ABSTRACT
Surgery with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy is the mainstay in treatment for advanced stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; however, locoregional recurrences are frequent. Salvage surgery could be proposed in selected patients to improve local control, disease-free, and overall survival. Factors for improved disease-free and overall survival in patients treated with salvage surgery include age, tumor location, the initial T stage, HPV status, resection margins, and the time elapsing from the initial treatment. Clinical trials with adjuvant therapies have shown promise after salvage surgery in terms of tolerance and response, but clinical guidelines for using these adjuvant treatments are currently lacking. The aim of this review is to present current knowledge concerning the incidence and management of recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and current data concerning survival and morbidity after salvage surgery.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: COVID associated mucormycosis is a challenging problem with significant morbidity and mortality implications. COVID affliction, pre-existing medical conditions especially diabetes and steroid prescription are supposed contributors for development of this opportunistic fungal infection. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment with adequate post-op anti-fungal therapy. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained database of all surgical patients between March-May 2021 at a single centre. Prognosticators such as severity of COVID affliction, use of steroids, extent of rhino-orbital mucormycosis, extent of surgery and outcomes were studied. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse frequency of different variables and chi square test was used to analyse prognostic factors. P value < 0.05 were deemed significant. Results: 74 patients with an average 30 day follow-up were included. All patients had preceding COVID infection and 71.6% were diabetic and 25.7% were diagnosed during the course of their COVID treatment. Multiple sinus involvement being most common (52.61%), 10.81% underwent orbital exenteration and 24.32% palatectomies were performed. Revision surgeries were warranted in 16.21% patients. 9 patients succumbed to disease/ underlying medical and treatment related complications. Conclusion: We propose a risk assessment based on general condition of patient and severity of mucormycosis infection to decide appropriate strategy for surgical intervention. Early detection and timely and adequate surgery are essential pre-requisites to good outcomes. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-021-02692-9.
ABSTRACT
Maxillary vein and superficial temporal vein unite to form the retromandibular vein in the parotid gland. The facial nerve lies lateral to external carotid artery and retromandibular vein. Identifying and preserving the facial nerve is the prime motto during parotidectomy. So the variations of facial nerve and the retromandibular vein should be known so as to avoid injury to both. The variations we encountered during parotid surgery will be helpful in avoiding unexpected bleeding and injury to facial nerve.
ABSTRACT
Thyroid lobes are supplied by superior and inferior thyroid arteries. We dissected out a specific arterial pattern always present along with a well developed pyramidal lobe. Authors named this as "Pyramidal Artery". This may be a common unnoticed bleeding site during surgery. Thyroid anomalies are commonly observed as incidental finding during surgery. Presence of pyramidal lobe is the most common finding among other thyroid anomalies due to persistence of thyroglossal duct. Present study reported incidence of pyramidal lobe in 41.46% cases and pyramidal lobe branches off more frequently from left lobe than right. Special attention has to be paid during total thyroidectomy in order not to leave the thyroid tissue. Few such anatomical variations and surgical importance of vascular pattern in such cases is discussed in paper.
ABSTRACT
Facial artery plays a key role in blood supply of the face. Facial artery one of the anterior branches of the external carotid artery originates within the carotid triangle. Variation in the origin of the facial artery was observed on two sides out of 60 sides in 30 cadavers. Facial artery was observed originating at the level just below the maxillary artery within the parotid gland. Facial artery may originate as linguo-facial trunk or thyro-linguo-facial trunk. Other developmental variations have also been described in the literature like, agenesis of facial artery, enlarged facial artery, hypoplastic facial artery. Variability in situation may complicate the surgery. Therefore maxillofacial surgeon, plastic surgeons and head & neck surgeon should be aware of such variation.
ABSTRACT
Thyroid anomalies are not uncommon. Two lobes are usually connected by isthmus at the level of 2-4 tracheal rings. We encountered a unique variation in which thyroid lobes were connected near upper pole by an isthmus at the level above the cricoid cartilage giving an 'inverted U' shape to the thyroid gland. Such unusual variation in thyroid gland has not been reported earlier in the literature. The sound knowledge of such variation should be important to the surgeon while operating on thyroid.
ABSTRACT
Every surgery is planned on the anatomical arrangement of the structures. Any variation in the arterial arrangement may lead to haemorrhagic episodes during intraoperative procedures. In this study, variations in the branching pattern of external carotid artery were noted. In two of the cases, thyrolingual trunk was observed. In the first case, thyrolingual trunk was arising from the common carotid artery, 17 mm below carotid bifurcation and in the second one at the carotid bifurcation. The knowledge of anatomical variation is necessary during intra-arterial chemotherapy and to prevent haemorrhagic accidents during intraoperative procedures.
ABSTRACT
Duplication of internal jugular vein (IJV) is rare. It is the larger channel draining the cranial cavity. We encountered duplication of the IJV while cervical node clearance in a patient with squamous cell carcinoma of left margin of the tongue. IJV divides into two parts anterior and posterior after descending about 2.5 cm from the jugular foramen. IJV is an important landmark in neck surgery. Knowledge of its variations is essential to avoid complications during surgery and to avoid misinterpretation in CT angiography.
