Touch Imprint Cytology: Can It Serve as an Alternative to Frozen Section in Intraoperative Assessment of Cervical Metastasis in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma?

PURPOSE: The purpose was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of touch imprint cytology (TIC) compared with frozen section (FS) analysis as an intraoperative diagnostic tool to assess nodal metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We intraoperatively assessed 38 patients undergoing neck dissection for oral squamous cell carcinoma, wherein a total of 248 nodes were sectioned and subjected to TIC and, subsequently, FS analysis and were finally submitted to the gold-standard histopathologic examination. The sensitivities, specificities, positive predictive values (PPVs), and negative predictive values (NPVs) of TIC and FS analysis for the detection of metastasis in the cervical nodes were determined with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: TIC had a sensitivity of 62.86%, specificity of 96.24%, PPV of 73.33%, NPV of 94.04%, and accuracy of 91.53% compared with histopathologic results. The sensitivity of FS analysis was 60%, specificity was 98.12%, PPV was 84%, NPV was 93.72%, and accuracy was 92.74% compared with histopathologic examination. These results of TIC were comparable to those of FS analysis. CONCLUSIONS: TIC is a straightforward, quick, and reliable technique. It has a definitive role in being used as an adjunct to FS analysis to increase intraoperative diagnostic accuracy. It can serve as a useful technique in centers that do not have FS availability.

Epithelial-Myoepithelial Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland: A Report of a Rare Case and Review of Literature.

Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMC) is a rare tumor, characterized by two different cell populations and both demonstrate a malignant nature microscopically. It constitutes less than 2% of all salivary gland malignancies. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified this disease as a separate pathological category. The diagnosis of this tumor is arrived by biopsy. It shows slow growth and is small in size; it appears in ulcerative form of mucosa in some cases. Gland cells consist of two layers of outer myoepithelium cells and inner epithelial cells. Vimentin staining is positive. It shows calponin, muscle-specific actin, S100, smooth muscle actin, p63, and smooth muscle myosin heavy chain I. Examining different sets of data reveals that tumors exhibiting a solid growth pattern, nuclear atypia, DNA aneuploidy, and increased proliferative activity typically display a more aggressive nature, accompanied by a heightened likelihood of local recurrences and metastases. The clinical and radiological observations frequently resemble those of a benign tumor. Due to the uncommon nature of EMC, there is currently no established standard treatment protocol. It is considered a low-grade tumor where good resection holds better results. Individuals displaying histopathological indicators of aggressive disease should be evaluated for potential adjuvant radiotherapy. We present a case of a patient who had recurrence twice in a period of seven years despite surgical management, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

The Silent Spill: A Case Report on Navigating the Challenges of a Chyle Leak.

A chyle leak occurs due to a discontinuity in the thoracic duct. It is a very rare condition that occurs as a result of injuries or surgical procedures. Chyle is rich in antibodies. Its functions are to maintain the equilibrium of the human fluid system, draw in fatty acids, and maintain the natural immunity of humans. It is identified by the increased quantity of drains, which show a milky white color and clinically palpable supraclavicular collection. It is a condition that has to be managed as soon as possible as it leads to serious nutritional debridement, electrolyte imbalance, and complications such as chylothorax and chylomediastinum. It is managed by various surgical and conservative approaches, such as ligating the thoracic duct, using sclerosing agents, giving total parenteral nutrition, and restricting physical activities, as discussed in this article.

Recurrence of Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis From an Unknown Primary Site: A Report of a Case Treated Using a Multidisciplinary Approach.

Metastatic cervical carcinoma from an unknown primary source poses a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, as it involves the spread of cancer to the neck lymph nodes without a discernible primary tumor despite thorough investigation. While the diagnosis and treatment of this uncommon condition lack definitive evidence, a review of existing literature offers some clinical guidance. A comprehensive diagnostic evaluation, which includes multiple imaging and endoscopic studies, is essential. Surgery is preferred whenever feasible due to its ability to offer more precise staging. This treatment entails an excisional biopsy, neck dissection, and tonsillectomy, but advanced cases necessitate a combination of treatments. This case report underscores this complexity, where, despite radical neck dissection on the affected side, recurrence manifested after two months with no discernible primary site. We emphasize the urgency for continued research and innovative approaches to enhance the diagnosis and management of metastatic cervical carcinoma from an unknown primary source.

Sarcomatoid Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a 15-Year-Old Girl: A Report of a Rare Case.

Sarcomatoid is a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma. We present here the case of a 15-year-old female patient; she presented with an extra-oral fungation on the right side of her face and restricted tongue movements, diagnosed as sarcomatoid squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue on incisional biopsy. A positron emission tomography scan was advised on the first visit to rule out distant metastasis. Due to the previous history of no improvement after medical oncology management and the extent of the lesion, which made the disease inoperable, the patient was planned for the best supportive care.

Erratum: Addendum: Comparative efficacy of bromelain and aceclofenac in limiting post-operative inflammatory sequelae in surgical removal of lower impacted third molar: a randomized controlled, triple blind clinical trial.

[This corrects the article on p. 29 in vol. 21, PMID: 33585682.].

Comparative efficacy of bromelain and aceclofenac in limiting post-operative inflammatory sequelae in surgical removal of lower impacted third molar: a randomized controlled, triple blind clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Pain, edema, and trismus are predictable sequelae for surgical extraction of impacted mandibular third molars (M3M). The present study aimed to compare the anti-phlogistic potential of bromelain and aceclofenac in the reduction of post-surgical sequalae in the extraction of impacted M3M. METHOD: A randomized controlled, triple-blinded clinical study included 72 patients scheduled for surgical removal of impacted M3M under local anesthesia. Randomization was performed and subjects were equally allocated to groups A (control) and B (study), who intended to receive aceclofenac and bromelain, respectively. The primary outcome variables were pain, edema, and trismus evaluated on postoperative days 2 and 7 and compared with baseline values. The secondary variables evaluated were the quantity of rescue analgesics required and the frequency of adverse effects in both groups for 7 postoperative (PO) days. Data were analyzed with a level of significance of P < 0.05. RESULTS: Group B demonstrated a significant decrease in the severity of edema and trismus compared to group A on both PO days 2 and 7 (P < 0.001). Bromelain demonstrated similar analgesic efficacy with an insignificant difference compared to aceclofenac (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The present study showed that the efficacy of bromelain was comparable to that of aceclofenac in reducing inflammatory complications following surgical removal of impacted M3M. Bromelain can be considered a safe and potent alternative to routinely used aceclofenac when addressing inflammatory outcomes after surgery.