Prospective study of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology and sentinel node biopsy in the staging of clinically negative T1 and T2 oral cancer.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare sentinel node biopsy (SNB) and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for preoperative evaluation of the N0 neck in T1 to T2 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHODS: Fifty-one consecutive patients with T1 to T2 N0 oral cavity SCC were included in this study. Preoperative ultrasound was performed in all patients. Ultrasound-guided FNAC was performed in patients in whom the ultrasound result was reported as indeterminate or positive. SNB was done in all patients followed by elective neck dissection (END). Histopathology of END was considered as the gold standard for all statistical analysis. RESULTS: The incidence of occult metastasis was 26.4%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were 71.4%, 100%, 100%, and 90.2% for SNB and 14.3%, 100%, 100%, and 76.5% for ultrasound-guided FNAC. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided FNAC lacked sufficient accuracy to detect occult metastases. SNB is a reliable method to detect occult metastasis that has potential to replace END.

Ultrasound-guided botulinum toxin injection: A simple in-office technique to improve tracheoesophageal speech in postlaryngectomy patients.

BACKGROUND: Pharyngoesophageal spasm is a known entity to cause hypertonic/failed tracheoesophageal speech and is successfully treated by botulinum toxin A injection. However, success of botulinum toxin treatment is based on the accurate localization of the pharyngoesophageal segment. METHODS: A 65-year-old man who had a laryngectomy using voice prosthesis with hypertonic speech underwent ultrasonographic localization of the hypertonic pharyngoesophageal segment. The ultrasound findings were confirmed using videofluoroscopy. Under ultrasound guidance, botulinum toxin was injected into the hypertonic pharyngoesophageal segment and subsequently voice outcomes were evaluated by a speech language pathologist and the pharyngoesophageal segment was assessed by using an ultrasound scan. RESULTS: The patient had improvement in his postinjection tracheoesophageal puncture speech. Ultrasound scan assessment of the pharyngoesophageal segment showed adequate dilation as compared to the pre-botulinum toxin injection treatment. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonographic localization of the hypertonic pharyngoesophageal segment and ultrasound-guided botulinum toxin injection is a simple, quick, and relatively cheap method to be used in routine practice.

Factors affecting wound complications in head and neck surgery: A prospective study.

CONTEXT: Head and neck surgeries are complex. Wound complications are associated with considerable morbidity and can result in delay in the adjuvant treatment. Identification of factors will help in formulating preventive guidelines. AIMS: The aim of this study is to identify perioperative factors responsible for wound complications. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Prospective study of 186 head and neck patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Pre-operative, intraoperative and post-operative factors were recorded. Each patient was evaluated for minor and major wound complications twice daily during the hospital stay. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Chi-square test was used for univariate and log regression test was used for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The overall wound complication rate was 29% with 7% major and 22% minor complications. On univariate analysis, laryngeal and hypopharyngeal location, advanced T stage, poor oral hygiene, clean-contaminated surgery, low Karnofsky performance status (KPS), flap reconstruction, blood loss more than 1000 ml, perioperative blood transfusion, duration of surgery greater than 4.3 h and post-operative hemoglobin lesser than 11 g%, post-operative tracheostomy and resection of mandible were statistical significant factors. On multivariate analysis, post-operative tracheostomy, low KPS, post-operative serum albumin less than 3.7 g/dl and duration of surgery greater than 4.3 h were significant factors. CONCLUSION: Apart from unavoidable factors, it is essential to take care of certain factors viz nutrition, haemoglobin, oral hygiene, asepsis and repeating antibiotics in prolonged surgery.

Angiosarcoma of the scalp associated with Xeroderma pigmentosum.

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare autosomal recessive genodermatosis associated with hypersensitivity to ultraviolet light due to defects in Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair. These patients have more than a 1000-fold increased risk of developing skin cancers. Although multiple cutaneous malignancies are common, the simultaneous occurrence of angiosarcoma and basal cell carcinoma is a rare phenomenon. We report a case of a 25-year-old male with XP with angiosarcoma scalp and basal cell carcinoma of face and occiput and discuss the treatment of this aggressive neoplasm with a review of the literature pertaining to it.

Management of thyroid cancers.

Thyroid cancers cover a large spectrum of disease with diametrically opposite prognosis. At one end of the spectrum we have the well differentiated cancers which carry an excellent prognosis, while at the other end there is anaplastic cancer with high mortality rates and dismal prognosis. Management of thyroid cancers still has some controversial issues due to lack of randomized controlled trials. Extent of surgery, extent of neck dissection, role of radioiodine treatment and thyroid stimulating hormone suppression are still debatable. In this review, we highlight these controversial issues and give guidelines for the management and follow up of patients with thyroid cancer.