptive study with a quantitative and cross-sectional approach. Age, education level and military grade were considered. The 394 military personnel participated and the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) was used, using plaque-revealing tablets. The data were organized in Microsoft Excel and processed in IBM SPSS Statistics 26, using the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: 59.9% of the military had a regular level of oral hygiene, 29.9% a poor level and 10.2% a good level. According to age, 57.7% of military personnel aged 18-21 and 74.3% of 22-25 years had a regular level, and 60% of military personnel aged 26-30 years old had a good level. According to the level of education, 68.6% with primary education had a poor level, 67% with secondary education had a regular level and 56.3% with higher education had a good level. According to the military rank; soldiers, corporals, second and first sergeants had a regular level, in the same order, with percentages of 54.5%, 69.4%, 66.1% and 76.5%. Conclusion: It was determined that the troop personnel of the "Fort Arica" barracks in Tacna had a regular level of oral hygiene.

Introduction: The global demographic trend towards population aging and, therefore, the increase in the elderly population is worrying for dental service professionals. The relationship between the stomatologist and the elderly constitutes the framework for academic or intellectual interaction and the emotional bond necessary in clinical practice, for the ascending construction of a harmonious, solid and successful relationship. Objective: To analyze the aspects that characterize the relationship between the stomatologist and the elderly. Development: The relationship between the stomatologist and the elderly is classified as professional and emotional, resulting from the mixture of the aptitudes and scientific knowledge of the profession. Trust and security support the development of a fraternal relationship over time. Conclusions: The relationship between the stomatologist and the elderly is established in an interpersonal, professional and intentional framework; it is characterized by values tempered to the personality, knowledge and skills, which favors it to be balanced, harmonious and respectful.

Background: Unstable thoracolumbar fractures can lead to pain and limited mobility. Minimally invasive spinal surgery, particularly percutaneous pedicle screw fixation, has shown promise in restoring spinal stability with reduced soft tissue damage and faster recovery. Objectives: To evaluate the outcomes of treating thoracolumbar fractures via percutaneous pedicle screw fixation. Methods: A retrospective case series was conducted on 32 patients with unstable thoracolumbar fractures (T11–L2) without spinal cord injury. Exclusion criteria included neurological deficits, pathological fractures, or incomplete records. Operative time, blood loss, complications, VAS scores, Cobb angles, and Macnab criteria were assessed. Surgery was performed under fluoroscopic guidance via small incisions without muscle detachment. Results: Among the 32 patients, 20 were males (62.5%) and 12 were females (37.5%), with a mean age of 46.2 ± 11.1 years. The average preoperative kyphotic angle was 14.4°±4.3°, which decreased to 8.1°±3.6° postoperatively (t value= 15.153; p<0.001). The mean pain score, measured by the visual analog scale (VAS), was 6.8±1.5 preoperatively and decreased to 1.2±0.7 at six months postoperatively (p<0.05). Intraoperative complications included one case of lateral pedicle wall injury. Postoperative complications included one case of superficial infection at the surgical site. The Macnab criteria were rated as excellent in 31 patients (96.9%) and good in 1 patient (3.1%). Conclusions: Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation is a safe and effective method for treating unstable thoracolumbar fractures without spinal cord neurological impairment.

Introduction: Malignant neoplasms have been on the rise in recent decades, and in Cuba they are in second place. Autopsies are responsible for retrospectively providing epidemiological data on the evolution of most tumors. Objective: To pathologically characterize the malignant tumors detected in deceased patients who underwent autopsy. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study of autopsies was conducted using the Anatomical Pathology database between 2017 and 2023. The 553 cases diagnosed with malignant tumors were included, including demographic variables, clinical tumor diagnosis, presence of metastases, and tumor status based on the authors' criteria. A percentage analysis was performed. Results: The highest incidence of cases was in the 45-74 age group, with a mean of 70 years for both sexes. The most common tumor was lung cancer (40.5%). Almost half (48.5%) of the cases studied were active tumors with metastases, and a previously undiagnosed tumor was found in one-fifth. Conclusions: Malignant tumors are a major cause of mortality, predominantly in patients over 45 years of age and in sites such as the lung, prostate/breast, and leukemia/lymphoma. A high percentage were markedly active and metastasizing.

Introduction: Complicated external abdominal hernias are a global health problem due to their high frequency, morbidity and mortality rates. Objective: To characterize patients who underwent emergency surgery for complicated external abdominal hernias. Methods: Prospective observational study carried out at the “Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso” Hospital in Santiago de Cuba, during the period from December 2008 to April 2020. The series consisted of 382 patients who underwent emergency surgery for complicated external abdominal hernias. Variables: age, sex, anatomical type of hernia, complications, surgical techniques, associated operations, postoperative complications, status at discharge. Descriptive summary measures were used. Results: Males predominated, over 60 years of age; the most frequent anatomical types of hernias were inguinal, femoral, and umbilical. Intravenous hernias accounted for 83.8% and strangulated hernias for 16.2%; bioprosthesis techniques were used in 61.0% of patients and tissue hernias in 39.0%, generally associated with bowel resection procedures. The complication rate was 36.5% and the mortality rate was 10.2%. Conclusions: Patients with complicated external abdominal hernias require emergency surgical treatment; they are more frequent in males, in the elderly, in inguinal, femoral and umbilical locations in that order; surgical techniques with bioprosthesis are the most commonly used for repair, in relation to tissue hernias that are commonly associated with bowel resections.

Introduction: Multiple organ failure is a complication of severe injuries with a systemic inflammatory response. Its morphological changes were found in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection complicated by the action of mediators. Objective: Characterize the presence of multiple organ damage in autopsies of patients confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 during the different stages of circulation of the strains. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out on tissue slices of the lung, kidney, liver, heart, spleen, ileum and brain of deceased persons confirmed to have SARS‑CoV-2. They came from minimally invasive autopsies from different hospitals in the country between March 2020 and April 2022 reviewed by the special pathological anatomy working group. The circulation stages of SARS-CoV-2 strains, lung morphology, and presence of multiple organ damage were evaluated. Results: More than a third died from permeability pulmonary edema. The frequency of damage was high. The damage score is re-evaluated according to clinical severity, with better correspondence to the evolution of these patients. The presence of an inflammatory response and loss of epithelium in the ileum was shown. Conclusions: Multiple organ damage has a high frequency in autopsies of patients confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2. The greatest complications were observed in the circulation stages of strains β and δ. The clinical organic dysfunction incorporated into the intense scoring system of the deceased is appropriate for the expression of severity, as well as the morphology of the terminal ileum, as a criterion of immune system reactivity.