COVID-19 and its impact on genitourinary malignancies.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has emerged as an alarming disease since December 2019, claiming the lives of thousands across the world to date. This pandemic has burdened healthcare systems all over the world due to its heavy death toll. Researchers are actively working on effective treatment strategies, the scope of vaccination and the production of more medical equipment to tackle this crisis. However, it is important to note that the management of patients with malignancy also needs to be prioritized during such times. Some urological malignancies need early diagnosis and treatment while the diagnosis and treatment of several others can be safely delayed. Hence, we searched MEDLINE for evidence on the optimal management of urological cancers during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Studies published from December 2019 to April 2020 were included in the review. Guidelines formulated by international and national urological societies were also included. This review aims to summarize the present evidence on effective triage and safe management of urological cancers amid COVID-19 pandemic to ensure efficient usage of healthcare resources during these unprecedented times.

A safe technique of finger-guided biopsy of the prostate.

Prostatic biopsy is the gold standard of diagnosis of prostatic cancer. In the era of transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate, finger-guided prostatic biopsy still has a role in underdeveloped and developing countries. We describe a safer technique of performing a finger-guided prostatic biopsy.

Synchronous double malignancy of lip and submandibular salivary gland with rare histology.

In the modern era, there is an increase in the incidence of double malignancies owing to the remarkable improvement in cancer diagnostics and patient survival. Double malignancies can be either synchronous or metachronous. Synchronous double malignancy can present either at the same time or within 6 months of diagnosis of the first one. We present a case of double malignancy of lip and submandibular salivary gland, diagnosed in a 55-year-old male, who presented with ulceroproliferative lesion of the upper lip and a hard swelling in the right submandibular gland. The tissue diagnosis was suggestive of squamous cell carcinoma of the lip and mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the submandibular gland. The patient underwent successful wide local excision of the lip and submandibular gland along with prophylactic supraomohyoid neck dissection. This case is reported for the rarity in site and histopathology of double malignancy.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Breast Mimicking Chronic Breast Abscess.

Primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the breast is an exceedingly rare malignancy, and there are no clear management protocols for SCC of the breast. We report a 45-year-old female patient who presented with the recurrent breast abscess and a large fungating SCC of the breast with fixed ipsilateral axillary nodes. She was offered modified radical mastectomy. During the follow-up visits, she was observed to have developed multiple vertebral metastases. She had palliative chemotherapy. However, the patient succumbed to the disease within 6 months of the diagnosis.

Brachial plexopathy in carcinoma of the prostate: An uncommon presentation of a common malignancy.

Neurological presentation is rare in carcinoma prostate. Brachial plexopathy as the only manifestation of carcinoma prostate is very rare and has not been previously reported. We report an 88-year-old man who presented with new-onset paralysis of the right hand. Digital rectal examination revealed a hard, enlarged prostate and biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma of the prostate with a Gleason score of 7 (4 + 3) with perineural invasion. Computed tomography of the neck showed osteoblastic secondaries involving C6, C7, and T1 vertebrae with a paravertebral soft-tissue mass involving the right foramina of C6, C7, and T1 vertebra. The patient succumbed to the disease despite complete androgen blockade.

Ascaridial Volvulus: An Uncommon Cause of Ileal Perforation.

Ascariasis is a common worm infestation in developing and under-developed countries. It is caused by the ingestion of food contaminated with Ascaris eggs from faeces and is more common in places with poor sanitation. Almost 25% of the world population is infested by Ascaris lumbricoides. Although ascariasis is a chronic disease, it can present as acute abdomen rarely. The wandering nature of Ascaris in and out of the bowel causes various abdominal complications such as intestinal obstruction, perforation, biliary ascariasis, pancreatic ascariasis, liver abscess, appendicitis, and Meckel's diverticulitis. Intestinal obstruction is the most common complication seen in children and is usually due to mechanical bowel obstruction, volvulus or intussusception. Mechanical obstruction by a bolus of worms is the most common cause of bowel obstruction. Perforation of bowel is rarely reported and it usually occurs in the diseased segment of bowel or following trauma. Perforation of an ileal volvulus secondary to ascariasis has been reported rarely. We present a 4-year-old boy who presented to the emergency room with features of bowel perforation and sepsis, after unsuccessful management for intestinal obstruction in another hospital. On laparotomy, the small bowel was teaming with Ascaris worms. Ileum showed a volvulus with closed loop obstruction and perforation. Peritoneal lavage with resection and ileostomy was done, which was closed at a later date. Anti-helminthic agents were started postoperatively and the boy recovered uneventfully.

Meckel's Diverticulitis Masquerading as Acute Pancreatitis: A Diagnostic Dilemma.

Meckel's diverticulum is a remnant of the proximal part of the vitellointestinal duct and is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract. It may either remain asymptomatic or present with myriad of clinical presentations. Gastrointestinal bleeding is the most common presentation in children whereas it is intestinal obstruction in the case of adults. We report a 9-year-old boy who presented with acute onset of periumbilical pain and nonbilious vomiting. His clinical and laboratory parameters were unremarkable, except for serum amylase levels. He was conservatively managed initially as acute pancreatitis with paralytic ileus. However, the child deteriorated in a course of 2 days with bilious vomiting, abdominal distension, and dehydration. Imaging was suggestive of an ileoileal intussusception, and exploratory laparotomy identified Meckel's diverticulum as the lead point for the intussusception. The histopathological examination revealed inflamed heterotopic pancreatic tissue at the apex of the diverticulum thus explaining the elevated amylase levels. This case is reported to highlight the atypical presentation of Meckel's diverticulum and the high clinical suspicion warranted in diagnosing such concomitant intussusception.

Rare Presentation of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia in a Sexagenarian.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) usually presents in the neonatal period, and about 10% of reported cases occur in adults. The most common type is Bochdalek's hernia, which occurs through a defect in the posterolateral portion of the diaphragm with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 2500 live births. CDH in adults presents with gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms, which can be acute or intermittent. We report a case of CDH diagnosed in a 55-year-old man, who presented with acute onset of chest pain and dyspnea with insignificant past history. This patient was initially evaluated medically for myocardial infarction followed by intercostal chest drainage placement, before a definitive diagnosis of CDH was made. This case is reported for its rarity and to highlight the high index of suspicion needed to diagnose CDH in adulthood. This is specially important as CDH, masquerades as other acute conditions in older individuals thereby delaying the diagnosis.