Outcome Of Total Surgical Debridement Of Covid Associated Skull base Mucormycosis Based on a New Surgical Staging System: Evidence From A Cohort Study. (preprint)

Purpose: To propose a surgical staging system with management protocol for post-covid Rhino-orbito-cerebral Mucormycosis (ROCM) with central skull base osteomyelitis Methods: A prospective cohort study of post-covid ROCM patients in a tertiary centre between May 2021 and January 2022. Patients were assessed radiologically and staged from I to V. They were followed up for a period of 8 to 18 months and surgical outcome was assessed. Results: Total of 193 patients (129 primary and 64 revision). Maxilla was found to be the epicenter of anterior disease (69.3%) and pterygoid wedge, the epicenter of posterior disease (85.6%). More than 65% of our patients, at the time of presentation, presented with ROCM with involvement of the central skull base. Intracranial disease was noted in 46.5% of patients. The mortality rate was 6.2 %. Conclusion: This staging system provides a systematic protocol for the management of ROCM, with emphasis on meticulous clearance of central skull base.

A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2): current status and challenges

In December, 2019 a new public health crisis threatened the world with the emergence of new zoonotic virus, the 2019 novel coronavirus. SARS-CoV-2 or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 belongs to the family of coronaviruses named for the crown-like spikes on its surfaces. SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease-2019), a contagious viral infection that attacks primarily throat and lungs causing pneumonia-like symptoms. It is speculated that SARS-CoV-2 seem to have come from a bat, but the intermediate reservoir is still unknown. This review will address SARS-CoV-2 structure, clinical features, SARS-CoV-2 genome and its different variant, diagnosis, and treatment and also gives a bird's eye view on the epidemiology and pathology based on current evidence.