ABSTRACT
Even though thyroid surgery is quite safe, mechanical damage, devascularization or inadvertent removal of the parathyroid glands are possible. Though postoperative mortality is extremely low, post thyroidectomy hypocalcemia is one of the most common and potentially life-threatening complication following thyroid surgery. The clinical manifestation varies from minimal twitching to life threatening tetany and can prolong the hospital stay. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical usefulness of routine oral calcium with Vitamin D supplements in reducing the incidence and severity of hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy. This safe and cost effective therapy may prevent the threatening complications like tetany and reduce the hospital stay.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Extra-cranial meningioma or ectopic meningioma is a rare tumor. This tumor has been reported in various anatomic sites in the head and neck, mediastinum, skin and soft tissues. We report a rare case of ectopic meningioma in the submandibular region detected by using fine-needle aspiration cytology, histopathology and immunohistochemistry. This case represents another unusual site for extra-cranial meningioma, which prompted us to report it. CASE PRESENTATION: An 18-year-old Dravidian woman presented with swelling in the right submandibular region. The computed tomographic scan findings were suggestive of a neoplastic mass lesion in the right submandibular region. Fine-needle aspiration cytology led to the differential diagnosis of a monomorphic adenoma of a salivary gland or an ectopic meningioma. The patient underwent excision of the submandibular gland and tumor. The histological examination and immunohistochemistry studies confirmed that the lesion was an extra-cranial meningioma. At her two-year follow-up examination, there was no recurrence of the tumor. CONCLUSION: Our experience with this case indicates that, although rare, meningioma should be entertained in the differential diagnosis of a mass lesion in the head and neck region.
