Low-molecular-weight heparin salvage in pedicled flap reconstruction in head and neck: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if systemic administration of low-molecular-weight heparin impacts venous compromise in loco-regional flap reconstruction for head and neck subsites. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted on patients who had developed features of venous compromise of the flap. The case group received low-molecular-weight heparin (dalteparin). RESULTS: Of the 73 patients who developed venous congestion, low-molecular-weight heparin was administered in 47 patients. In the low-molecular-weight heparin subset, 23 patients had either reversal or non-progression of venous compromise (48.9 per cent). Of the patients who had no response to low-molecular-weight heparin rescue, complete necrosis was seen in 4 and partial flap necrosis was observed in 19. The corresponding numbers in the control group were 13 and 12, respectively (odds ratio 23.9, p = 0.002). Additionally, the low-molecular-weight heparin arm had a lower incidence of partial or complete flap necrosis (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Low-molecular-weight heparin salvage, when instituted early, is likely to result in a significant reduction in flap-related morbidity.

Folded Pectoralis Major Myocutaneous Flap for Reconstruction of Complex Oral Commissural Defects: A Retrospective Case Series and Technical Report.

Full thickness defects following surgical resection of locally advanced carcinoma buccal mucosa involving oral commissure often require complex microvascular procedures that are technically demanding. We present a novel technique of folded pectoralis major myocutaneous flap for reconstruction of such defects without the need for free flaps or additional sling support.

Quality of life and swallowing outcomes following major glossectomy: A prospective single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: There exists a lacuna in the structured reporting of swallowing dysfunction and quality of life (QoL) outcome following major glossectomy. METHODS: Prospective cohort study to assess the swallowing dysfunction and QoL following STG (subtotal glossectomy) or NTG (near total glossectomy) over a 6-month period using FEES and PAS scale, MDADI, and FACT-HN. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients were available for analysis. The pre- and post-adjuvant evaluation revealed a statistically significant improvement in the composite MDADI and FACT-HN scores. Subscale analysis of FACT-HN scores revealed maximum deficit in the head and neck cancer-specific score domain followed by functional domain and social well-being domain, with serial improvement noted in the post-adjuvant setting. CONCLUSION: This study showed serial improvement in terms of swallowing dysfunction although social and functional well-being domains related to QoL continued to reveal major deficits. Better outcomes were seen with preservation of bilateral base of tongue and mandible.

Management of Recurrent and Refractory Posterior Epistaxis by Transnasal Endoscopic Sphenopalatine Artery Cauterization: a Prospective Cohort Study.

Transnasal endoscopic sphenopalatine artery occlusion procedures are becoming the standard of care for intractable posterior epistaxis. Improved endoscopic anatomical features of the lateral nasal wall and endoscopic skill with high-resolution cameras result in a higher success rate of endoscopic intervention. To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of endoscopic cauterization of the sphenopalatine artery (ESPAC) in controlling intractable posterior nasal bleeding. This prospective cohort study enrolled patients with refractory posterior epistaxis from August 2016 to December 2019. The trial recruited patients between 18 and 65 years of age with a history of recurrent and refractory posterior epistaxis receiving endoscopic arterial cauterization due to conservative treatment failure. All of the cases involved bipolar cauterization. Recurrent nosebleeds must pause for at least three months for a procedure to be considered successful. In the first 30 days following surgery, complications are recorded. 415 patients with epistaxis received both inpatient and outpatient care. Transnasal ESPAC was necessary for 36 patients (11.5%). The most common comorbidity was hypertension accounting for 9 (23%) cases. Thus, 26 of 36 (72%) cases had a unilateral ESPAC, while 10 (28%) had a bilateral ESPAC. Twenty-two (61%) and ten (28%) patients had single and two branching patterns of the sphenopalatine artery, respectively. Septal correction and middle meatus antrostomy (44%) were the most performed additional procedures. During the three-month follow-up period, 35 patients in this study had epistaxis control; the success rate of ESPAC was 97.2%. There were no significant postoperative complications found. Endoscopic sphenopalatine artery cauterization is successful in controlling 97.2% of posterior epistaxis. It is safe and effective without any significant complications.

Green Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles from Eclipta alba and Its Activity Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Line (MDA-MB-231).

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) doesn't have well-defined molecular targets making it unable to treat with chemotherapy also have faster metastatic rate and worse survival rate. In the current study we aim to target TNBC through eco-friendly green synthesized silver nanoparticles having anti-cancer phytoconstituents from the traditional anti-cancer medicinal plant Eclipta alba. Green synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are agglomerates of spherical shaped 40-60 nm sized showing characteristic light absorption at 437 nm, banding pattern at 1479, 1285, 1036, and 471 showing and further X-ray diffraction pattern confirm face-centered cubic crystal silver structure exist in the green synthesized silver nanoparticle preparation. Further in vitro anti-oxidant analysis results revealed that green synthesized AgNPs showed 2.6-fold higher anti-oxidant potential (IC50 15.70 g/ml) than that of aqueous plant leaf extract (IC50 39.80 g/ml). In MTT cytotoxicity analysis Eclipta alba plant extract and AgNPs both display dose-dependent cytotoxicity against triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), although their IC50 values differ substantially, at 105.80 µg/ml and 77.20 g/ml, respectively. Finally, AgNPs from Eclipta alba tested for anti-leishmanial activity and it showed 91.36 ± 1.05 for promastigotes and 76.62 ± 0.95 for amastigotes at the highest dose of 400 g/ml. Altogether present data showed that Eclipta alba leaf extract actively bonded with silver nanoparticles suppresses the MDA-MB-231 cells growth through high antioxidant characters and anti-leishmanial activity. From together we confirm that Eclipta alba was recommended to a future therapeutic drug and agent to control breast cancer in the clinical level.

Parathyroid carcinoma: lessons from a rare malignancy of head and neck-a case series.

Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is a very rare head-neck malignancy. Because the symptoms of parathyroid carcinoma are similar to those of benign causes of hyperparathyroidism, it may be not easy to detect it before surgery. The management of PC after initial surgery will be perplexing because of the adequacy of surgery. We wish to describe the difficulties encountered throughout treatment using a literature review. We conducted a retrospective analysis of individuals with parathyroid carcinoma who had treatment at our department between 2017 and 2022. We gathered data on the clinical profile, investigations, management of hypercalcemia, surgical techniques, histopathological features, adjuvant therapy, and outcomes. We treated three patients with parathyroid carcinoma: Two patients with inferior parathyroid carcinoma and one with superior parathyroid carcinoma. Generalized weakness and bony pain are the predominant symptoms. In all cases, the tumor was located using 99Tc MIBI / SPECT scintigraphy and Ultrasonography. Hemithyroidectomy and tumor excision were done as the surgery of choice. All are disease-free at the 12th-month follow-up. We suggested that parathyroid hormone testing be performed in all bony fibrous lesions to rule out hyperparathyroidism. PC is a likely diagnosis when there is noticeable throat swelling, elevated PTH levels greater than 400 IU/L, and serum calcium levels greater than 15 mg/dL.

Recurrent Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans of the Head and Neck: a Case Series.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare cutaneous sarcoma that develops from dermal fibroblasts and spreads within the dermis and subcutaneous fat. It is locally aggressive, with a high local recurrence rate after excision but has extremely low metastatic potential. In the case of recurrent tumors, surgical excision with adequate margins is the gold standard treatment and may require adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy in some cases. We conducted a retrospective analysis of individuals with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberance of the head and neck region that had treatment at our facility between 2016 and 2021. We gathered the data on the surgical techniques, reconstructive techniques used, histopathological features, adjuvant therapy, and outcomes. We treated three patients with head and neck dermatofibrosarcoma protuberance: one scalp lesion and two on the cheek. All three patients had recurrent tumors, two of whom were treated elsewhere for the primary lesion. One patient underwent surgery for a benign spindle cell tumor of the right cheek, but a final histopathological examination revealed dermatofibrosarcoma protuberance, and the tumor recurred within 3 months. The duration of recurrence is between 3 and 24 months. The size of the tumor ranges from 7.2 to 10.5 cm. The wide local excision margins range from 2 to 4 cm. Reconstruction ranges from split skin graft to regional flap. Inadequate margins raise the possibility of local recurrence in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberance.

Pharyngocutaneous Fistula Following Primary and Salvage Laryngectomy: Aetiology and Predictive Factors.

Laryngeal cancer treatment is often wrought with challenges, pharyngocutaneous fistula formation (PCF) in patients undergoing either primary or salvage laryngectomy for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal for squamous cell carcinoma is an important one. We aimed to study the factors before and at the surgery that are associated with PCF formation in a South Indian tertiary care hospital. A retrospective chart review of 127 patients who underwent total laryngectomy (TL) between May 2014 and April 2019 at our centre were done. Data was collected, including patient age and gender, comorbidities (Diabetes mellitus, COPD and hypothyroidism), smoking, tumor stage and site, prior tracheostomy, prior radiation, concurrent neck dissection and type of pharyngoplasty, Preoperative hemoglobin and albumin levels, surgical margin status and development of a PCF was also done. Further details specific to the development of a PCF were recorded for that subset of patients including the length of time to fistula, mode of closure, time of closure and modality of management. The overall incidence of PCF was 16.5% (21 of 127 patients), and the median time from TL to the diagnosis of PCF was 6 days (range, 3-20 days). The analysis was done separately for laryngectomies without any pharyngeal reconstruction (112/127 patients). In patients treated with a primary TL, the incidence of PCF was 12.20% (10 of 82) and 26.66% (8 of 30) after salvage TL. Subset analysis for type of pharyngoplasty repair showed 12% (15/127) underwent different types of vascularised/muscular flap for smaller residual pharyngeal mucosa, of which 20% (3/15) developed PCF and one patient developed haematoma needing exploration and re-suturing. The predictive factors for PCF were hypopharynx cancer (P < 0.05), surgical margin positivity (P < 0.0001), female gender (P < 0.05), absence of prior tracheostomy (P < 0.05) and tumor extension into pyriform sinus mucosa (P < 0.05). Preoperative patient factors of gender and site of primary along with histological margin positivity and extension of tumor to the pyriform sinus mucosa were significant risk factors for PCF formation. Pre-Op radiotherapy remains a strong clinical suspicion but not statistically significant.

Hazardous giant pharyngoesophageal liposarcoma.

A man in his early 80s presented to the otorhinolaryngology department with progressively worsening dysphagia to solids and a recent episode of difficulty breathing accompanied by a very brief expulsion of a solid mass from the mouth. Based on the endoscopic appearance of a fatty lesion of an elongated mass with a thick stalk on the posterior pharyngeal wall, a diagnosis of the benign fibrovascular polyp was given after clinical and radiological correlation. The pharyngeal polyp was resected at the base of its pedicle by transoral endoscopy with a thunder beat vessel sealing device. Histopathological examination of the mass revealed a well-differentiated liposarcoma composed of mature adipocytes. Following surgical excision, the patient made a full recovery. This case signifies the integrated role of preoperative biopsy, new surgical technologies and targeted therapies in managing pharyngoesophageal polyps.

Current Profile of Physical Impairments in Children with Cerebral Palsy in Inclusive Education Settings: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction Cerebral palsy (CP) excerpts a heterogeneous corral of neurological disorders occurring due to injury to the developing brain leading to motor dysfunctions. The CP children enjoy success and progress in normal school education and curriculum program. The principle of inclusive education has been acknowledged over recent decades in all countries supporting the schooling of children with disabilities into mainstream settings for constructing an inclusive society. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the current status of physical impairments in children with CP in inclusive education settings in district Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. Materials and Methods A survey using the physical examination of all CP children ( n = 20) between the age group of 6 and 12 years in inclusive education settings with an organized interview of special educators in school settings was conducted. Descriptive analysis was conducted by using SPSS IBM 22. Results A total of 20 CP children (11 boys and 9 girls, with the mean age of 9.8 ± 1.69) were enrolled in the study. Mean and standard deviation of Visual Analog Scale (6.5 ± 0.82), Pediatric Balance Scale (21.4 ± 17.1), Gross Motor Function Classification System, Expanded and Revised (2.8 ± 1.46), Manual Ability Classification System (2.5 ± 1.1), Gross Motor Function Measurement-88 (36.40 ± 22.94), and Goal Attainment Scale (35.9 ± 0.40) with the total WeeFIM score (75.7 ± 3.4) were analyzed as the score of all outcome measures. Conclusion Right to Education act promotes the compulsory education of such children, and limiting disability by knowing the current profile of impairments could help in improving physical and functional status in children.

Is It Important to Increase Physical Activity Among University Students During the Second-Wave COVID-19 Pandemic in Asian Countries? A Cross-Sectional Study of the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Asian Countries.

Background: Difficulties in exercising have occurred for the entire world's population during this COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the second wave at the end of 2021. Most worrying is the lack of physical activity in young adults, as lack of exercise will increase the risk of noncommunicable diseases in the future. The youth such as university student can be agents of change, to increase physical activity, from sedentary to sport life. This study aimed to determine the relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and actions of university students and the correlation between the related variables. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional observational study involving 458 Asian university students based on Asian and African nationalities. This research was conducted from December 2021 to January 2022, during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia. The variables studied were the knowledge, attitudes, and actions of university students with regard to sports, and the statistical test used was the Chi-squared test. Results: The results showed that the research subjects were mainly from Indonesia and India (95.8%), there were more women than men (69.9% vs 30.1%), the most common age range was 18-20 years (61.4%), and 45.4% had a normal body mass index. In total, 48.3% had high knowledge, 93.4% had a positive attitude, and 34.7% had good practice. There was a significant relationship between knowledge and attitude (p=0.002) but not with action. Conclusion: This study found that good knowledge was associated with a good attitude, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic with activity restrictions on university students, there was no relationship with action.

Environmentally friendly domino multicomponent strategy for the synthesis of pyrroloquinolinone hybrid heterocycles.

An efficient and elegant assembly of pyrene/aryl fused pyrrolo[2,3-b]quinolinone and pyrrolizino[3,2-b]quinolinone hybrid heterocycles was achieved via a domino multicomponent reaction strategy using a solid state melt reaction (SSMR) condition. The 1,3-dipole component was generated in situ from N-methylgylcine/l-proline and isatin, while the Baylis-Hillman adduct prepared from pyrene-1-carbaldehyde and various benzaldehydes is used as the dipolarophile. The domino protocol comprises 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and a consequent double annulation reaction process. The advantages of this cascade protocol include environmentally friendly conditions, the avoidance of toxic organic solvents, simple work-up and good to excellent product yields.

SMARCA4/BRG1-Deficient Sinonasal Carcinoma.

CONTEXT.­: Molecular analysis of poorly differentiated/undifferentiated sinonasal neoplasms has resulted in identification of a growing number of genetically defined tumors. SMARCA4-deficient sinonasal carcinoma is one such recently described entity that emerged from within sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC), neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), and teratocarcinosarcoma (TCS). OBJECTIVE.­: To identify SMARCA4-deficient sinonasal carcinomas from a large institutional cohort of poorly differentiated/undifferentiated carcinomas and evaluate their clinicopathologic features. DESIGN.­: SMARCA4/BRG1 immunohistochemistry was performed on all tumors diagnosed as SNUC, poorly differentiated carcinoma, NEC, and TCS during a 12-year period. SMARCA2/BRM and INSM1 immunostaining was performed in SMARCA4-deficient cases. RESULTS.­: Twelve SMARCA4-deficient sinonasal carcinomas were identified among 299 cases. Morphologically, 5 cases were large cell NEC, 2 cases were small cell NEC, and 5 were TCS. SMARCA4 loss was diffuse and complete in 10 cases, while 2 cases showed focal retention. Most cases showed diffuse cytokeratin staining accompanied by weak, usually focal staining for chromogranin and synaptophysin. INSM-1 showed negativity in most cases. All cases showed retained SMARCA2 expression. IDH1/2 mutation was absent in all cases analyzed. Four of 7 patients died of disease, and aggressive multimodality treatment provided better outcome. CONCLUSIONS.­: SMARCA4-deficient sinonasal carcinomas are morphologically akin to sinonasal poorly differentiated NECs and TCS, display cytokeratin positivity and only focal staining for neuroendocrine markers, and have aggressive biological behavior. Inclusion of SMARCA4 in the immunohistochemical panel for diagnostic workup of all sinonasal NEC and TCS phenotypes will facilitate their early recognition. Comprehensive germline and somatic mutational analyses of these tumors are necessary for further insights into their molecular pathogenesis.

Prevalence of non-specific chronic low-back pain and risk factors among male soldiers in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP) is the most common musculoskeletal disorder affecting health and work among the military population. NSCLBP is a complex disorder with several risk factors contributing to its occurrence. Therefore, the objective of our study was to estimate the prevalence and contribution of risk factors towards NSCLBP among male soldiers in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2020 to January 2021 among the military personnel at Hafar Al-Batin military base, Saudi Arabia. The entire population (n = 62, 000) at the military base were invited to participate in the study. The participants were invited to participate in the study either through direct referral from in-patient and out-patient departments of the military hospital or by invitation through pamphlets, email, and advertisement across the offices and residential areas. Soldiers reporting lower back pain for at least 12 weeks were screened for inclusion criteria at the physical therapy department of the military hospital. Inclusion criteria included pain or discomfort originating from the lower back without any known spinal diseases. Participants with a systemic inflammatory disorder, trauma, neurological symptoms, and recent spinal surgery were excluded. All eligible participants were assessed for demographic variables and risk factors and complete the Rolland Morris Disability Questionnaire and WHO-Five Well-Being Index. RESULTS: This study identified a 46.3% prevalence of pain originating from the spine with a 2.7% prevalence of NSCLBP. Spearman's rho correlation between the severity of disability due to NSCLBP was strongly associated with age (rs = 0.834, p < 0.01), quality of sleep (rs = 0.790, p < 0.01), body mass index (BMI) (rs = 0.617, p < 0.01), smoking (rs = 0.520, p < 0.01), co-morbidity (rs = 0.357, p < 0.01), but not with the level of physical activity (rs = 0.044, p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of pain originating from the spine among male Saudi soldiers with a relatively low prevalence of NSCLBP. However, the prevalence of disability due to NSCLBP was strongly associated with age, sleep quality, BMI, smoking habit, and co-morbidity.

The Association of Human Papillomavirus in Benign and Malignant Laryngeal Lesions-a Pilot Study.

Various etiological factors have been described in laryngeal carcinogenesis. Tobacco and alcohol play a major role in the development of laryngeal cancers. However, recently there has been an overshadowing of association of human papillomavirus infection in laryngeal cancers. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in malignant laryngeal lesions. This is a case control study. We conducted this study using tumor tissue specimens from 30 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients and benign laryngeal tissue specimens from 30 cancer-free controls. The specimens from the lesion were sent to histopathological analysis as well as DNA extraction (DNeasy® Tissue kit) and polymerase chain reaction for detection of HPV. Positive samples underwent sequencing to detect the HPV serotype. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. All 30 benign laryngeal lesion specimens were negative for the HPV DNA, while 4 of the 30 (7.5%) squamous cell carcinoma lesions were positive. One was HPV 16 and another one HPV 11. Two positive cases were not able to be sequenced probably due to low viral load. Our study suggests that the proportion of laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas attributable to infection by HPV seems to be low. Further prospective studies should be conducted with a larger group of patients to confirm the role of HPV in laryngeal cancers especially in treatment response and survival.