Recommendations for head and neck surgical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread exponentially worldwide. In Brazil, the number of infected people diagnosed has been increasing and, as in other countries, it has been associated with a high risk of contamination in healthcare teams. For healthcare professionals, the full use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is mandatory, such as wearing surgical or filtering facepiece class 2 (FFP2) masks, waterproof aprons, gloves, and goggles, in addition to training in care processes. A reduction in the number of face-to-face visits and non-essential elective procedures is also recommended. However, surgery should not be postponed in the case of the most essential elective indications (mostly associated with head and neck cancers). As malignant tumors of the head and neck are clinically time sensitive, neither consultations for these tumors nor their treatment should be postponed. Postponing surgical treatment can result in a change in the disease stage and alter an individual's chance of survival. In this situation, planning of all treatments must begin with the request for, in addition to routine examinations, a nasal swab polymerase chain reaction for SARS-CoV-2 and chest computed tomography. Only if the results of these tests are positive or if fever or other symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 are present should the surgical procedure be postponed until the patient completely recovers. This is mandatory not only because of the risk of contamination of the surgical team but also because of the increased risk of postoperative complications and high risk of death. During this pandemic, the most effective safety measures are social distancing for the general public and the adequate availability and use of PPE in the healthcare field. The treatment of other chronic diseases, such as cancer, should be continued, as the damming of cases of these diseases will have a deleterious effect on the public healthcare system.

Surgical approach to medullary thyroid carcinoma associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2

We briefly review the surgical approaches to medullary thyroid carcinoma associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (medullary thyroid carcinoma/multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2). The recommended surgical approaches are usually based on the age of the affected carrier/patient, tumor staging and the specific rearranged during transfection codon mutation. We have focused mainly on young children with no apparent disease who are carrying a germline rearranged during transfection mutation. Successful management of medullary thyroid carcinoma in these cases depends on early diagnosis and treatment. Total thyroidectomy should be performed before 6 months of age in infants carrying the rearranged during transfection 918 codon mutation, by the age of 3 years in rearranged during transfection 634 mutation carriers, at 5 years of age in carriers with level 3 risk rearranged during transfection mutations, and by the age of 10 years in level 4 risk rearranged during transfection mutations. Patients with thyroid tumor >5 mm detected by ultrasound, and basal calcitonin levels >40 pg/ml, frequently have cervical and upper mediastinal lymph node metastasis. In the latter patients, total thyroidectomy should be complemented by extensive lymph node dissection. Also, we briefly review our data from a large familial medullary thyroid carcinoma genealogy harboring a germline rearranged during transfection Cys620Arg mutation. All 14 screened carriers of the rearranged during transfection Cys620Arg mutation who underwent total thyroidectomy before the age of 12 years presented persistently undetectable serum levels of calcitonin (<2 pg/ml) during the follow-up period of 2-6 years. Although it is recommended that preventive total thyroidectomy in rearranged during transfection codon 620 mutation carriers is performed before the age of 5 years, in this particular family the surgical intervention performed before the age of 12 years led to an apparent biochemical cure.

Sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma: clinical data from a university hospital

INTRODUCTION: Medullary thyroid carcinoma may occur in a sporadic (s-medullary thyroid carcinoma, 75 percent) or in a multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 form (MEN2, 25 percent). These clinical forms differ in many ways, as s-medullary thyroid carcinoma cases are RET-negative in the germline and are typically diagnosed later than medullary thyroid carcinoma in MEN2 patients. In this study, a set of cases with s-medullary thyroid carcinoma are documented and explored. PURPOSE: To document the phenotypes observed in s-medullary thyroid carcinoma cases from a university group and to attempt to improve earlier diagnosis of s-medullary thyroid carcinoma. Some procedures for diagnostics are also recommended. METHOD: Patients (n=26) with apparent s-medullary thyroid carcinoma were studied. Their clinical data were reviewed and peripheral blood was collected and screened for RET germline mutations. RESULTS: The average age at diagnosis was 43.9 years (± 10.82 SD) and did not differ between males and females. Calcitonin levels were increased in all cases. Three patients presented values that were 100-fold greater than the normal upper limit. Most (61.54 percent) had values that were 20-fold below this limit. Carcinoembryonic antigen levels were high in 70.6 percent of cases. There was no significant association between age at diagnosis, basal calcitonin levels or time of disease onset with thyroid tumor size (0.6-15 cm). Routine thyroid cytology yielded disappointing diagnostic accuracy (46.7 percent) in this set of cases. After total thyroidectomy associated with extensive cervical lymph node resection, calcitonin values remained lower than 5 pg/mL for at least 12 months in eight of the cases (30.8 percent). Immunocyto- and histochemistry for calcitonin were positive in all analyzed cases. None of the 26 cases presented germline mutations in the classical hotspots of the RET proto-oncogene. CONCLUSION: Our cases were identified late. The basal ...

Hypercalcitoninemia is not pathognomonic of medullary thyroid carcinoma: [revision]

Hypercalcitoninemia has frequently been reported as a marker for medullary thyroid carcinoma. Currently, calcitonin measurements are mostly useful in the evaluation of tumor size and progression, and as an index of biochemical improvement of medullary thyroid carcinomas. Although measurement of calcitonin is a highly sensitive method for the detection of medullary thyroid carcinoma, it presents a low specificity for this tumor. Several physiologic and pathologic conditions other than medullary thyroid carcinoma have been associated with increased levels of calcitonin. Several cases of thyroid nodules associated with increased values of calcitonin are not medullary thyroid carcinomas, but rather are related to other conditions, such as hypercalcemias, hypergastrinemias, neuroendocrine tumors, renal insufficiency, papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas, and goiter. Furthermore, prolonged treatment with omeprazole (> 2-4 months), beta-blockers, glucocorticoids and potential secretagogues, have been associated with hypercalcitoninemia. An association between calcitonin levels and chronic auto-immune thyroiditis remains controversial. Patients with calcitonin levels >100 pg/mL have a high risk for medullary thyroid carcinoma (~90%-100%), whereas patients with values from 10 to 100 pg/mL (normal values: <8.5 pg/mL for men, < 5.0 pg/mL for women; immunochemiluminometric assay) have a <25% risk for medullary thyroid carcinoma. In multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2), RET mutation analysis is the gold-standard for the recommendation of total preventivethyroidectomy to relatives at risk of harboring a germline RET mutation (50%). False-positive calcitonin results within MEN2 families have led to incorrect indications of preventive total thyroidectomy to RET mutation negative relatives. In this review, we focus on the differential diagnosis of hypercalcitoninemia, underlining its importance for the avoidance of misdiagnosis...

Endoscopia de contato (microestomatoscopia) nas lesões da boca e do lábio: avaliação do método / Contact endoscopy (microstomatoscopy) in oral lesions: evaluation of the method

OBJETIVO: Descrever as dificuldades da endoscopia de contato aplicada à boca e ao lábio (microestomatoscopia de contato) e aplicar nas lesões do lábio os critérios usados na endoscopia de contato de outras topografias. MÉTODO: Estudo prospectivo utilizando o endoscópio de contato Storz 8715A e o corante azul de toluidina. Vinte exames foram feitos para aprendizado da técnica e depois mais 31 (21 lesões do lábio e 10 da boca), todos exames in vivo. Os critérios avaliados foram: Celularidade, Arquitetura, Estratificação e Morfologia. RESULTADOS: A falta de nitidez, os tremores finos e o deslizamento do aparelho dificultaram o procedimento em 100 por cento dos casos, mas permitiram um exame adequado. Os 13 diagnósticos de malignidade das lesões do lábio apresentaram todos os critérios alterados. CONCLUSÃO: as dificuldades encontradas foram o contato do aparelho com a superfície anatômica, o deslizamento do aparelho, os tremores finos e a falta de nitidez da imagem, que não inviabilizaram a realização e a interpretação do exame. Os critérios são aplicáveis às lesões da boca e do lábio inferior.

BACKGROUND: 1- To describe difficulties of contact endoscopy related to mouth and lip (contact microstomatoscopy) and 2- apply the criteria used in contact endoscopy of other topographies when lip lesions are diagnosed. METHODS: A prospective study was performed with the contact endoscope Storz 8715A and toluidine blue was used. Twenty examinations were accomplished in order to learn the technique; after that, other 31 were included (21 lip lesions and 10 oral lesions), all in vivo examinations. The criteria assessed were: cellularity, architecture, stratification and morphology. RESULTS: Lack of image clearness, slight tremors and sliding of the equipment made the procedure difficult in 100 percent of the cases; even though, accomplishment of proper examination was obtained. The 13 cases of lip malignancy lesions had the criteria altered as a whole. CoNCLUSION: Difficulties found were the contact of the equipment with anatomic surface, the sliding of the equipment, the slight tremors, and the lack of image clearness. Nevertheless, such elements did not interrupt the accomplishment and the examination analysis. The criteria are applied to oral and lower lip lesions.

Clinical and epidemiological features of oral cancer in a medical school teaching hospital from 1994 to 2002: increasing incidence in women, predominance of advanced local disease, and low incidence of neck metastases

OBJETIVO: Caracterizar epidemiológica e clinicamente a população atendida por câncer de boca em hospital-escola de atenção terciária e quaternária e verificar variações em relação a outras casuísticas e períodos. MÉTODO: Procedeu-se à revisão dos prontuários dos operados por câncer oral de 1994 a 2002. As características clínicas e epidemiológicas foram colocadas em planilhas e analisadas. RESULTADOS: Foram identificados 374 portadores de câncer da boca que foram submetidos a 406 operações. A idade dos doentes variou de 14 a 94 anos (média = 57,4 anos). Duzentos e cinqüenta e cinco eram do gênero masculino (68,2%). Duzentos e noventa e cinco entre 366 doentes eram caucasianos (80,6%). A maioria era portadora de tumores da língua e/ou do soalho da boca (194 entre 349 doentes; 55,6%), e 71 (20,3%) tinham tumores dos lábios. O carcinoma epidermóide foi encontrado em 90,3% e carcinomas glandulares em 4%. Os tumores T4 estavam presentes em 39,6% dos doentes; 15,2% tinham lesões Tis ou T1. Quase 62% dos pacientes não tinham metástases cervicais. A incidência relativa em jovens (com até 40 anos de idade) atingiu 8,6%. CONCLUSÃO: Apesar dos achados freqüentemente referidos na literatura terem se confirmado (como o predomínio de lesões avançadas localmente), a maioria dos doentes não apresentava metástases cervicais. Acima do observado em outras casuísticas, os 31,8% de mulheres na presente casuística indica a preocupante e crescente incidência no gênero feminino.

Associação de carcinoma papilífero da tireóide e hiperparatireoidismo / Association of papillary thyroid carcinoma and hyperparathyroidism

OBJETIVO: A ocorrência de carcinoma papilífero da tireóide (CPT) em doentes com hiperparatireoidismo (HPT) suscita dúvidas quanto a ser apenas coincidência ou apresentar relação causal. O objetivo deste trabalho é verificar se a incidência de CPT em diferentes formas de HPT é semelhante entre si e à incidência de CPT em achados de necropsias, assim como em doentes submetidos à tireoidectomia na mesma região. MÉTODO: Os dados de 222 pacientes consecutivos tratados por HPT foram revistos e foi analisada a incidência de CPT. Os pacientes foram estratificados em HPT primário (107) e HPT secundário (115). Os laudos anatomopatológicos foram revistos, a incidência de CPT foi pesquisada e suas características nesses indivíduos foram estudadas. Esses dados foram comparados a dados encontrados em casos de necrópsia e em 89 casos de bócio compressivo/mergulhante. Empregou-se o teste exato de Fisher e o teste t não pareado. RESULTADOS: Os laudos foram passíveis de análise em 103 casos de HPT primário, com 10 pacientes com CPT (9,7 por cento) e em 111 portadores de HPT secundário, com três CPT associados (2,7 por cento). Houve diferença entre o HPT primário e HPT secundário (p=0,04). Essa diferença também foi significativa em relação aos 1 por cento de CPT achados em necrópsia na região (p=0,0001). Não houve diferença com relação à incidência de 11,2 por cento de CPT no grupo operado por compressão e também em relação às características dos tumores, apesar de haver 80 por cento de multicentricidade no CPT de doentes com HPT primário. CONCLUSÕES: A ocorrência de CPT em HPT primário é maior que em HPT secundário e que em achados de necropsia.

BACKGROUND: Association of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and hyperparathyroidism (HPT) has not been clearly defined. The incidence of PTC in different types of HPT and necropsy or patients submitted to thyroidectomy in the same region is analyzed to verify if this association is casual or not. METHODS: Data of 222 consecutive patients operated for HPT were reviewed and incidence of PTC was defined. Patients were analyzed as primary HPT (107) and secondary (115). The incidence of PTC was compared to that found in necropsy and to that observed in 89 patients with compressive multinodular goiter submitted to thyroidectomy. Statistical analysis included Fisher's exact test and Student's t test. RESULTS: Pathology reports were available in 103 cases of primary HPT, and in 10 patients PTC was detected (9.7 percent). In 111 secondary HPT patients, PTC was found in three (2.7 percent), with statistical significant difference between primary and secondary HPT (p=0.04). This difference was also significant of the 1 percent incidence of PTC found in necropsy in the same area (p=0.0001). No difference was observed in relation to the incidence of 11.2 percent of PTC found in patients operated for compressive goiter. Tumor characteristics were not statistically different, although multicentricity was detected in 80 percent of PTC of patients with primary HPT. CONCLUSION: The incidence of PTC was elevated in patients with primary HPT, in relation to necropsy or secondary HPT cases.

Avaliação odontológica de pacientes com câncer de boca pré e pós tratamento oncológico - uma proposta de protocolo / Dental management of oral cancer patients before and after radiation trerapy a protocol purpose

Muitas complicações orais podem ser observadas em pacientes que receberam radioterapia no tratamento do câncer bucal. O cirurgião-dentista deve estar familiarizado com os protocolos disponíveis para o manejo destes pacientes,prevenindo suas futuras complicações e deterioração bucal. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar as possíveis complicações bucais em pacientes vitimas de câncer da cavidade bucal eorofaringe submetidos a radioterapia, e assim propor um protocolo de prevenção e controle destas seqüelas. Trinta indivíduos com carcinoma epidermóide foram incluídos. Doze destes pacientes receberam radioterapia e foram clinicamente avaliados tendo seus resultados comparados com 18 pacientes ainda não tratados. Os achados clínicos incluíram cáries,doença periodontal, fatores traumáticos, mucosite, trismo eosteorradionecrose. Os pacientes irradiados foram acompanhados por seis meses e seus fluxos e pH salivares foram determinados e comparados com o outro grupo. Os resultados mostraram que a ausência do fluxo salivar esteve presente em 17 por cento dos pacientes irradiados e ainda que a médiade fluxo salivar destes pacientes era bem mais baixa(0,2ml/min) que os não irradiados (1,4ml/min). A média do pH salivar dos pacientes irradiados foi de 6,03 não sendo considerado diferente estatisticamente do pH do grupo não irradiado (pH= 5.96). Quatro pacientes irradiados exibiram cárie de radiação (33por cento), nove desenvolveram trismo (75 porcento) eoito mucosite (67 porcento). Apenas um caso de osteorradionecrose foiverificado sei meses após a radioterapia. Assim, foi verificado que os efeitos da radiação são mais significantes com relação ao fluxo salivar do que com a alteração do pH; 1/3 dos pacientes irradiados apresentaram alterações importantes logo após a radioterapia e a osteorradionecrose, apesar de poder surgir logo após o tratamento, é normalmente observado um ano apósa radioterapia. A condição oral dos pacientes irradiados requerum tratamento multidisciplinar

Analise retrospectiva de 100 parotidectomias / Parotidectomy: retrospective analysis of 100 cases

Sao analisados diferentes aspectos de 100 pacientes submetidos a parotidectomias, consecutivas, no periodo de janeiro de 1981 a janeiro de 1989. Os resultados sao comparados e discutidos,com base na literatura consultada, sobre tumores de parotida e parotidectomias. Foram realizadas 72 parotidectomias superficiasis e 18 parotidectomias totais, com achado de 69% de neoplasias benignas, 17% de neoplasias malignas, 4% de sialoadenite cronica e 10% de tumores nao parotideos. A incidencia de tumores do lobo profundo da glandula foi de 17%. Observamos, no pos-operatorio, deficit motor-temporario no territorio do nervo facial em 34% dos pacientes. A recidiva, com acompanhamento de cinco anos em media, foi de 3%. Nosso estudo apresenta certas peculiaridades, mas e, em geral, similar aos encontrados na literatura, quando comparadas as estatisticas

Reconstruçäo craniofacial microcirúrgica / Microsurgical cranofacial reconstruction

De 1981 a 1988, 10 pacientes portadores de extensas lesöes tumorais em Cabeça e Pescoço foram submetidos a ressecçöes craniofaciais oncológicas, seguidos de reconstruçäo com retalhos transplantados com microcirurgia vascular. Foram executados 11 retalhos microcirúrgicos: cinco do músculo grande dorsal, três do músculo reto abdominal, um do omento maior e um paraescapular. Bons resultados foram obtidos em nove pacientes (90%) e nove retalhos (82%). Num mesmo doente, houve perda total dos dois retalhos microcirúrgicos empregados (um grande dorsal e um omento maior), provavelmente devido a uma somatória de fatores desfavoráveis. Após a apresentaçäo detalhada de um caso representativo e da análise crítica, algumas conclusöes säo delineadas em relaçäo a estas técnicas reconstrutivas