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Venous malformations are low flow endothelial malformations with aberrant and ectatic venous channels. They are defects in vascular growth which causes functional and cosmetic impairment. Gradual growth in size of the lesion occurs due to venous congestion or thrombosis. Venous malformations in parapharyngeal space are a rare entity and are difficult to diagnose. Case Report. 13 year old boy presented with a history of hyposmia and progressive difficulty in breathing for a duration of 2.5 years. MRI face and neck with contrast showed a 4.5 × 4.3x3.6 cm lesion in the left parapharyngeal space. CT angiogram of brain and neck demonstrated a heterogeneously enhancing mass in the left parapharyngeal region. PET scan illustrated an ill-defined mass in the left pre styloid parapharyngeal space. Biopsy from the lesion showed features consistent with venolymphatic malformation. Flexible laryngoscopy showed a bulge over the left soft palate region with narrowing of nasopharyngeal lumen. Patient underwent transoral robotic surgery for complete excision of the mass. Post-operative period was uneventful. He has been on follow up for the past 1 year with no evidence of any residual or recurrent disease. Venolymphatic malformation is a rare lesion in the parapharyngeal space which is difficult to diagnose pre operatively. Surgical excision is the preferred modality of treatment for deep seated lesions in the parapharyngeal space. The advent of transoral robotic surgery have reduced the morbidity and improved clearance for such cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Chondrosarcomas are rare malignancies of the cartilage and myxoid chondrosarcoma is its variant which commonly occurs in soft tissue of extremities. Extraskeletal chondrosarcoma is a rare malignant neoplasm of bone or soft tissue origin and is characterized by the presence of spindle cells admixed with well differentiated cartilage or chondroid stroma. They are mostly radioresistant tumours and surgical resections with adequate margins is considered as the ideal treatment modality with adjuvant radiotherapy in high grade tumours and add on chemotherapy, in case of presence of poor prognostic factors. Case Report: A 51-year-old diabetic, hypertensive female patient presented to our outpatient department with difficulty in chewing food for a duration of 6 months. On clinical examination, she had an ulceroproliferative growth involving right lower alveolus and floor of mouth. MRI face and neck with contrast showed a 4.1 × 2.9 × 4.5 cm lesion involving right lower alveolus extending to floor of mouth. Biopsy showed features of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma. She was planned for upfront surgery (Right composite resection with modified radical neck dissection with free fibula flap). Patient was stable post-surgery and was discharged in stable condition. Final histopathology report was high grade myxoid chondrosarcoma. The case was presented in tumour board and the patient was planned for adjuvant radiotherapy. She has been on regular follow up for the past 2 years and shows no signs of recurrence. Conclusion: Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma of oral cavity is a rare entity and very few cases are reported. It is a malignant neoplasm which is diagnosed with the help of immunohistochemistry. Surgery is the ideal modality of treatment accompanied by adjuvant radiotherapy in cases of high-grade tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is widely prevalent globally. Fungal rhinosinusitis is a subtype which requires early detection by using appropriate tests and to make an accurate decision regarding the treatment modality. This study aims at determining the clinicomycological profile of fungal rhinosinusitis (FRS). A total of 105 patients with CRS were included in the study which was prospectively done during a time period of 18 months in a tertiary care hospital. All patients were subjected to CT scans and diagnostic nasal examinations (DNE) preoperatively. The sinonasal specimens were subjected to KOH mount, fungal culture and histopathological examination following functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). 53% of the patients with fungal sinusitis belonged to the age group 41–60 years. The prevalence of FRS was found to be 38% with aspergillus species accounting for about 85% cases. FRS is a disease which can have a wide spectrum of clinical presentations requiring early detection and appropriate treatment which is essential to avoid both short term and long term sequalae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

131-I radioactive iodine (RAI) scan is an important modality in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer to detect recurrent or residual disease. Thus it is important to have knowledge about the possibility of false positive findings in these scans to avoid wrongful diagnosis and unnecessary treatment. We here by present a patient who underwent total thyroidectomy with lymph node dissection and followed by radioactive iodine therapy for papillary thyroid cancer. He had 131-I iodine avid nodular lesion in the left parotid gland which was later proven to be oncocytoma on histopathology. False positive findings on radioactive iodine scans are a possibility which should be known to surgeons as well as nuclear medicine physicians for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extraosseous osteosarcoma is a rare malignant soft tissue neoplasm, and extraosseous osteosarcoma of the parotid gland is very rare. It has a very aggressive course, and there are no standardized treatment guidelines. We report the case of a 20 year old male patient who presented with history of right neck swelling since 6 years for which he had undergone right parotid surgery 5 years ago. The final histopathological report indicated that the mass was a pleomorphic adenoma. One year after the first surgery, the patient experienced recurrence of swelling over the operated site, and the size of the swelling has been increasing gradually since then. He was evaluated clinically, and a large mass was noted over the upper aspect of the right upper neck, extending to the occipital and parotid regions. An MRI scan was done which showed a 12 × 10 × 8 cm lesion centred in the right parotid gland, involving paraspinal muscles, C1–C2 vertebrae and extending into the parapharyngeal space. FNAC of the lesion showed features of pleomorphic adenoma. The patient underwent a complete excision of the tumour. The patient's post-operative period was uneventful. The final histopathological report of the patient was extraosseous osteosarcoma of the parotid gland. The patient was referred for adjuvant radiotherapy. He has been on regular follow-up for the past 6 months and has shown no sign of recurrence. EOS is an extremely rare tumour of the head and neck region which often requires extensive surgical resection with or without adjuvant radiotherapy. It has a high rate of local recurrence and a very low disease free survival. Such patients should be kept on a close follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Schwannomas are benign nerve tumours arising from the Schwann cells. Approximately 25-45% of schwannomas occurs in the head and neck region. Majority of schwannomas in the head and neck region arise from the vagus nerve. Trigeminal schwannomas account for about 0.2% of all intracranial tumours. Trigeminal schwannomas can originate from any section of the fifth cranial nerve, from the root to the distal extracranial branches, but majority develops from the Gasserian ganglion, usually growing in the middle cranium. Most common presenting symptom is facial pain. MRI is the imaging modality of choice and CT scan usually serves as a supplementary imaging especially for skull base tumours. 47 year old male patient presented to the outpatient department with complains of swelling over the left side of palate. Contrast enhanced CT scan demonstrated a large bilobed heterogeneously enhancing soft tissue lesion in the left infratemporal fossa with widened foramen ovale and extension of lesion into the Meckel's cave, larger contiguous component extending into ramus of mandible. MRI scan showed a large lobulated mass in the left masticator space with intracranial extension. Biopsy of the lesion was suggestive of schwannoma. The patient underwent left composite resection with dural repair and free flap reconstruction. Post operatively, on day 5 he developed features of meningitis for which he was treated conservatively and later discharged in stable condition. Trigeminal schwannomas are rare tumours with very low chance of malignant transformation which commonly presents with facial pain. MRI is the imaging modality of choice. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice. [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: Venous malformations are commonly seen in muscles like masseter, temporalis, tongue musculature, oral and airway mucosa in the head and neck region but is rarely seen in parapharyngeal space. Case Summary: We report a case of a 60 year female patient who presented with foreign body sensation of throat, sticky sensation and dysphagia to solids for 2 years. She was subjected to relevant investigations including MRI and USG guided FNAC. Following which she underwent endoscopic parapharyngeal space tumour excision and specimen was sent for HPE. Post operatively patient is doing well and symptomatically better. She is being followed up on regular basis. Conclusion: Parapharyngeal space tumours accounts for only 0.5% of head and neck tumours, of which 70 to 80% are benign and the rest are malignant. Out of the benign tumours of parapharyngeal space we should also keep in mind rare tumours like venous malformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myofibrosarcoma is a distinct mesenchymal malignancy which commonly occurs in head and neck region. It has a high tendency for local recurrence and distant metastasis. 39-year-old male presented with epistaxis, nasal obstruction and left sided complete loss of vision. He underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery and guided biopsy. MRI scan showed a lesion epicentred in the left maxillary sinus, superiorly extending into the orbit. He underwent Class 4b maxillectomy with neck dissection, tracheostomy and free flap reconstruction. Histopathological examination yielded final diagnosis as myofibrosarcoma of maxilla. The patient was planned for adjuvant radiotherapy and has been disease free for 3 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral reefs are undergoing deterioration worldwide due to climate and anthropogenic stressors, notwithstanding the enormous support they provide to marine biodiversity and the essential services to humans. Knowledge about the extent of hard coral distribution is a key requirement for designing conservation strategies such as Marine Protected Areas(MPA). The transboundary island groups of the Andaman Sea—Andaman, Nicobar and Mergui Archipelagos—are largely underexplored and less managed due to their remoteness and various political constraints. In the present study, we developed a maximum entropy (Maxent) based distribution model for the stony coral Acropora muricata by using records of its occurrence and 14 remotely sensed environmental variables along with bathymetry and distance from the shore as predictors. Our model predicted this species’ current distribution, with the mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value of 0.908. The important predictor variables determining the distribution were bathymetry, distance from the shore, calcite, PAR, and ocean current. Many of the unexplored islands, seamounts and shallow patches of the Andaman Sea such as Cinque Island, Invisible Bank, Batti Malv Island, Tillanchong island, Narcondam, Barren island, Than, Dunkin, Cash Island, the southern tip of Zadetkyi, Bruer, Graham, Clara Island, Buda, Lord Loughborough Island, Quoin Island, Tachai, Koh Bon, Ko Payang and several other unnamed sites were predicted as potential areas of occurrence of A. muricata as per this study. The presence of this species, which is the most common hard coral in the Indo-Pacific, indicates the existence of coral reef ecosystems in these areas. Such habitats and the region’s proximity towards the coral triangle imply better chances of connectivity and resilience. This study will contribute toward designing a transboundary conservation network and developing management plans to maintain sustainable fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical lymph node metastasis is one of the most common clinical presentations of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Occult thyroid carcinoma is described as absence of primary tumour or with presence of microcarcinoma in thyroid with cervical lymph node metastasis. Frequency of occult thyroid cancer has decreased due to developments in imaging and improved accuracy of histological examinations. 38 year old male presented to us with complaints of swelling over the left side of neck for the past 2 months. Ultrasonography was suggestive of multiple suspicious enlarged nodes in left level II, III, IV and V and fine needle aspiration cytology showed features of metastatic PTC. He was planned for total thyroidectomy with central compartment clearance and bilateral functional neck dissection. Final histopathology staging was pT0N1b. Radioactive iodine (RAI) screening showed residual functioning thyroid and later therapeutic RAI was administered. He has been on regular follow up and disease free for 1 year post treatment. Occult thyroid carcinoma is a rare diagnosis with multiple treatment plans. Few hypothesis for this entity includes tumor regression, ectopic thyroid carcinoma or missed pathological findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shafeeque, M.; Shah, P.; Platt, T.; Sathyendranath, S.; Menon, N.N.; Balchand, A.N., and George, G., 2019. Effect of precipitation on Chlorophyll-a in an upwelling-dominated region along the west coast of India. In: Jithendran, K.P.; Saraswathy, R.; Balasubramanian, C.P.; Kumaraguru Vasagam, K.P.; Jayasankar, V.; Raghavan, R.; Alavandi, S.V., and Vijayan, K.K. (eds.), BRAQCON 2019: World Brackishwater Aquaculture Conference. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 86, pp. 218–224. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The South Eastern Arabian Sea (SEAS) is an upwelling-dominated region, where the seasonally-reversing winds and currents are the major physical forces driving primary production. The region is characterized by high primary productivity during the summer monsoon season (June to September), when the winds and currents favor upwelling. The coast is notable for the presence of monsoonal rivers. During summer monsoon, nutrient-rich riverine water is discharged in great quantity into coastal waters. The heavy inflow of turbid, nutrient-rich water into coastal regions during the summer monsoon facilitates primary production, augmenting phytoplankton biomass. In the present study, we investigated the relative roles of upwelling and precipitation that drive productivity along the south-west coast of India. The available remote sensing data sets for chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), precipitation, silicate and wind were used for the period 1998 to 2016. The Chl-a anomaly showed positive correlation with upwelling index and precipitation except during 2003 and 2012. During these years, negative anomalies for Chl-a and precipitation were observed even though the upwelling index showed positive anomalies. So the enhancement in Chl-a was nominal during those specific years even when the upwelling was very strong. This indicates the role of riverine nutrients from heavy precipitation during summer monsoon that contributes significantly to coastal productivity apart from upwelling in SEAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study was to analyse the change in voice in terms of acoustic parameters and its perceptual impact in patients who have undergone tonsillectomy. A prospective study was conducted in our institution—JSS Hospital and JSS institute of speech and hearing, Mysore for a duration of 1 year (December 2015–December 2016). 50 post tonsillectomy cases were selected randomly and subjected to acoustic analysis. It was inferred that situation of vocal analysis and assessment for the vowels 'a', 'i' and 'u' under the categories hoarse, harsh and breathy remain more or less the same during preoperative stages, first preoperative follow up and the second post operative follow up. It was concluded that tonsillectomy did not appear to change the acoustic features of vowels remarkably. It was assumed that the subject may adjust the shape of the vocal tract to produce consistent speech sound after surgery using auditory feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]