Search

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common differentiated thyroid neoplasm. Common sites of regional and distant metastasis includes lymph nodes, lungs and bone. 51 year old female patient who was a known case of PTC with a history of multiple surgeries, radioactive iodine therapy (RAI) and oral chemotherapy presented with a painful right parotid mass. PET scan demonstrated FDG avid lesions in the right parotid gland, cervical lymph nodes and other distant sites. Cytology report showed features of metastatic PTC. Patient underwent extended total parotidectomy with facial nerve resection, skin and masseter muscle resection and extended radical neck dissection. Final histopathology (HPE) report showed metastatic papillary carcinoma thyroid. Patient is currently on oral chemotherapy and on regular follow up. PTC rarely metastasizes to parotid gland and such cases have to be treated with surgery alone or with a combination of surgery and RAI based on tumour burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives – Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) is an already well established modality of treatment for early stage oropharyngeal cancer. This case report will throw light on the role of TORS as a treatment option for oropharyngeal cancer in a salvage setting. Methods – This is a case of a 69 year old patient who was a follow up case of carcinoma base of tongue, status - post concurrent chemoradiation who presented with residual disease at the primary site. Results – TORS was used as a successful treatment modality for base of tongue carcinoma in a salvage setting. The surgical procedure included removal of the entire hyoid bone in toto along with the tumour which is not reported in literature. The procedure also helped us in achieving an R0 resection. Conclusion – TORS should be considered as an important management modality for tongue base tumours in upfront as well as salvage setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Neck dissection forms an important component in the surgical management of head and neck cancers. By using the conventional techniques of neck dissection, a conspicuous scar is inevitable for the patients. The development of robotic assisted neck dissection provides for a scar-free neck along with good oncological and functional outcomes., Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in our institute from 2020 March to 2022 March, where robotic-assisted neck dissections performed via the modified bilateral axillo-breast insufflation technique., Results: Eighty-two patients underwent robotic neck dissections in our institute. Notably, 79 patients were treatment-naïve. The average docking time was 12 min and console time was 160 ± 15 min. The mean lymph node yield was 28.2. The average post-operative stay was 5.6 days. The average follow-up was noted to be 6.4 months. The mean cosmetic satisfaction score in our patients was 4.45. Only one patient presented with nodal recurrence, who was identified as a defaulter for adjuvant treatment. Robotic neck dissection gives similar functional and oncological outcomes as compared with conventional neck dissection. Patients had excellent cosmetic satisfaction following the procedure. The limitations of these techniques include high cost of procedure and longer operating time. This is a level IV evidence study., Conclusion: Although good oncological, functional, and cosmetic outcomes have been attained in robotic assisted neck dissection, further randomized controlled studies need to be conducted to justify the added costs, cosmetic advantage, and the time taken., Level of Evidence: Level IV Laryngoscope, 2024., (© 2024 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Background: In recent past, there has been a rush to legalize marijuana along with a lot of support for its medicinal uses. This review intends to discuss the medicinal uses of marijuana and its adverse effects based on the current available evidence. Furthermore, it discusses the impact of legalization of marijuana., Methodology: This was a narrative review for which a thorough literature search was conducted on the Medline and PubMed databases. A detailed search of the Internet to find relevant information on webpages was also performed., Results: High-quality evidence for the majority of medical indications of marijuana remains investigational. Most of the available literature compares it against placebos. Postlegalization usage of marijuana has increased., Conclusion: It would be prudent to wait for studies which prove beyond doubt the advantages of marijuana over the existing drugs and also outweigh its side effects and addiction potential. Moreover, further legalization of marijuana should only be considered after evaluating its effects at places where it is already legally available., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2020 Indian Journal of Palliative Care.)