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Orocutaneous fistula (OCF) is a common postoperative complication encountered following surgery for oral cancers with multiple implications. There is no grading system available for this complication which has so many implications that would help in its uniform reporting and management. In this study, we have included patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma operated on between January 2021 and December 2021 and tested a proposed three-tier grading system (grades 1–3) for OCF. Out of the 284 patients at risk of OCF, 37 (13%) patients developed OCF in this cohort. Six patients had grade 1 OCF, 20 patients had grade 2 OCF, and 11 patients had grade 3 OCF. Patients with a higher grade of OCF had prolonged hospital stays and required multiple surgical debridements and/or resuturings, and a few needed another flap, which was statistically significant. The proposed grading system for OCF appears to be useful in grading this complication. However, this needs to be validated in a prospective study across multiple centres.

Thyroidectomy conventionally accompanies total laryngectomy. This study intends to analyze the incidence and factors leading to thyroid gland involvement in carcinoma larynx and hypopharynx. Retrospective chart review from March 2011 to December 2016 of all patients who had undergone total laryngectomy at our institute. A total of 125 patients entered into the analysis. Subsites involved were glottis (n = 32), supraglottis (n = 28), transglottis (n = 52), pyriform sinus (n = 12), and subglottis (n = 1). TNM distribution according to AJCC 7th edition is as follows: T2 (n = 1), T3 (n = 34), T4 (n = 90); N0 (n = 97), N1 (n = 13), N2a (n = 5), N2b (n = 5), N2c (n = 4), and N3 (n = 1). Total thyroidectomy was performed in 16 patients, near total thyroidectomy in 5, and hemithyroidectomy in 104. Histopathologically thyroid gland involvement was seen in 11/125 (8.8%). The overall incidence of hypothyroidism was 48% (hemithyroidectomy, 43/104; total thyroidectomy, 16/16; near total thyroidectomy, 1/5). The incidence of permanent hypoparathyroidism was 12.8% (total thyroidectomy, 11; hemithyroidectomy, 5). On multivariate analysis (Cox proportional hazards model), extralaryngeal spread into level 6 (HR = 5.5, p = .006, C.I = 1–18.8) and extracapsular extension (HR = 9.3, p = 0.02, C.I = 1.29–67.5) were statistically significant predictors for thyroid gland involvement. Survival analysis of patients with thyroid gland involvement (n = 11) revealed 5-year overall survival (OS) of 100% and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) of 59.3% compared with patients without thyroid gland involvement, 71% and 51.7%, respectively (median follow-up, 30 months). Thyroid gland involvement did not show a statistically significant effect on OS/DFS on multivariate analysis. In view of the endocrine abnormalities and lack of survival benefit seen, thyroidectomy should be performed judiciously during total laryngectomy.

We, the authors, agree to the following changes on our manuscript (https://doi.org/10.1007/s13193-019-00987-6) entitled (Surgical Approaches for Common Gynecologic and Obstetrics Surgeries) regarding change of figure 1 and 3 and addition of figure 4.

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Mucormycosis is an opportunistic fungal infection usually seen in immunocompromised patients. We report a case of gastric mucormycosis in an immune-competent lady that mimicked a gastric malignancy, presenting a diagnostic challenge. A high index of suspicion is required for the diagnosis and successful treatment of this potentially life-threatening condition.

Women with Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) and an intact primary have long been treated with systemic therapy alone. Local therapy is not considered unless for palliative reasons. However, several studies have suggested local treatment in the form of Surgery for the primary improves overall survival in certain groups of MBC patients. We evaluated the factors influencing the outcome in this group of patients. In a retrospective review of our prospective database, we identified the patients who presented with MBC and underwent surgery for primary tumour (2004–2009). Patients' surgical details and clinicopathological factors were reviewed. The overall survival of the MBC patients who underwent surgery was evaluated and compared depending on the various clinicopathological factors. Out of 196 patients with MBC, 48 underwent surgery of the primary tumor during their treatment course. Median overall survival was better in patients with young age (<=40 years), Estrogen receptor(ER) positive tumors (31.4 months vs 21.2 months), single metastatic site vs multiple metastatic sites (43.4 months vs 26.69 months). We also found that patients with low level of suspicion for metastases fared better than those with high level of suspicion (43.4 months vs 20.9 months). Our data analysis suggested that for MBC patients who undergo surgery, survival is significantly worse in patients with pathological T4 lesions and there is a trend towards better survival in younger patients and in those who have ER positive tumour, Her2neu negative tumour, single site of metastases and patients with low level of metastatic suspicion. However these factors need to be evaluated in a randomized trial comparing with patients who have not undergone surgery.

Incidentalomas on computed tomography (CT) scans are incidental or unsuspected findings that are detected when obtaining a CT examination for an unrelated reason. Incidentalomas on CT scans are common. This study was conducted to examine the rates of incidental findings on CT chest in patients who were screened for COVID-19. Three thousand one hundred ninety-one CT scans were assessed for incidental findings. These CT scans were taken from an urban diagnostics laboratory in Hyderabad (IN) over a period of 2 months (April to May 2021) when the COVID-19 s wave peaked. Data from these reports were tabulated with demographic information and findings. Out of 3191 scans, 277 (8.68%) showed incidental findings, the most common of which was lung nodules and other individual findings. There were 6 total malignancies detected and a further 92 cases that required follow-up. CT scans are important for the detection of incidental findings. Care should be taken to follow up on patients with incidental findings that are undetermined to catch a lesion in the early stage.