Resilience among involuntarily childless couples and individuals undergoing infertility treatment: a systematic review.

Infertility is regarded as a highly stressful and challenging experience. However, the response to this unexpected moment varies from one individual to the other. The review explores research that studies resilience in the context of infertility and its treatment. The purpose was to study the protective and risk factors associated with resilience and to identify psychosocial factors that could play a crucial role in resilience among infertile couples and individuals who are seeking infertility treatment. Four major databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Wiley Online Library) were searched with appropriate keywords. A total of 4101 articles were retrieved from the databases and after following various levels of screening 18 articles were finalized. These articles explored resilience and other psychosocial factors in couples/individuals seeking infertility treatment. The protective factors associated with resilience were quality of life, coping, social support, and posttraumatic growth. The risk factors associated with resilience were infertility-related stress, anxiety and depression. The unexpected diagnosis of infertility might be disturbing for many, still, it may not be extremely agonizing for some. Individuals who are encouraged to utilize their own resources and seek support are able to deal with stressors associated with infertility.

Aggressive Intra-Abdominal Fibromatosis in an Adolescent Girl - An Unusual Sequelae to Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal fibromatosis presenting as an abdominal mass is a rare occurrence in a gynecological setting. The diagnosis might not be suspected preoperatively, and management could be challenging. CASE: An 18-year-old girl with ovarian germ cell malignancy was managed with staging laparotomy and chemotherapy. She developed a large abdominal mass 10 months later. An abdominopelvic mass (40 × 20 cm) was removed at laparotomy. The histopathological diagnosis was intra-abdominal fibromatosis. A rapidly growing abdominal mass recurred postoperatively. After discussion with the tumor board, chemotherapy with methotrexate and vinblastine was started. The tumor was not responsive, and the patient succumbed after the second cycle of chemotherapy. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION: Abdominal fibromatosis should be considered among the differential diagnoses of a rapidly growing abdominal mass after resection of an ovarian germ cell tumor.

Gastric Neuroendocrine Tumor.

Gastric neuroendocrine tumor (gNET) is a rare carcinoid of the stomach whose incidence is increasing due to widespread use of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGIE). There are four types of gNETs with different management strategies and prognosis. Here, we present a patient who came with abdomen pain and intermittent melena. UGIE showed a sessile polyp in the stomach. The patient subsequently underwent polypectomy and was symptomatically relieved.

Carcinoid Tumors: from the Past into the Future.

Carcinoids are a rare and slow growing tumor, having a propensity to affect all organs but most commonly involve the gastrointestinal tract, followed by lungs. Carcinoid tumors secrete a variety of peptides and neuroamines. Though clinical presentation is varied and depends on the involved organ along with produced neuroactive amines, common symptoms include flushing, explosive watery diarrhoea and bronchospasm. Estimation of 5-HIAA in 24-hour urine is highly specific. Serum chromogranin is highly sensitive even in non-secretory carcinoids. Octreoscan along with MIBG is a better diagnostic modality as compared to computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging alone. Treatment involves a multidisciplinary approach, including resection of primary tumor and debulking, embolisation of liver carcinoids, somatostatin analogues and chemotherapy. Molecular target therapy with Sunitinib and Bevacizumab have been shown to have a promising role in treatment, with higher response rate and slower progression.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Cancer Patients: Effects on Disease Outcomes and Patient Prognosis.

The severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms and outcomes vary immensely among patients. Predicting disease progression and managing disease symptoms is even more challenging in cancer patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Cancer therapies, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, often suppress the immune system, rendering cancer patients more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe complications. However, data on the effects of immunosuppression on COVID-19 outcomes in cancer patients remain limited. Further investigations are warranted to better understand the implications of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients, particularly those that are immunocompromised. In this review, we outline the current knowledge of the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients.

Online Medical Teaching in COVID-19 Era: Experience and Perception of Undergraduate Students.

Introduction: Rapid emergence of COVID-19 as pandemic has affected the life of almost every human being and has changed the way people used to interact. It has also affected medical education and clinical training, and forced medical schools to switch over to online mode of teaching. The aim of this study was to learn about the experience and perception of undergraduate students regarding online teaching. Methods: This is a cross sectional observational study conducted among the undergraduate students of Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, New Delhi, India. A validated electronic questionnaire with nine questions was sent to 177 students as Google FormsTM. Responses from 161 students were received and analyzed using SPSS software. Results:The majority of students were satisfied with the frequency, organization, content and preparedness of classes. Half of students were neither satisfied with the amount of syllabus covered nor online teaching method. Among various teaching methods, live online lectures were most common and they were also preferred by the majority of students. Most students want hybrid or blended teaching in the post COVID-19 era. Conclusion: Online or e-teaching alone is not preferred by the majority of students. Lack of interpersonal interaction is the most likely reason for this. Hybrid or blended teaching holds the future of medical education as it is more student friendly and efficient.

Pre-sternal thyroid swellings: a case of rare aberrant site recurrence and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid swellings enlarge caudally into the mediastinum behind the sternum. Pre-sternal swelling of thyroid origin is very rare. We present our case of pre-sternal thyroid swelling which was albeit a surprisingly rare site of papillary thyroid carcinoma recurrence and review of pre-sternal thyroid swellings reported till date. CASE SUMMARY: A 60 year old female presented with a painless, progressive swelling on the anterior part of the chest for the past 2 years. A 15 cm × 8 cm vertically aligned, non tender, well defined swelling was present on the pre-sternal region, with consistency ranging from soft to firm. The swelling was fixed to the underlying tissues and a fixed level IV lymph node was palpable on the right side. Ultrasonography revealed a large mass of 15 × 7 cm with multiple cystic areas. Fine needle aspiration cytology was inconclusive twice. Patient had undergone a total thyroidectomy for papillary carcinoma 10 years back. Computed tomography findings revealed a large 15 × 6.6 × 7 cm lobulated, pre-sternal, soft tissue lesion with solid & cystic components. The mass was infiltrating the right sided strap muscles and sternocleidomastoid. FNAC was inconclusive and thyroid scan could not pick up any activity in the mass. Henceforth a PET scan was done that showed increased FDG uptake by the lesion and the level IV lymph node. The patient underwent wide excision of the mass with right functional neck dissection, along with removal with both sternal head of sternocleido-mastoid, the strap muscles and the surrounding fascia. Histopathology confirmed papillary thyroid carcinoma. Patient received post-operative radioactive iodine ablation and is healthy with no recurrence up to 30 months of follow up. DISCUSSION: The mechanisms for pre-sternal thyroid swelling are not understood due to paucity of cases. The mechanisms proposed are invasion of strap muscles and cervical linea alba and tumor cells spread anterior to sternum, truly ectopic thyroid tissue, de novo carcinogenesis in the embryonal remnants like the thyro-thymic residues, sequestered thyroid tissue which grows later or migration of thyroid cells, incomplete clearance at the time of primary surgery or intraoperative seeding. CONCLUSION: Pre-sternal region masses of thyroid origin are very rare. A proper work up, suspicion for thyroid mass and array of tests will be required to come to a provisional diagnosis. Since the masses reported in literature were primarily malignant, any such mass may be treated on lines of malignancy with radical surgery.

Acute gastric dilatation with necrosis and perforation: case report of a 16 year old girl.

Acute gastric dilatation with infarction, necrosis, and perforation is a rare event. Here, we are presenting the case of a 16-year-old girl who presented to the surgical emergency with vomiting, acute pain in the abdomen, and distension of abdomen. X-ray abdomen showed gas under the diaphragm and massively dilated gastric shadow. Emergency laparotomy was done in which massive dilatation of the stomach with necrosis and perforation was found. Total gastrectomy with esophagojejunostomy was performed and the patient survived.