Efficacy of intertruncal and corner-pocket approaches of ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block in terms of ulnar nerve blockade: A randomised controlled study

Background and Aims

The incidence of ulnar nerve sparing has declined with the corner-pocket approach of the supraclavicular block (SCB), however, it continues to persist. A recent technique of SCB, the intertruncal approach, separately blocks each trunk of the brachial plexus. Thus, we hypothesised that the intertruncal approach results in a complete ulnar nerve blockade.

Methods

Eighty-eight patients were randomised to undergo SCB using an ultrasound (USG)-guided corner-pocket or intertruncal approach and were compared primarily regarding the complete sensory and motor blockade of the ulnar nerve and all four nerves (ulnar, radial, median and musculocutaneous nerves) at 15 min. Secondary objectives included time required for block performance, patient discomfort score, time to readiness for surgery and duration of sensory blockade of the ulnar nerve. Continous data were compared using an independent t-test, and categorical data were compared using the Chi-square test.

Results

The proportion of participants with complete sensory (30/44 vs. 14/44, P < 0.001) and complete motor (22/44 vs. 7/44, P < 0.001) blocks in the ulnar nerve and all four nerves at 15 min was significantly higher in the intertruncal group. Block performance time and patient discomfort score were higher in the intertruncal group (P < 0.001). The total duration of sensory blockade in the ulnar nerve was more in the corner-pocket group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

USG-guided intertruncal approach is superior to the corner-pocket approach of SCB regarding a complete ulnar nerve blockade.

The Positive Predictive Values of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 4 Lesions and its Mammographic Morphological Features

The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) is a comprehensive guideline to systematize breast imaging reporting, and as per its recommendations, any lesion with likelihoods of malignancy greater than 2% is deemed as suspicious and tissue diagnosis is recommended. The aim of the study is to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of BI-RADS categories 4a, 4b, and 4c for malignancy and association of mammographic morphological features of BI-RADS 4 subgroups with malignant outcomes. We retrospectively reviewed all the patients undergoing mammography with BI-RADS score of 4 followed by biopsy from May 2019 to April 2020. The predictive values of BI-RADS 4 subcategories and morphological features with malignancy are performed taking histopathology report as the gold standard. The PPV of BI-RADS subcategories 4a, 4b, and 4c for malignancies were 34, 89, and 97%, respectively. BI-RADS 4c patients tend to be older (50.2 ± 12.2 vs. 44.6 ± 10.3 years) with larger mass (44 ± 16 vs. 32.9 ± 16.8 mm) at presentation than 4a. Postmenopausal state (P = 0.03) and older age (P = 0.019) were significantly associated with malignancy. There is no meaningful difference observed in the predictability of BI-RADS category 4c lesions among different breast density patterns. The overall higher PPV for BI-RADS 4a and 4b reflects subjectivity in subcategory assignments of BI-RADS 4. In patients, less than 40 years with the BI-RADS 4a category on mammograms may undergo supplementary imaging with MRI which may downscale the lesion classification in turn reducing unnecessary biopsy and surgery.

Cutaneous and cardiac metastases in carcinoma of anterior tongue

Distant metastases in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck are uncommon, and the incidence rises with neck node metastasis. The lung, liver, and bones are the common possible sites for distant metastasis. Cutaneous and cardiac metastases are extremely rare situations with aggressive behaviors and present in the late course of the disease. Here, we report a case of anterior tongue cancer with cutaneous, bone, cardiac, lung, and soft tissue of right suprascapular area metastases after a gap of 2 years of follow-up of completion of treatment with radical surgery and adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation therapy. The present case developed such type of aggressive distant metastases without any locoregional recurrence and died within 6 months of diagnosis of distant metastases.

Recurrence of Plexiform Ameloblastoma as Acanthomatous Ameloblastoma: A Rare Case Report

Ameloblastoma is an uncommon locally invasive benign odontogenic tumor arising from the odontogenic epithelium. It is a slow-growing tumor with locally aggressive nature, and posterior mandible is the most common location. The recurrence rate is high even after en bloc resection. Acanthomatous ameloblastoma is one of the rare variants of ameloblastoma and is usually seen in older age group. Here, we present a case of acanthomatous ameloblastoma in a 46-year-old female who previously diagnosed and treated for a case of plexiform ameloblastoma 17 years back. This is the first case to be reported among ameloblastoma with different histopathological variants at recurrence.

Perioperative sildenafil therapy for children with ventricular septal defects and associated pulmonary hypertension undergoing corrective surgery: A randomised clinical trial

Background and Aims

Sildenafil is known to reduce pulmonary artery pressure but its role in the perioperative period has not been well studied. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of sildenafil in controlling post-operative pulmonary hypertension in children with pulmonary hypertension undergoing surgeries for correction of ventricular septal defect.

Methods

The patients were divided randomly into two groups of thirty each. Group 1 (placebo) received pre-operative placebo and post-operative sildenafil (0.5mg/kg every 6 hrs) while Group 2 (sildenafil) received pre- and post-operative sildenafil (0.5mg/kg every 6 hrs).

Results

In the Group 1, systolic pulmonary artery pressure reduced from 81.63 (±12.1) mmHg preoperatively to 79.26 (±11.29) mmHg pre-cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and 56.76 (±11) mmHg (with 10 minutes post-CPB), whereas in Group 2, it reduced from 83.3 (±12.1) before surgery to 68.9 (±11.3) mmHg pre-CPB and after CPB, to 42.2 (±7.6) mmHg (P = 0.001). The mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 60.63 (±10.5) mmHg to 42.13 (±8.3) mmHg in the Group 1 whereas it reduced from 54.36 (±10) mmHg to 31.36 (±6.5) mmHg in Group 2 (P = 0.001). The reductions in pulmonary artery/aortic ratio and Intensive Care Unit stay were statistically significant No adverse effects were recorded.

Conclusion

The use of perioperative sildenafil has a statistically significant reduction in the mean pulmonary artery pressure without any adverse effects.

Synovial Sarcoma of Palmar Aspect of Hand and Survival: A Rare Case Report

Synovial sarcomas of the hand are extremely rare entities than most soft tissue sarcomas. The location at finger is further rarer than carpus of the hand. Synovial sarcoma of the hand/finger initially confused with many diagnoses such as myositis, haematoma, synovitis, tendonitis, bursitis, and other inflammatory lesions and therefore needs careful handling of the case with proper evaluation. We report a case of synovial sarcoma of the palmar surface of the right hand at interface of thumb and index finger in a 22-year-old female. The case was initially misdiagnosed as an abscess/haematoma of the finger 10 years back and treated with wide local excision. Synovial sarcoma was diagnosed on microscopic examination of excised specimen. Patient developed recurrent lesion twice locally. During first recurrence, the patient was treated with wide excision followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Second recurrence was with bony destruction at the same site and below elbow amputation was performed.

Poorly Differentiated Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumour of Ovary with Heterologous Elements

Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumour (SLCT) is included under sex-cord stromal tumour of testis or ovary. Ovarian pathology is an extremely rare entity constituting less than 0.5% of all ovarian neoplasms. Majority of the cases present at younger age group, i.e., 2^nd and 3^rd decade of life. The clinical presentation depends on either mass effect or excess hormone production. Virillization symptoms are the most common presentation and depend upon the quantity of androgen production. Most of the patients have a unilateral mass without extraovarian spread and present at stage-I. Treatment and prognosis depends on the degree of the differentiation and the stage of the disease. Here, we report a case of SLCT of the ovary in a young female. The patient initially presented with pain abdomen due to mass effect and was treated with conservative surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy due to the presence of poorly differentiated pathology with heterologous elements.

Choroidal Metastasis as Initial Presentation in Adenocarcinoma of Lung: A Case Report

Vision impairment as an initial presentation detecting choroid metastasis in primary lung cancer is rare. Prevention or treatment of visual loss and improvement in quality of life can be achieved by treatment of intraocular metastasis. The survival of the patient in choroid metastasis with lung primary is poor with the median survival being 3.3 months. However, proper treatment may increase the quality of life and survival to an extent. We report a case of adenocarcinoma of lung in a female patient, presented initially with visual impairment as a result of choroidal metastasis and treated with external beam radiotherapy for choroidal metastasis followed by palliative chemotherapy. The patient was survived with improved vision and quality of life since last 12 months of diagnosis.

A Comparative Study on Weekly Versus Three Weekly Cisplatinum Based Chemoradiation in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancers

INTRODUCTION

Head and Neck Cancers constitute around 30% of cancers occurring in India and majority of cases present with locoregionally advanced disease. Cisplatin based concurrent chemoradiation is the most common modality of definitive treatment in these advanced cases. However, it is unclear regarding priority of weekly versus three weekly cisplatin based concurrent chemoradiation schedule in treatment of such advanced diseases.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy in terms of response, locoregional control, and disease status in both the arms, and to compare the acute and late toxicity in both arms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty untreated patients of locally advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of head and neck were randomized into two arms: Arm A (n=15) patients received injection cisplatin 30 mg/m² weekly along with radiation; Arm B (n=15) patients received injection cisplatin 100 mg/m² on a three weekly basis along with radiation. Radiotherapy was delivered to a total dose of 66 Gy in conventional fractionation schedule in telecobalt machine.

RESULTS

Major toxicities included mucositis, dermatitis, vomiting, neutropenia, and anaemia. There was a trend towards increase in grade-III leukopenia and grade-III dermatitis in arm A compared to arm B, and increase in grade-III mucositis and grade-III vomiting in arm B in comparison to arm A although statistically not significant. Within a median follow-up of seven months, in arm A complete response was 73.33% (11/15) and partial response was 26.67%; whereas in arm B complete response was 85.71% (12/14) and partial response was 14.29%, which was not statistically significant. However, there was a trend towards better efficacy in arm B.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that, weekly cisplatin arm is as good as three weekly cisplatin arms. But efficacy is not statistically significant. However, there was a trend of three weekly cisplatin arms towards better efficacy, with comparable haematological and mucosal toxicities.

Digital Acrometastasis as Initial Presentation in Carcinoma of Lung A Case Report and Review of Literature

Bony metastases develop in 30% of all the cancers, but out of which only 1% to 3% occurs in the hand. Lung is the most common site for acrometastasis, followed by breast and renal cell cancer. Metastases to the digits are with non-specific presentation. We reported a case of 79-year-old male patient with initial presentation of swelling over left index finger, which was found to be squamous cell carcinoma of finger on histopathological examination. He was subsequently diagnosed as a case of squamous cell carcinoma of lung with acrometastasis.

Effects of hemodilution on outcome after modified Blalock-Taussig shunt operation in children with cyanotic congenital heart disease

OBJECTIVE

Cyanotic congenital heart diseases (CCHD) with secondary polycythemia and hyperviscosity state are associated with a reduction in blood flow, stagnation of blood, and thrombosis. Sufficient hemodilution in cyanotic children results in higher blood flow and significant reductions in perioperative blood loss. The aim of this study was to investigate similar beneficial effects of hemodilution in preventing shunt thrombosis and decreasing postoperative blood loss after modified Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt operations in children with CCHD.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomized, controlled study.

SETTING

Cardiac center of a tertiary care, referral hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Fifty children with CCHD undergoing modified BT shunt operations.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were randomized into 2 groups. The study group (n = 25) received a calculated amount of 6% hydroxyethyl starch (200/0.5) solution to bring down the hematocrit to 45%, whereas the control group (n = 25) received 5% dextrose solution intraoperatively as per the authors' normal protocol.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Effects of hemodilution on shunt patency, postoperative blood loss at 24 hours, blood and blood component usage, and re-exploration rates were recorded. The shunt patency rate was significantly higher in the study group than the control group (100% and 84%, respectively, p < 0.05). Postoperative blood loss at 24 hours was significantly higher in the control group than in the study group (14.4 +/- 11.8 mL/kg and 9.9 +/- 8 mL/kg, respectively, p < 0.05). The number of recipients and the amount of blood and blood components administered were higher in the control group, but they were not statistically significant. The re-exploration rate (for excessive postoperative chest-tube drainage) was significantly higher in the control group than the study group (12% and 0%, respectively, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Hemodilution in CCHD patients undergoing modified BT shunt surgery has beneficial effects including improved shunt patency because of higher blood flow through the graft and less postoperative blood loss, which may be attributed to the lower viscosity produced by hemodilution.

Attachment of spermatozoa to in vitro matured bovine oocytes in TCM-199 and MEM media

Investigation was undertaken to study the efficacy of TCM 199 and MEM media in the process of oocyte maturation and fertilization after harvesting the oocytes from slaughtered cow and heifer ovaries by aspiration and mincing techniques. Out of 354 number of ovaries, mincing method could yield 1.35 (50.98%) of good quality oocytes per ovary as comparison to 0.61 (55.45%) by aspiration method. The TCM 199 and MEM could record the maturation of 85.71% and 60.26% of oocytes and the rate of sperm penetration was higher in TCM 199 matured oocytes (97.21%) as compared to MEM matured ones (74.46%). The staining of oocytes by aceto-orcein stain was also employed.