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In a double-blind, randomized, single-dose trial the analgesic contribution of acetaminophen, 1000 mg, and codeine, 60 mg, was determined. The study was a 2 X 2 factorial experiment in which 120 patients suffering from pain as a result of oral surgery rated their pain intensity and pain relief for up to 5 hours after a single dose of one of: 1000 mg acetaminophen, 60 mg codeine, 1000 mg acetaminophen plus 60 mg codeine, or placebo. The factorial analysis showed that both 1000 mg acetaminophen and 60 mg codeine made a statistically significant (P less than 0.05) contribution to the analgesic effectiveness of the combination on all measures of efficacy (sum of pain intensity differences, largest pain intensity difference, total pain relief, largest pain relief, and time to remedication). The incidence of adverse effects did not appear to differ among the treatments, including placebo.

A new direct approach to the area of the pterygomaxillary fossa and the parapharyngeal space is described. This procedure was developed because previously described methods either offered limited access to the area or resulted in significant functional defects. The approach described here results in a wide-field exposure of both the pterygomaxillary and parapharyngeal spaces with no sacrifice of either mandibular function or the sensory supply of the face or oral cavity. The parapharyngeal space is entered through a transcervical incision. This, combined with double osteotomies of the mandible, allows the ascending ramus with its intact neurovascular bundle to be reflected laterally and superiorly, along with the attached masseter muscle and the overlying skin. The result is an excellent exposure of the pterygomaxillary fossa and the base of skull. Following removal of the tumor, the ramus of the mandible is replaced and fixed with interosseous wiring and the application of arch bars, thus restoring normal dental occlusion. The technique described here was worked out on cadaveric dissection before being applied to a clinical case.