Primary tracheoesophageal puncture in stapler-assisted laryngeal closure: a surgical modification.

With the advancements in the medical field, many innovations in medical devices have happened. Using a surgical stapler to close the laryngectomy defect without opening the pharynx is particularly advantageous in a total laryngectomy (TL). However, performing the tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) during stapler closure of the larynx has not been widely advocated, due to the fear of complications related to the procedure.We treated two male patients with advanced glottic malignancy who underwent a TL. To restore their ability to speak, we performed a primary TEP and immediate voice prosthesis placement. After the TEP, we closed the larynx using a stapler. The surgical technique used in this procedure has been thoroughly explained.The use of a surgical stapler for pharyngeal closure during a TL has several advantages, particularly with regard to the duration of surgery. The current techniques appear to be promising in reducing TEP-related complications during stapler-assisted laryngeal closure.

Posterior Belly of Digastric Muscle is not Always an Intern's Friend, During Neck Dissection.

Among the various anatomical landmarks during neck dissection, digastric muscle is one of the most important. It is well known that all important blood vessels in neck lies deep to digastric. Thus, it acts as a safety landmark during neck dissection. In this article we describe a variation in vascular anatomy with relation to posterior belly of digastric that has not been reported so far during live surgery. Surgeon performing neck dissection should have a detailed knowledge of anatomy and infrequent anatomical variation. The knowledge of current anatomical variation will avoid torrential bleed during neck dissection and preserve the artery for vascular related procedures.

Role of Genetic Testing in the Management of Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules in the Indian Setting.

The increased detection of thyroid nodules in the human population has led to an increase in the number of thyroid surgeries without an improvement in survival outcomes. Though the choice for surgery is straightforward in malignant thyroid nodules, the decision is far more complex in those nodules that get categorized into indeterminate thyroid nodules (ITN) by fine needle aspiration. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop a tool that will aid in decision-making among the ITN. In this context, the development of various molecular testing (MT) panels has helped to confirm or rule out malignancy, reducing unnecessary surgeries and potentially guiding the extent of surgery as well. Currently, such tests are widely used among the Western population but these MT panels are not used by the South Asian population because of non-availability of validated panels and the high cost involved. There is a need to develop a suitable panel which is population-specific and validate the same. In this review, we would focus on current trends in the management of ITN among the South Asian population and how to develop a novel MT panel which is cost-effective, with high diagnostic accuracy obviating the need for expensive panels that already exist.

Clinical, Radiological and Histological Features and Their Association with Extranodal Extension in Buccoalveolar Complex Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Jeyashanth RijuObjectives The study was aimed to (1) evaluate the effectiveness of clinical examination, intraoperative finding, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) to detect extranodal extension (ENE) in buccoalveolar complex squamous cell carcinoma (BAOSCC), (2) to know various factors influencing ENE, and (3) to evaluate survival outcome in patients with ENE. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective cohort study, which included 137 patients with BAOSCC who underwent curative treatment between May 2019 and April 2021. Collaborative findings suggestive of ENE were noted during preoperative clinical examination, CECT, and intraoperatively, and their efficacy was compared with postoperative histopathology. Also, the various factors associated with ENE were evaluated and compared. Statistical Analysis Univariate and multivariate analysis of parameters was done using multiple logistic regression analysis and significant correlation was determined using chi-square test between ENE positive and negative categories. Analysis of prognosis and survival was done by Kaplan-Meier curve plotting using regression analysis and its significance was compared. Results The overall prevalence of ENE was 18.98% and that of lymph node involvement was 40.88%. CECT (73.1%) was found to be more sensitive in detecting ENE compared to intraoperative examination (46.2%) and clinical examination (34.6%).In comparison with clinical examination (91.9%) or CECT (78.38%), intraoperative examination (93.7%) showed the highest specificity in detecting ENE. Clinical nodal size ≥ 3 cm ( p ≤ 0.001), fixity ( p ≤ 0.001), and clinical number of nodes ( p ≤ 0.001) had significant association with ENE. The presence of thick nodal walls on CECT increased the probability of predicting ENE 15 times ( p = 0.180, confidence interval: 0.3-765.4). After a mean follow-up of 18 months, subjects without nodal positivity had a survival advantage over patients with positive lymph nodes (86.4% vs. 53.3%) and those with ENE (86.4% vs. 23.2%), respectively. Conclusion The results demonstrated that clinical examination can be used as an adjuvant to radiological imaging for prediction of ENE preoperatively. Clinical finding suggesting size of node ≥ 3 cm and ≥ 2 nodes are strong predictor of ENE, in addition to other known predictors. Patients with ENE had an unfavorable prognosis when compared with subjects with metastatic nodes without ENE. Presence of ENE remains one of the strongest factors predicting recurrence and thus poor prognosis.

Definitive Surgery after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Oral Cavity Cancers: Experience from a Tertiary Care Center.

Mansi AgrawalVidya KonduruBackground Oral cavity cancers require definitive surgical resection as the primary treatment, but with advanced T stage, complete resection with pathologically negative margins might be difficult to achieve. Induction chemotherapy helps achieve the balance between resection and morbidity in locally advanced technically unresectable tumors. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of surgery in locally advanced, technically unresectable oral cavity cancers after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis of patients with borderline resectable, locally advanced oral cavity cancers who were given NACT between February 2017 and December 2021 was conducted. Data regarding clinical and pathological characteristics, NACT, surgery, adjuvant therapy, and recurrences was analyzed. Results Of the 69 patients in the study, 69.6% had tongue cancer, rest were gingivobuccal complex cancers. All tumors were resected based on the post-NACT tumor volume and clear margins were achieved in 42% of cases. About 85.4% of the tongue cancers required a lesser resection than anticipated, thereby following the concept of organ and functional preservation post-NACT as proposed by Licitra et al. About 30.4% had ypT0 and 17.4% had ypN0. Recurrence and survival rates noted in our study were comparable to those reported in literature. Lymph node density of more than or equal to 0.07 was found in all recurrent cases. Conclusions Induction chemotherapy offers a chance of achieving adequate surgical resection while reducing morbidity and improving functional outcomes for patients with technically unresectable oral cavity cancers. Nodal disease may not respond to chemotherapy as well as the primary tumor. There is a need for comprehensive evaluation of prognostic factors, which could help identify the patients who will most benefit with NACT.

A Site-Based Analysis of Relationship Between Clinicopathological Factors and Their Influence on Locoregional Recurrence in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

In India, oral cancers are the major cause of cancer-related death. Tongue and buccal mucosa being the major subsites in oral cancer have varying clinicopathological presentations. This study is intended to know the difference in clinicopathological behavior of these two subsites. This retrospective study included 474 patients of which 232 patients had tongue cancer and 242 patients had buccal alveolar complex (BAC) cancer. Comparison between the pathological characters including pattern of nodal involvement was analyzed. Disease-free survival (DFS) and factors influencing the DFS were analyzed and compared using Cox regression analysis. Mean age of the study population was 52.7 years. Tongue oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) differed significantly from BAC OSCC in terms of age of presentation, tumor staging, and perineural invasion. Among neck nodal involvement, tongue OSCC commonly involved level IIa (p < 0.001) whereas BAC involved level Ib (p < 0.001). At a median follow-up of 27 months, 141 patients had disease recurrence, tongue OSCC commonly recurred in neck (p = 0.008), and BAC OSCC relapsed at primary site (p = 0.001). Patients older than 45 years with BAC cancer had lesser risk of recurrence (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.2-0.5; p < 0.0001). Pathological tumor stage in tongue cancer (HR, 14.9; 95% CI, 2.6-84.8; p = 0.002) and grade of tumor differentiation in BAC OSCC (HR, 9.2; 95% CI, 1.9-43.3; p < 0.005) were the most significant factors that influenced tumor recurrence. There was a significant difference in factors influencing disease recurrence among tongue and BAC OSCC. Also, pattern of nodal metastasis and pattern of recurrence were different. Hence, further research on OSCC may be done site specific. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13193-023-01750-8.

Worst Pattern of Invasion as an Independent Predictor of Lymph node Metastasis and Prognosis in oral Cavity Squamous cell carcinoma - A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Although Worst pattern of invasion (WPOI) is one of the histopathological (HP) markers that has been utilized in risk stratification of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients, its potential as an independent predictive factor for lymph node metastasis (LNM) and prognosis is least analyzed. Aim of the study is to analyze the relationship of various HP parameters to WPOI, their propensity for lymph node metastasis and prognostic value. This retrospective study included 140 patients diagnosed with resectable OSCC who underwent definitive surgery. Multiparametric HP risk assessment was done on the postoperative specimen and patients were categorized as low-risk WPOI (Type 1-3), and high-risk group (type 4 and 5). After categorization, 36.1% patients had low-risk WPOI and 63.9% had high-risk WPOI. Significant association was noted between WPOI and patient's age (p = 0.001), nodal stage (p = 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (LVI) (p = 0.006) and neural invasion (p = 0.001). 87% patients with nodal metastasis had high risk WPOI. LVI (p = 0.014) and WPOI (p < 0.001) had significant predictive role in LNM. High-risk WPOI and bone involvement were found to be predictive factors for overall survival, and only high risk WPOI had strong correlation with disease free survival having significant poor prognosis. Analyzing WPOI is essential in reporting HP specimens in OSCC. High-risk WPOI can act as an independent predictor for LNM, early recurrence and poor prognosis. Incorporation of WPOI into TNM staging is recommended to improve clinician's ability to prognosticate and individualize treatment strategies.

AJCC 8th Versus AJCC 7th as a Prognostic Indicator in Buccal Mucosal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

American Joint Committee for Cancer (AJCC) staging manual has been recently updated with 8th edition which led to an immense shift in the tumor, node, and composite stages, in comparison to the previous staging. This was mainly due to the incorporation of depth of invasion (DOI) and extranodal extension (ENE) in staging. The impact of new staging system is widely studied as combined subsites in oral cancer. This study is to focus on a single subsite of oral cavity which is known for its poor prognosis. We evaluated 109 patients who had buccal mucosal squamous cell carcinomas (BSCC) who underwent treatment, with a curative intend, between 2014 and 2015. Clinical records were reviewed and the tumors were re-staged as per 8th edition of AJCC; disease-free survival (DFS) was also analyzed. Our study population had a mean age of 54.5 ± 10.35 years and male to female ratio of 4:1. During a median follow-up of 41 months, 35 patients (32.1%) developed recurrence. There was a statistically significant shift in stages between AJCC 7th edition against AJCC 8th edition leading to 34% upshift in T-stage, 43.1% upshift in N-stage, eventually leading to a 23.9% upshift in the composite stage. Tumors which got upgraded due to upshift in nodal stage had a poor survival (p = 0.002). Newer staging system is easy to use in clinical practice. Around a quarter of the BSCC got upstaged with the introduction of the newer staging system. But it was surprising to note that there were no statistically significant differences in DFS between the tumors of the same composite stages with regard to the two staging systems.

Difference in clinical presentation and their significance in oral squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains the most common cancer among Indian men. OSCC involving the tongue and bucco alveolar complex (BAC) behaves differently. Nevertheless, the differences in clinical features and symptoms between the two subsites and their relation to pathology remain largely unexplored. STUDY DESIGN: The study compared various clinical parameters and pathological factors between tongue cancer patients and patients with BAC cancer. RESULTS: Among 474 patients, 232 had tongue cancer and 242 had BAC cancer. Except for the ulcer, 30% of patients with OSCC were asymptomatic at presentation. Compared to tongue cancers, lesions confined to BAC present at an advanced stage (P = 0.006). Multivariate analysis showed that dysphagia in tongue cancer (P = 0.020) and external swelling or lesion in BAC cancers (P = 0.002) were significant predictors of an advanced stage of the disease. On histopathology, perineural invasion (PNI) was significantly associated with tongue (P = 0.008) compared to BAC cancers (P = 0.015). Cancers of the tongue with pain and referred otalgia had a significantly higher depth of invasion (DOI), compared to those without pain (DOI - no pain 6.9 mm, pain 9.9 mm, and referred otalgia 11.4 mm). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with OSCC present late and in an advanced stage of the disease. Among tongue cancers, clinical history of pain was significantly associated with DOI and PNI, the significance of which needs to be prospectively analyzed. Clinical history in OSCC can be used as predicting factor for an advanced pathological stage of the disease. It also had an influence on various pathological characters, which is subsite specific.

Contralateral Nodal Metastasis from Tongue Malignancy.

Oral cavity is the most common site of cancer in India, tongue forms the most common single subsite. Neck node involvement plays an important prognostic role in disease-free survival and overall survival. Most of the nodal metastasis are occult and only an elective neck dissection can disclose the nodal metastasis, which is accepted only when the risk of metastasis exceeds 15-20%. Contralateral nodal metastasis(CLNM) are rarely analyzed due to sparse event.Retrospective analysis of data of patients who underwent surgery for carcinoma tougue with a curative intend between April 2017 and March 2019 were collected. Factors influencing CLNM in carcinoma tongue were studied.The study included 149 patients, with 102 men and 47 women. The mean age of study subjects was 51.5 ± 11.8 years. Thirteen (8.7%) patients had CLNM. With respect to tumor, advanced stage(p < 0.001), floor of mouth involvement(p = 0.001) and lesion crossing midline(p < 0.001) had an increased risk of CLNM. Extranodal extension(ENE)(p < 0.001) and lymphnode ratio(p = 0.002) in ipsilateral node ratio influenced CLNM. Multivariant analysis showed that in addition to lesion crossing midline(p = 0.03), ENE played significant role in CLNM (p < 0.001), with a risk of 12.8 times compared to no ENE. Suspicion of CLNM either clinically/radiologically was a good predictor of metastasis(p < 0.001).CLNM in tongue cancer was significantly influenced by lesion crossing midline and ENE. Contralateral neck dissection should be performed in any case with clinical/radiological suspicion of nodal involvement and above mentioned risk factors.

Abnormal Course of Internal Carotid Artery Encountered During Neck Dissection.

Internal carotid artery (ICA) is one of the most important structures to be preserved during neck dissection. Many anomalous courses of ICA have been explained and must be kept in mind while proceeding with surgery. The variation mentioned in this article has not been described yet. This is very important for head and neck surgeons, especially while performing neck dissection or external carotid artery ligation. A 51-year-old male with no known comorbidities underwent surgery for carcinoma right buccal mucosa. As noted in preoperative imaging, intraoperatively he had a abnormal course of ICA especially with abnormal relation to the internal jugular vein (IJV). It is imperative to study the anatomy of ICA preoperatively to prevent intraoperative surprises. A careful dissection of the level II cervical region keeping in mind regarding an aberrant course of ICA especially with relation to IJV can prevent catastrophic consequences.

An alternative method for reconstructing anterior segmental mandibulectomy defects with a plate and pectoral major muscle flap.

Background: Reconstruction of anterior segmental mandibulectomy still remains a challenge. Osteocutaneous free flap remains the ideal choice of reconstruction because it restores cosmesis and function. The use of other locoregional flaps compromises cosmesis and function. Here, we have introduced a unique technique of reconstruction with lingual cortex mandibular plate as an alternate choice for free flap. Method: Six patients aged 12-62 years underwent oncological resection for oral cancer which involved the anterior segment of the mandible. Following resection, they underwent lingual cortex mandibular plating with pectoralis major myocutaneous flap reconstruction. Adjuvant radiotherapy was delivered to all patients. Results: The mean bony defect was 9.2 cm. There were no significant perioperative events related to the surgery. None required tracheostomy and all were safely extubated with no post-surgical complications. The cosmetic and functional outcomes were acceptable. Following the completion of radiotherapy with a median follow-up of 11 months, Plate exposure occurred in one patient. Conclusion: The technique is cheap, quick and simple, and can be effectively applied in resource-constrained and demanding situations. It is possible to consider this as an alternative treatment strategy for osteocutaneous free flap in anterior segmental defects.

Trigeminocardiac Reflex as a Complication of Excision of Schwannoma of the Trigeminal Nerve - A Rare Clinical Case Report.

Rationale: Trigeminal schwannoma (TS) is a very rare tumour in the head-and-neck region and the occurrence of intraoperative trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR), during surgery, should not be underestimated. The physiological function of this rare brainstem reflex is yet to be fully established. Patient Concerns: TCR occurs in a variety of surgeries, such as neurosurgical, maxillofacial, dental and skull base surgeries with bradycardia as the presenting sign. Diagnosis: This is a clinical profile of two patients who presented with schwannoma of the trigeminal nerve. Outcomes: Intraoperatively, during dissection of tumour, both patients had bradycardia with hypotension. Treatment: The first patient had a spontaneous recovery but the other required intervention with vasopressors. Take-Away Lessons: One must be aware of the rare occurrence of TCR mainly while operating on a rare occurring TS. Ceaseless intraoperative monitoring and being prepared with adequate measures while manipulating close to the nerve will prevent serious complications.

Analysis of Early Impact of COVID-19 on Presentation and Management of Oral Cancers - an Experience from a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India.

Oral cancers are the leading cause of cancer-related death in Indian men. Currently steps to contain the transmission and treatment of COVID-19 pandemic have crippled the entire health care system. With hospitals running short of resources, the oncological practice became standstill, especially during the initial phase. This is a retrospective study among patients who presented to our tertiary care hospital in early 3 months of COVID-19 era(ECE) with respect to pre-COVID-19 era(PCE). The study includes patients discussed in multidisciplinary tumor board(MDT)(421 in ECE Vs 31 in PCE) and those who underwent surgery(192 in ECE Vs 26 in PCE). The presentation and outcomes of oral carcinoma were compared between the two eras. There was a significant drop in the number of patients who presented during ECE. Though mean age and gender remained comparable between groups, there was a statistical difference in relation to demographic profile of patient (p value < 0.001). Among operated during ECE, 80% had a significantly advanced tumor stage (p value < 0.034) and advanced composite stage (p value < 0.049). Among patients discussed in MDT during ECE, 38.7% were deemed inoperable which is double the number when compared with PCE (p value < 0.009). Results of our study showed a higher incidence of advanced stage disease during ECE, with many patient turning inoperable. Thus, the survival of newly diagnosed oral carcinoma patients will be worser. In the management of oral cancer both early stage and advanced stage should have the same priority. Immediate resumption of safe oncology services is mandatory to curtail the current issues.

Bilateral total conservative parotidectomy: a tale behind an aesthetic surgery.

Any facial swelling is associated with stress for the patient due to cosmesis. Especially when one has bilateral symmetrical enlarged parotids, having exhausted all available conservative management, surgery becomes the last resort; which in such cases pose specific challenges. A 29-year-old man presented with problems of bilateral symmetrical enlarged parotid lesion for 5 years, which did not have an adequate response to medical line of management. He underwent proposed surgery and was diagnosed to have chronic sclerosing parotitis (CSS). The challenges faced during surgery of this non-neoplastic inflammatory lesion, with significant fibrosis, is being described. He recovered completely without any complications related to surgery. CSS rarely affects bilateral parotid glands. Surgery, results of which are outstanding, must be considered in cases where these lesions do not respond to medical line of management. Bilateral total conservative parotidectomy with sternocleidomastoid flap reconstruction provides excellent aesthesis and improves quality of life.

Submental nodal metastasis in papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.

Papillary carcinoma of thyroid (PCT) commonly shows metastasis to central and lateral cervical compartment neck nodes. Submental nodes are rarely involved by PCT. Thus, its management is not clear. We report two young men who presented with submental nodal metastasis from PCT. Both underwent total thyroidectomy with central compartment neck dissection and modified radical neck dissection (MRND). Probable factors which might influence submental nodal metastasis are analyzed. We conclude that physicians should be aware of the possibility of submental nodal metastasis from PCT. A selective approach for neck dissection can be an alternative to MRND, reducing the morbidity in management of such cases.

Ectomesenchymal chondromyxoid tumour: an uncommon characteristic tumour of the anterior tongue.

Ectomesenchymal chondromyxoid tumour (ECMT) is a rare benign tumour which classically presents in the anterior tongue. This tumour is grossly under-reported due to lack of immunohistochemical staining in many centres. We report a 46-year-old man who presented with mass in the anterior tongue and was diagnosed with ECMT. Further management of this lesion is explained with a review of the literature.

Completion Thyroidectomy in Differentiated Thyroid Malignancy-A Prospective Analysis.

Completion thyroidectomy, being a surgically challenging procedure, choice of doing such procedure in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), remains unclear due to the complications involved following the procedure. So this study is intended to look into risk factors that will prompt completion thyroidectomy and surgery-related complications. A prospective analysis was done in 48 patients diagnosed with DTC during the year 2017. Completion thyroidectomy with or without neck dissection was performed as per institutional protocol. Clinico-radiological features were compared with histopathology in completion thyroidectomy specimen. The incidence of malignancy in completion thyroidectomy specimen and complications during the procedure were noted. Risk factors associated with malignancy were statistically analyzed. The incidence of malignancy in completion thyroidectomy specimen was 56.25%. Papillary carcinoma thyroid (PCT) had a statistically significant risk compared to follicular carcinoma thyroid (p = 0.042). Also, capsular invasion in primary specimen had a significant impact (p = 0.021) with odds of 7.20 times increase in incidence of malignancy and patients with age more than 55 years had a significantly increased risk of malignancy (p = 0.05). There was no statistically significant increase in complications following procedure, with respect to duration between surgeries or type of surgeries performed. Incidence of malignancy in completion thyroidectomy specimen was high. Completion thyroidectomy can be safely performed under experienced hands with an acceptable level of complications. It should be considered in places where patients are non-compliant and in those with PCT, tumor with capsular invasion and elderly patients.