Pilot Evaluation of Perioperative High Dose Rate Brachytherapy in Head Neck Cancers.

Perioperative high dose rate brachytherapy involves insertion of brachytherapy catheter over the tumor bed during surgical removal of disease followed by radiation in the postoperative period. It has applications in radiotherapy dose escalation or reirradiation and for extending the surgical margins. We report here initial results of treatment in five cases of locally advanced head and neck cancers.

The Role of Trans Oral Robotic Surgery in the Carcinoma of Unknown Primary: A New Evidence in the Horizon?

The detection of the primary site in Carcinoma of Unknown Primary (CUP) is a challenging task which can significantly alter the course of management and also prognosis. Various modalities have been assessed with varying sensitivity and specificity. Imaging and cytological diagnosis have formed a key part of the diagnostic algorithm of CUP.

A FACS-based novel isolation technique identifies heterogeneous CTCs in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Isolating circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from the blood is challenging due to their low abundance and heterogeneity. Limitations of conventional CTC detection methods highlight the need for improved strategies to detect and isolate CTCs. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved CellSearch™ and other RUO techniques are not available in India.

Survival Analysis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients Attending Tertiary Care Centre of North India.

The cumulative survival for all stages in oral squamous cell cancers (OSCC) in the world remains poor despite the advances in management; hence, we conducted this study to evaluate the survival outcomes. This is a retrospective review and analysis of treatment, follow-up and survival records of 249 OSCC patients treated in our department from April 2010 to April 2014. Telephonic interviews were conducted for survival details for some patients who had not reported.

Intra-operative intaoral ultrasonograpy ensures free deep resection margins in carcinoma tongue: A pilot study.

Resection of primary in carcinoma tongue is challenging as the tumor often spreads submucosal and deep in muscles. There are various Intraoperative tools available to guide tumor resection margins. We studied the use of intraoperative ultrasound-guided resection for obtaining free deep resection margins in cases of oral carcinoma tongue.

Feasibility of Establishing an Artificial Intelligence Based Head and Neck Cancer Registry: Experience from a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Unlabelled: Establishing and maintaining a cancer registry in a tertiary high volume centre is fraught with difficulty, inaccuracy and missed data entry. Further, the raw unstructured data must be converted into a structured digital data, so that scientists can identify trends in cancer diagnoses and treatment responses. We test the feasibility of establishing a cancer registry of Head and Neck malignancy patients through a research oriented artificial intelligence (AI) enabled data collection platform, using its smartphone application version.

An Easy to use Periosteal Flap for Cochlear Implantation: Experience from a Tertiary Care Centre.

This report describes a novel and easy periosteal flap design for cochlear implantation. This technique has been used in 37 patients between June 2019 and August 2020. The patients have been followed up for a period of 2 months to 15 months.

As the virus sowed, the fungus reaped! A comparative analysis of the clinico-epidemiological characteristics of rhino-orbital mucormycosis before and during COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The sudden surge of mucormycosis cases which happened during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic was a significant public health problem in India.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyse the clinico-epidemicological characteristics of the mucormycosis cases to determine the changes that had occurred due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.

Perioperative high dose rate brachytherapy in head and neck cancers: case report and review of clinical application.

Perioperative high dose rate brachytherapy is a radiotherapy treatment technique which involves intraoperative insertions of brachytherapy catheters into the tumor bed during the surgical resection followed by treatment in the post-operative period. We report here two cases to highlight its use in the primary treatment and reirradiation of head and neck cancers.

Feasibility of Using Posterior Auricular Artery as Landmark for Identification of Facial Nerve Trunk in Parotid Surgery: A Cadaver Study.

Introduction: Despite good surgical knowledge of the anatomy of parotid gland and meticulous surgical technique, the incidence of facial palsy in parotid surgeries is up to 26.7% transient and 1.7% complete facial palsy(1).

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the parapharyngeal space arising from cervical sympathetic chain: A rare entity.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) of parapharyngeal space are rare and if present are most often in association with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1). Only a few cases of MPNST have been reported in the literature without coexisting NF. We report one such case of an MPNST of parapharyngeal space tumor in a 35-year-old female with no associated features of NF-1.

Desmoplastic fibroma of the mandible: a rare gnathic bone tumor with a review of the literature.

Desmoplastic fibroma (DF) is a rare bone tumor, which is known to involve mostly the gnathic bones. In this setting, the clinical presentation is usually represented by a bulging tumor of the face. Radiologically, the tumor is usually characterized by an expansile lytic bone lesion.

Comparison of transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasound with video laryngoscope for assessing the vocal cord mobility in patients undergoing thyroid surgery.

Objective: We evaluated the accuracy and feasibility of transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasonography as an alternative to videolaryngoscopy for assessing vocal cord mobility to rule out recurrent laryngeal nerve injury following thyroidectomy.

Methods: Forty-five adult patients scheduled to undergo elective thyroidectomy under general anesthesia were included. Preoperatively, indirect laryngoscopy and transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasonography was done for assessing vocal cord mobility.

Does preoperative bacterial culture have bearing on healing of mastoid cavity: A prospective study.

Objective: To study the bacteriological profile in a healing mastoid cavity.

Methods: This study was a single centre prospective study. Culture swabs from granulations in the mastoid cavity were sent in 40 consecutive patients with squamosal chronic otitis media undergoing mastoidectomy.

Secondary encephalocele in infant following subdural empyema repaired endoscopically-A case report.

Subdural empyema (SDE) is an uncommon entity, mostly associated with meningitis and can be life threatening in infants. Rarely, a subdural empyema can lead to nasal encephalocele which can be challenging situation to manage especially in infant. We present a case of 7 month old infant who presented with subdural empyema that led to formation of nasal encaphalocele after 4 months which was managed endoscopic route.

Epithelio- Myoepithelial Carcinoma of Masseteric Space: a Case Report.

Epithelio-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMEC) is a very rare malignancy of the salivary gland which comprises less than 1 % of salivary gland tumors. In the parapharyngeal space they can either arise from the deep lobe of parotid gland or de novo from minor salivary glands. We present a case of epithelio-myoepithelial carcinoma of parapharyngeal and masseteric space.

Neck dissection with harmonic scalpel and electrocautery? A randomised study.

Objective: Is the use of harmonic scalpel for neck dissection useful? Literature search did not show a single, prospective, randomised control trial. We intended to study the role of harmonic scalpel in neck dissection and compare it with conventional electrocautery technique for oral cavity carcinoma.

Methods: 40 patients undergoing selective neck dissection for primary oral cavity malignancy were enrolled in this study.

Role of preoperative versus postoperative itraconazole in allergic fungal rhinosinusitis.

Antifungals used as adjuvant to surgery in AFRS (Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis) have shown varying success in delaying recurrences. Itraconazole has been used both as preoperative and postoperative adjuvant. This study investigates the role of itraconazole in AFRS and compares its role between preoperative and postoperative administration of the drug.

Comparison of spinal accessory dysfunction following neck dissection with harmonic scalpel and electrocautery - A randomized study.

Introduction: Harmonic scalpel is being increasingly used in neck dissection as alternative to conventional electro-cautery for achieving haemostasis. Use of harmonic scalpel has been shown to significantly reduce intra operative blood loss and intra operative time in neck dissection. But how safe is it with regards to nerve injury (spinal accessory nerve and other nerves) during neck dissection.

Congenital bilateral adult choanal atresia undiagnosed until the second decade: How we did it.

Background: Bilateral congenital choanal atresia that presents in adulthood is rare. There are only eight reported cases in the literature.

Method: We present a ninth case of adult bilateral choanal atresia diagnosed at the age of 20 years.

Oropharyngeal exercises in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea: our experience.

Introduction: Oropharyngeal exercises are new, non-invasive, cost effective treatment modality for the treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea. It acts by increasing the tone of pharyngeal muscles, is more physiological, and effects are long lasting.

Aim Of The Study: The aim of our present study was to evaluate the effect of oropharyngeal exercises in the treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea.

A rare case of asymptomatic radioiodine-avid renal and brain metastases 20 years after hemi-thyroidectomy for adenomatous goiter.

A 65-year-old patient, with a history of left hemi-thyroidectomy for adenomatous goiter 20 years previously, was found to have pulmonary lesions on chest X-ray, a brain lesion on computerized tomography (CT), and elevated serum thyroglobulin (Tg). While completion thyroidectomy revealed that no pathological evidence of thyroid malignancy, radioiodine-avid pulmonary, brain, and renal and bone lesions were identified on diagnostic as well as posttherapy whole body planar scintigraphy and single photon emission computed tomography-CT. Subsequent ultrasonography-guided biopsy of a renal nodule showed thyroid follicular cells.