Clinico-Radiological-Pathologic Profile and Outcomes of Lung Transplant in Post-COVID-19 Phenotype: A Single Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Lung transplantation (LTx) has come as hope for select patients with post-COVID acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It has a different phenotype with unique challenges. We aimed to bring out our experience with and outcomes of LTx for post-COVID ARDS. METHODS: This study is retrospective case series from a single center in India. All the patients with post-COVID end stage lung disease (ESLD) who underwent bilateral LTx between 1st May 2020 and 30th August 2021 were included. LTx was performed following no improvement with optimal medical management with adequate time provided for recovery. Information relating to demographics, comorbidities, pretransplant status, perioperative parameters, gross and histopathological findings of explanted lungs, posttransplant morbidity, and mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: This study included 23 patients. The median age of the patients in this study was 42 years and 20 participants were men (87%). The mean duration of intensive care unit stay was 15.83 ± 6.61 days. Mortality was observed among 8 participants (34.78%). Mean survival time was 34.54 weeks. Among the 8 patients who expired, the cause of death was sepsis for 6 patients (75.0%), neurologic cerebrovascular accident for 1 patient (12.5%), and cytomegalovirus for 1 patient (12.5%). All the deaths were reported in primary graft dysfunction grade 2 & 3 category. No rejections were observed on first and third month surveillance biopsies. CONCLUSIONS: LTx is the definitive option for survival in select patients with severe post-COVID-19-associated ESLD. This study brings out various challenges involved in such phenotypes and also observations in postoperative recovery.

Risk Stratification in Low Grade Glioma: A Single Institutional Experience.

BACKGROUND: Low grade gliomas (LGG) are most often noted with the unpredictable overall survival and progression to higher grades. Objective: In the present study, we analyze the clinicopathological features influencing the prognostic outcomes and compared the features with criteria developed by EORTC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We observed the 130 LGG clinical cases in single institute and maintained the follow-up for more than 5 years. In addition, the molecular details were confirmed with markers as IDH, 1p/19q codeletion, p53 and ATRX mutations. RESULTS: The mean age of patients as 37.67 years and male population contributing to 70%. We observed biased incidence among the male population with dominating occurrence at frontal and parietal lobes in the brain. 40.8% patients had oligodendroglioma, 33.8% astrocytoma, 19.2% oligoastrocytoma and 2.3% gemistocytic astrocytoma pathology. Patients who were subjected to chemotherapy and radiotherapy were noted with average survival of 29 months. Oligodendroglial tumors were found with progression free survival (PFS) of 25 months, oligoastrocytoma cases with 32 months, diffuse astrocytoma cases with 23 months while the gemistocytic astrocytoma cases had 22 months. The PFS for LGG cases was 4.7 years while the overall survival was 4.9 years. Mean survival of patients with KPS score <70 and >70 was 1.5 & 4.9 years respectively. 64 patients were observed with the tumor size >5 cm. In total, 72.3% of the patients were underwent GTR, 23.3% STR and 3.8% underwent biopsy. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the clinical symptoms, expression of molecular markers and the prognosis details provided by our results can help for better management of LGG cases. We further propose to use following five factors to accurately describe the prognosis and tumor recurrence: 1) Age >50 years, 2) tumor size >5 cm, 3) MIB index >5%, 4) KPS score < 70 and 5) gemistocytic pathology.

Intraabdominal hydatid cyst: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Hydatid disease is caused by Echinococcus granulosus, endemic in cattle and sheep-raising regions of the world such as Central Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Although hydatid disease is more common in liver and lung, it also affects brain, kidney, spleen and muscle. We present a case of intraabdominal hydatid cyst, diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology, producing an indentation of the liver, which is uncommon. CASE: A male patient presented with right side abdominal pain. On ultrasonography an intraabdominal solid mass (right hypochondrial) was revealed, and subsequently FNA was done. Smears were diagnostic of hydatid cyst. CONCLUSION: FNAC is a sensitive and rapid technique in diagnosis of hydatid cysts. The present case is unusual, owing to its presentation as a solid abdominal mass seeding over the liver and mimicking malignancy radiologically.

Lymph node metastasis of soft tissue tumors: a cytomorphologic study.

OBJECTIVE: To study the frequency of regional lymph node metastasis of soft tissue tumors (STT) and to evaluate the utility of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) as an initial investigative modality. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective and retrospective study of over 6 years (1998-2004) was performed to look for frequency of STT metastasizing to lymph nodes. FNAC of enlarged nodes was performed as a routine outpatient procedure after obtaining complete clinical details. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry were correlated where available. RESULTS: Lymph node enlargement was seen in 23 of 241 patients with STTs, of which 19 cases showed involvement (7.88%), synchronous with primary in 12 cases and metachronous in 7 cases. The most common sites of primary tumor were the lower extremity and head and neck region with involved regional lymph nodes. STTs commonly involving lymph nodes were rhabdomyosarcoma and extraskeletal Ewing's/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET); other rare tumors included malignant granular cell tumor, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, mediastinal ganglioneuroblastoma, angiosarcoma and epithelioid sarcoma. CONCLUSION: Lymph node aspirates should be examined for alien cells, particularly smears that are paucicellular and demonstrate cystic change. Lymph node metastasis of STT is rare and influences staging, treatment and prognosis. Enlarged regional nodes should be examined with FNAC.

Tumor-induced Osteomalacia: A Sherlock Holmes Approach to Diagnosis and Management.

Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is a subtype of paraneoplastic syndrome associated with hypophosphatemia due to renal phosphate wasting in adults. The humoral factor responsible for clinical picture known as fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is most often secreted by benign yet elusive mesenchymal tumors, difficult to localize, access, and excise completely; rarely, they are multiple and malignant. Paradoxical inappropriately normal or low levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in the setting of hypophosphatemia is due to suppressive effect of FGF23. The following case report describes a 31-year-old male with symptoms of multiple fractures and severe muscle weakness, hypophosphatemia with elevated tubular maximum reabsorption of phosphate/glomerular filtration rate with low active Vitamin D, prompted assay for C-terminal FGF23, which was elevated multifold. The tumor was localized with whole body 68-Gadolinium DOTANOC positron emission tomography-computed tomography fusion scan in the left nasal cavity with ipsilateral maxillary antrum. It was excised through transnasal approach and found to be mesenchymal tumor on histopathology. At 1 week of follow-up, serum phosphate became normalized without supplementation. The patient is in follow-up for further measurement of FGF23 level and signs of recurrence. Because the occurrence of such a condition is rare and most often misdiagnosed or mismanaged for years, it is important to recognize this condition in differential diagnosis as potential curative surgical option is a reality.

Lymph node infarction--a rare complication associated with disseminated intra vascular coagulation in a case of dengue fever.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node infarction is known to occur in association with many non-neoplastic and neoplastic conditions however its occurrence in association with DIC is not reported hitherto in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe an unusual case of lymph node infarction in a twenty seven year old male following disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in a case of dengue fever. Multiple sections of the infarcted and the surrounding non-infarcted lymph nodes failed to reveal any predisposing condition. How ever the parahilar vessels showed thrombotic occlusion, which must have been responsible for the infarction. CONCLUSION: Global infarction of the lymph node may mask the underlying pathology. Any malignancy especially lymphoma may coexist or follow lymph node infarction, therefore the patient needs constant surveillance.

Subcutaneous myxopapillary ependymoma presenting as a childhood sacrococcygeal tumor: a case report.

Subcutaneous myxopapillary ependymoma in a sacrococcygeal location is an uncommon lesion. We report such a case in a 16-mo-old female child, who presented with a sacrococcygeal mass since birth. The cytological picture was that of a malignant small round cell tumor and the diagnosis was missed on cytology, which was retrospectively confirmed on comparison with histology. Although rare, this lesion can be a potential diagnostic pitfall and needs to be distinguished from other malignant tumors occurring at this age and at a similar location, like sacrococcygeal teratoma with immature elements, primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), and PNET with ependymal differentiation.

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia complicating disseminated childhood tuberculosis.

An 8-year-old girl presented with severe autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in association with mediastinal widening. Biopsy of mediastinal lymph node confirmed the diagnosis of tuberculosis. A diagnosis of disseminated tuberculosis in association with AIHA was made, and the patient was treated with steroids and antitubercular therapy. This is the first report case of AIHA in association with childhood tuberculosis; we also discuss other reported cases of AIHA in association with adult tuberculosis in English literature.

Sertoli Leydig cell tumor with heterologous gastrointestinal epithelium: a case report.

Sertoli Leydig cell tumour (SLCT) of the ovary with the presence of heterologous elements is very unusual. A case of SLCT with virilizing symptoms and androgenic endocrinological profile is presented. The tumor showed presence of heterologous element in the form of mucinous epithelium of the gastrointestinal type.

Isolated central nervous system blast crisis in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Chronic myeloid leukemia is a myeloproliferative disorder characterized by the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome, t(9:22). Extramedullary blast crisis is a rare event. Imatinib mesylate has become the treatment of choice, especially for patients for whom allogenic stem cell transplantation is not an option. Imatinib produces complete cytogenetic responses in excess of 80%. However, the penetration of the drug and its metabolites into the CNS (Central Nervous System) is poor. Hence for patients who are on prolonged imatinib therapy and continue to have complete cytogenetic responses, the central nervous system may become a sanctuary site. We report a patient who had a complete hematologic and cytogenetic response and presented with headache and vomiting. The MRI showed meningeal enhancement and the CSF (Cerebro Spinal Fluid) examination was positive for blasts. He was started on cranial radiotherapy and triple intrathecal chemotherapy. He showed good symptomatic improvement and cleared the blasts in the CSF. At the end of radiation, he was in complete hematological remission but had 50% marrow metaphases positive for Philadelphia chromosome. As he did not have a matched sibling donor, the dose of imatinib was increased to 600 mg daily. He continues to be in complete hematologic remission at the time of this report.