An Eye for a Tooth 👁️🦷

Another reason to brush your teeth.

What happened: 6 B.C. patients will become the first in the country to receive a rare tooth-in-eye surgery after being blind for decades. 

Why teeth? Teeth contain dentine, the body's hardest substance, making it the top pick to bridge the plastic lens and the patient’s eye. 

The procedure is extensive and requires 2 surgeries. First, the surgeon extracts a tooth, shaves it into a rectangle, and drills a small hole for the lens. Then, they remove scar tissue from the eye and insert soft tissue from the cheek. The tooth is implanted into the cheek to grow new tissue. A few months later, it's removed and sewn into the eye.

The best part? Since doctors use parts of the patient’s body, there’s no risk of rejection. And a 2022 study out of Italy found that, on average, 27 years after surgery, 94 per cent of patients could still see. 6 surgeries are scheduled as part of a pilot program at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital, and if Canada continues the winning streak, the doctors hope to make it available to folks in the long term.

But: Like any surgery, there’s a risk of infection, and patients must meet specific criteria. When it happens, patients have to fork out the money to travel outside the country, which isn’t always an option. One of the surgeons says bringing it to Canada will improve access to care.

Bottom line: Postcall is honoured to cover this eye-opening breakthrough 😉.

Hot Off The Press

1: ☎️ Video calls are about to get an upgrade. Google’s Project Starline, set to roll out in 2025, uses AI, multiple cameras, and light-field displays to create 3D video chats — no clunky headsets required. Designed to make remote conversations feel more natural, this could be a game-changer for everything from business meetings to patient care. No word yet on how it handles bad Wi-Fi.

2: 🔬 In a surprising move, the CDC has ordered its scientists to cease co-authoring papers with the WHO, potentially impacting global health research. This decision comes as the WHO releases updated influenza vaccine guidelines, emphasizing the need for international collaboration to combat seasonal flu. The timing raises big questions about global health collaboration.​

3: ♹ Ready for some good news, bad news? Microplastics have made their way into human arteries, with a NEJM study linking their presence in carotid plaques to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and death. Good news? Other research suggests that anthocyanins — the antioxidants giving fruits and flowers their colour — may help counteract microplastic-related reproductive harm, improving hormone balance and protecting tissues. It’s not a solution, but it’s a start!

4: 💊 A Swedish study of 18,740 dementia patients suggests antidepressants — especially SSRIs — may accelerate cognitive decline. Patients on higher SSRI doses also faced increased risks of severe dementia, fractures, and death. Previous research on antidepressants and cognition in dementia has been mixed, but this study emphasizes the need for caution and monitoring when prescribing these meds.

5: 🕯️Here’s a bonus good news, bad news: Recent studies have shown that using scented products like burning candles can produce air pollution levels comparable to car exhaust. On the bright side, another sensory pleasure — brewing tea — may help remove heavy metals like lead and cadmium from water. No word yet on where tea lights stand in all this.

Notable Numbers 🔢

57% to 73%: the reduced risk of long COVID symptoms in vaccinated children, according to a new CDC study. Researchers found that mRNA COVID-19 vaccination lowered the likelihood of post-COVID conditions (PCC) by 57% for at least one symptom and 73% for 2 or more symptoms in children aged 5 to 17 — reinforcing the importance of staying up to date with COVID-19 shots, since pediatric vaccination rates remain low.

194 million: how many followers may have seen misleading medical test promotions on social media. A new study found that 87.1% of posts about popular medical tests hyped benefits, while only 14.7% mentioned harms—and just 6.1% addressed overdiagnosis. With most posts tied to financial interests, researchers warn this trend is driving unnecessary testing and overdiagnosis.

22: the number of years between Adrien Brody's Best Actor awards — first for his performance in The Pianist, and again last night for The Brutalist.

Postcall Picks

😂 Laugh: at this Tiktok about the link between cardiovascular surgeons and Jesus!

🤑 Save: need a helping hand around the house? Best Buy’s got your back with the BobSweep Vacuum and Mop! Shop now until March 6th and save over $1,000!

📺 Watch: the 2025 Oscar highlights, including a wickedly talented performance by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande!

🧠 Review: those penicillin allergies, using these resources from BC and Ontario

Relax

First Question: First author of the 1930 seminal paper describing a condition with a delta wave on EKG

If you enjoyed the puzzle, challenge your physician friends and see if they can beat your time.

Share Postcall, Get Rewards

Help Us Get Better