The valve is biological and, in general, the veils are not sewn to the papillary muscles, so we don't care what happens to them. A ventricular aneurysm depresses LVEF, but does not suddenly put you into PAD. In contrast, a VSD sharply increases flow to the pulmonary bed, causing pulmonary edema, and is also one of the most frequent complications of AMI. Ischemic ASD... I do not deny that it exists, but it does not even appear in the guidelines. And endocarditis would not require so many saddlebags.

A 62-year-old patient who has had a pericardial bioprosthesis in mitral position for two years. He is admitted urgently for acute coronary syndrome. Two days later and after a favorable evolution, he suddenly presented heart failure with acute pulmonary edema. Select the diagnostic option in this case from the following possibilities:

Acute post-infarction mitral insufficiency.

Dysfunction of the bioprosthesis due to probable acute endocarditis.

Closure of a Prosthetic Mitral Valve Paravalvular Leak Using a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) Amplatzer Occluder Device.

BACKGROUND Paravalvular leaks (PVL) are becoming more commonly experienced in clinical practice due to the increasing number of mitral valve replacements performed. There are about 182 000 valve replacements performed annually, with a 5-15% prevalence rate of paravalvular leaks. Due to increased mortality associated with surgical repair, percutaneous transcatheter closure procedures are increasingly being performed as an alternative to repeat surgery. CASE REPORT We present the case of a 52-year-old woman with past medical history of mitral valve endocarditis who developed worsening acute heart failure 1 month after surgical bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement. Transesophageal echocardiography at the time revealed dehiscence of the bioprosthetic mitral valve and severe mitral regurgitation. She subsequently had emergent surgical bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement and annular reconstruction. The post-operative course was complicated by increasing dyspnea and lower-extremity edema, with recurrent pericardial tamponade requiring placement of a pericardial window. Based on her multiple comorbidities, most notably the concomitant right ventricular failure with severe pulmonary hypertension and prior pericardial patch repair with compromise of her mitral valve annulus, she was deemed inoperable for re-do surgery and eventually underwent a successful percutaneous closure of the mitral paravalvular leak with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) Amplatzer occluder device. The patient made good recovery and was discharged home a few days after the procedure. CONCLUSIONS Although use of the Amplatzer VSD occluder device for this indication currently remains off-label, our report supports the use of the VSD occluder device in this subset of patients considering the high mortality rates associated with repeat surgical procedure.

Are there indications for reconstructive surgery in severe mitral regurgitation after acute myocardial infarction?

From 1972 to 1988, early surgery were performed in 26 patients with acute mitral regurgitation (MR) unresponsive to medical management complicating a recent acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The indication was acute pulmonary oedema (11), major left ventricular insufficiency (5), cardiogenic shock (10). Surgery was performed within 3 weeks following AMI. Mitral lesions were as follows: rupture of chordae tendinae (9) of papillary muscle (6), haemorrhagic necrosis of one (17) or two (9) papillary muscles. The mitral annulus was never found to be enlarged. The LV posterior wall was necrotic in 23, with a septal rupture in 3 and a giant aneurysm in 5. Valve replacement was performed in all but one patient. The 30-day mortality included 8 patients (31%). The cause of death was myocardial insufficiency in 5, early thrombosis of a disk valve in 1 and unrelated complications in 2. One patient deteriorated rapidly and had a Jarvik device implanted. Late results (1 month-15 years) showed 4 cardiac related deaths within the first year. One patient had to be transplanted after 1 year. Two patients died of non-cardiac problems at 3 months and 5 years. The probability of survival at 5 years is 43% and at 10 years 22%. In conclusion, there are still indications for early surgery in MR post AMI. Anatomical lesions of both papillary muscles and ventricular wall do not allow conservative surgery and new non-invasive technics provide a more promising strategy in such desperately ill patients.

Intra-aortic balloon pump

Indications The following situations may benefit from this device. Cardiogenic shock when used alone as treatment for myocardial infarction. 9–22% survive the first year. Reversible intracardial mechanical defects complicating infarction, i.e. acute mitral regurgitation and septal perforation. Unstable angina pectoris benefits from counterpulsation. Post cardiothoracic surgery—most common and useful is counterpulsation in weaning patients from cardiopulmonary bypass after continued perioperative injury to myocardial tissue. Preoperative use is suggested for high-risk patients such as those with unstable angina with stenosis greater than 70% of main coronary artery, in ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction less than 35%. Percutaneous coronary angioplasty In high risk coronary artery bypass graft surgery where cardiopulmonary bypass time was shortened, as well as during intubation period and hospital stay. Thrombolytic therapy of acute myocardial infarction.

Acute decompensated heart failure

Surgery Certain scenarios will require emergent consultation with cardiothoracic surgery. Heart failure due to acute aortic regurgitation is a surgical emergency associated with high mortality. Heart failure may occur after rupture of ventricular aneurysm. These can form after myocardial infarction. If it ruptures on the free wall, it will cause cardiac tamponade. If it ruptures on the intraventricular septum, it can create a ventricular septal defect. Other causes of cardiac tamponade may also require surgical intervention, although emergent treatment at the bedside may be adequate. It should also be determined whether the patient had a history of a repaired congenital heart disease as they often have complex cardiac anatomy with artificial grafts and shunts that may sustain damage, leading to acute decompensated heart failure.

Mitral valve surgery with surgical embolectomy for mitral valve endocarditis complicated by septic coronary embolism.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by septic coronary embolism due to active infective endocarditis is rare but usually fatal. We report a case of successful mitral valve surgery with surgical embolectomy in a 27-year-old man with an AMI complicated by septic coronary embolism due to mitral valve endocarditis. A chest radiograph revealed cardiomegaly and marked pulmonary edema. A transthoracic echocardiogram disclosed severe mitral regurgitation with highly mobile vegetations and hypokinesia of the left ventricular apex. The electrocardiographic findings of ST segment elevation in leads V2-4 and elevated cardiac enzyme levels were strongly suggestive of an acute anterolateral AMI. Nevertheless, emergent cardiac surgery was needed without selective coronary angiography because of intractable heart failure and life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmia requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A total occlusion of the distal left anterior descending artery caused by embolic vegetation and thrombus, which was incidentally detected intraoperatively, was successfully recanalized by surgical embolectomy and thrombectomy using a direct coronary incision. The mitral valve endocarditis was managed with wide debridement and mechanical valve replacement. Three years after the surgery a follow-up echocardiogram showed no abnormalities of the regional wall, motion in the left ventricle and the patient is living an active life without any complications.

Postinfarction ventricular septal defect--surgical strategies and results.

Twenty consecutive patients with postinfarction ventricular septal defect (VSD) were subjected to surgery: there were 8 females and 12 males with a mean age of 67 +/- 9 years. Nine acute patients developed cardiogenic shock, and intra-aortic balloon pump was started before surgery (with IABP). Eight acute patients showed preoperatively relatively stable hemodynamics, and surgery was feasible without previous use of the intra-aortic balloon pump (without IABP). The interval between myocardial infarction and surgery was 13 days for 17 acute cases. In the group with IABP the interval was 8 +/- 5 days versus 19 +/- 11 days in the group without IABP (p less than 0.025). VSD patch closure was performed in 20/20, resection of infarct in 10/20, transventricular approach without resection of infarct in 3/20, patch enlargement of the left ventricle in 2/20, plicature of an aneurysm in 3/20, aorto-coronary bypass in 10/20 (number of bypasses: 2.1 +/- 1.3) and mitral annuloplasty in 1/20. The perioperative 30 days mortality was 5/20 (25%) for the whole series. In the group with IABP mortality was 4/9 (44%) versus 1/8 (13%) in the group of acute patients without IABP (p less than 0.05). Mean follow-up for the 15 surviving patients was 1.7 +/- 1.0 years. Two patients died during the first year, one of them due to carcinoma. After 1 year, mean NYHA functional class was assessed 1.5 +/- 0.6. One patient showed a residual VSD which was closed surgically. Immediate closure of a postinfarction ventricular septal defect is the therapy of choice of this complication of acute myocardial infarct with a natural history showing an extremely high mortality.

[The recurrence of an atrial myxoma in a patient with a mechanical mitral prosthesis--apropos a case].

Recurrence of cardiac myxoma after surgery is an uncommon situation, particularly if a wide excision of the tissue under the tumour has been done. The authors report a case of a 54-year-old male presenting with a left atrial myxoma near the mitral valve, which had to be replaced by a mechanical prosthetic valve during the removal of the tumour. One year later, he was admitted to hospital with persistent fever, weight loss, and congestive heart failure. After a positive hemoculture, intravenous antibiotherapy was initiated, and twice modified because of relapsing fever. Six weeks later, he was transferred to our institution, after an episode of severe acute pulmonary edema. 2D-Doppler echocardiography suggested the possibility of prosthesis dysfunction, revealing a transprothetic diastolic flow with a high peak velocity and moderately elevated pressure half-time. No intra-atrial masses were visualized. Computed tomography was also inconclusive, because of multiple artifacts produced by the prosthesis. These results led to the performance of a cardiac catheterization with contrast ventriculography, which revealed the presence of a transprothetic gradient, and mild mitral regurgitation. The patient was submitted to cardiac surgery, which revealed a recurrent pedunculated left atrial myxoma, with mechanical obstruction of the mitral prosthetic valve. No signs of endocarditis were found. Recurrent cardiac myxomas are reviewed and discussed, as well as the specific problems of the present case, namely the presence of a mechanical prosthetic mitral valve and the initial hemoculture results, with consequent diagnostic delay.

Mitral stenosis

With careful patient pre-selection, percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV) is associated with good success rates and a low rate of complications. By far the most serious adverse event is the occurrence of acute severe mitral regurgitation. Severe mitral regurgitation usually results from a tear in one of the valve leaflets or the subvalvular apparatus. It can lead to pulmonary edema and hemodynamic compromise, necessitating urgent surgical mitral valve replacement. Other serious complications with PBMV usually relate to the technique of trans-septal puncture (TSP). The ideal site for TSP is the region of the fossa ovalis in the inter-atrial septum. Occasionally, however, the sharp needle used for TSP may inadvertently traumatize other cardiac structures, leading to cardiac tamponade or serious blood loss.

Surgical and mechanical support of the failing heart.

The surgical treatment of acute heart failure is limited to cases of pressure or volume overload. Acute valvular regurgitation due to active endocarditis or to prosthetic dysfunction is a classic example of failure which can be cured by restoring valvular competence. Acute pressure load is mostly caused by prosthetic dysfunction or pulmonary embolism; therapy is aimed at removal of the causative agent. Coronary heart disease can cause heart failure by volume overload: acute mitral incompetence or ventricular septal defect lend themselves to surgical correction. In the surgical treatment of acute heart failure maximal attention is devoted to optimal timing of surgery, anesthetic management and postoperative care. Careful attention to the function of the right and left ventricle and combination of catecholamines, afterload reducing agents and volume loading together with respirator support have considerably improved the surgical results. Acute pump failure due to coronary insufficiency and infarction is less amenable to surgical treatment, with rare exceptions of emergencies during coronary angiography and percutaneous dilatation. The intra-aortic balloon pump is the only method of mechanical circulatory assistance which has reached widespread clinical acceptance. The best results are achieved in conjunction with surgery: either as cardiac support in inherently reversible postoperative heart failure or as the means of circulatory stabilization prior to surgery. Ventricular assist devices are still in the experimental stage: their use has been sharply curtailed by the virtual disappearance of the postoperative low output syndrome. In selected cases of end-stage cardiomyopathy cardiac transplantation is nowadays performed with acceptable survival (70% at one year after surgery). Both orthotopic and heterotopic transplantation (transplanted heart in parallel with the natural one) give comparable results, but the procedure is still very restricted due to the lack of donors, multiple contraindications and lack of suitable heart preservation techniques.

Myocardial infarction complications

Rupture is usually a catastrophic event that may result a life-threatening process known as cardiac tamponade, in which blood accumulates within the pericardium or heart sac, and compresses the heart to the point where it cannot pump effectively. Rupture of the intraventricular septum (the muscle separating the left and right ventricles) causes a ventricular septal defect with shunting of blood through the defect from the left side of the heart to the right side of the heart, which can lead to right ventricular failure as well as pulmonary overcirculation. Rupture of the papillary muscle may also lead to acute mitral regurgitation and subsequent pulmonary edema and possibly even cardiogenic shock. Arrhythmia

List of MeSH codes (C14)

– endocarditis – endocarditis, bacterial – endocarditis, subacute bacterial – heart aneurysm – heart arrest – death, sudden, cardiac – heart defects, congenital – aortic coarctation – arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia – cor triatriatum – coronary vessel anomalies – crisscross heart – dextrocardia – kartagener syndrome – ductus arteriosus, patent – ebstein's anomaly – eisenmenger complex – heart septal defects – aortopulmonary septal defect – endocardial cushion defects – heart septal defects, atrial – lutembacher's syndrome – trilogy of fallot – heart septal defects, ventricular – hypoplastic left heart syndrome – leopard syndrome – levocardia – marfan syndrome – tetralogy of fallot – transposition of great vessels – double outlet right ventricle – tricuspid atresia – truncus arteriosus, persistent – heart failure, congestive – cardiomyopathy, dilated – dyspnea, paroxysmal – edema, cardiac – heart neoplasms

[Giant thrombus in the left atrium after mitral bioprosthesis implantation: is standard oral anticoagulation always sufficient?].

We present a case of 70-year old male after coronary by-pass surgery and mitral bioprosthesis implantation due to infective endocarditis, with continuous atrial fibrillation, who was admitted to the hospital due to the worsening of the heart failure. He was on oral antivitamine K agents with therapeutic value of INR. On echocardiography we found enlargement of all cavities with extremely big left atrium (9.5 cm) and poor contractile left ventricular function (EF 25%). An enormously big old thrombus was found in the left atrium. The patient was disqualified from surgical treatment. Treatment with unfractionated heparin was unsuccessful. We discuss if standard antithrombotic treatment is always sufficient in such unusual cases.

List of circulatory system conditions

Congenital heart diseaseSee also :Category:Congenital heart defects Aortic coarctation (Aortic coarctation) Acyanotic heart defect Atrial septal defect Cor triatriatum Dextro-Transposition of the great arteries Double aortic arch Double inlet left ventricle Double outlet right ventricle Ebstein's anomaly GUCH Cyanotic heart defect Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) Transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA) Truncus arteriosus (Persistent) Tricuspid atresia Interrupted aortic arch Coarctation of aorta Pulmonary atresia (PA) Pulmonary stenosis (critical) Non-cyanotic heart defects Atrial septal defect Ventricular septal defect Patent ductus arteriosus and Coarctation of aorta (may cause cyanosis in some cases) Ischemic heart diseasesSee also :Category:Ischemic heart diseases Angina pectoris Acute coronary syndrome Acute myocardial infarction

[Prosthesis-endocarditis in the aortic position in a 22-year case load. Surgical versus conservative treatment].

During the period 1965-1986, a total of 852 patients underwent isolated aortic valve replacement. With 4,875 patients-years at risk, 24 patients developed prosthetic valve endocarditis (PE; 0.49% per patient-year). The five, ten and fifteen year cumulative freedoms from PE were 98.2%, 95.4% and 93.0%, respectively. PE was unrelated to pre- or intraoperative data. No patients submitted to operation for acute/subacute bacterial endocarditis of the native aortic valve developed PE. Out of the 12 episodes of PE within two years of the operation, seven (58%) were caused by Staphylococcus albus compared with two out of 12 (17%; p less than 0.05) subsequent episodes of PE. Seven of the nine infections with Staphylococcus albus were caused by a highly resistant nosocomial variant. Ten of the PE patients underwent replacement of the prosthesis while 14 were treated conservatively. The two therapeutic groups were comparable, although the surgically treated patients tended to be younger and to have more impaired cardiac status. All surgically treated patients and all patients treated conservatively and in whom post mortem verification was possible had paravalvular defects, annular abscesses and/or vegetations on the prosthesis. The thirty-day, one year and ten year cumulative survivals were 80%, 80% and 50%, respectively, after replacement of the prosthesis and 64%, 21% and 7%, respectively, after conservative treatment (p = 0.02). A Cox regression analysis identified conservative treatment, infection with Escherichia coli or Haemophilus influenzae and the need to intensify digitalis/diuretic treatment for congestive heart failure as independent risk factors. It is concluded that replacement of the prosthesis early in the course of the disease should be considered as the treatment of choice.

Pulmonary artery catheter

Indications General indications are: Management of complicated myocardial infarction Hypovolemia vs cardiogenic shock Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) vs acute mitral regurgitation Severe left ventricular failure Right ventricular infarction Unstable angina Refractory ventricular tachycardia Assessment of respiratory distress Cardiogenic vs non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema Primary vs secondary pulmonary hypertension Assessment of types of shock Assessment of therapy Afterload reduction Vasopressors Beta blockers Intra-aortic balloon counter-pulsation Assessment of fluid requirement in critically ill patients Hemorrhage Sepsis Acute kidney injury Burns Management of postoperative open heart surgical patients Assessment of valvular heart disease Assessment of cardiac tamponade/constriction

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention during ST elevation myocardial infarction in prosthetic valve endocarditis: a case report.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is still a condition with high mortality and morbidity, especially in the elderly, and in patients with prosthetic valves. The concept of "time-to-therapy" plays a key role for the prompt management of IE and related complications, and the currently available multimodality imaging may play a key role in this setting. Myocardial ischemia due to extrinsic coronary compression from an aortic abscess is an extremely rare condition where the optimal therapeutic strategy has not been defined yet. We present herein the first case of a patient with ST elevation myocardial infarction caused by an aortic root abscess treated with percutaneous stent implantation. An 82-year-old woman with a history of atrial fibrillation, chronic renal failure, anemia and a bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement performed in 2014, was admitted to hospital with profound asthenia and a pyrexia of unknown origin. Because of high clinical suspicion of endocarditis, a trans-esophageal echocardiogram was performed. Empirical broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy was initiated, followed by targeted treatment based on the results of blood cultures (Staphylococcus aureus). The echocardiogram did not show vegetations and the patient was managed conservatively. She suddenly deteriorated, due to an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with anterior ST segment elevation. An urgent angiogram was performed, and extrinsic compression of the left coronary system, due to an aortic root abscess, was suspected. After discussion with the surgical team, percutaneous revascularization was attempted, aiming to restore satisfactory hemodynamics, in order to plan surgery. Unfortunately, the patient rapidly developed cardiogenic shock, with multi organ failure, and died in less than 24 h. Patients with fever, and significant risk factors for endocarditis, who develop ACS, need a prompt diagnostic work up, including trans-esophageal echocardiography. At present, the specific timing of echocardiographic follow-up and surgical intervention is still a matter of debate, and our case aims to highlight the importance of this aspect in the management of endocarditis, in order to avoid severe complications that adversely affect patient prognosis.

List of circulatory system conditions

Ischemic heart diseasesSee also :Category:Ischemic heart diseases Angina pectoris Acute coronary syndrome Acute myocardial infarction Valvular heart diseaseSee also :Category:Valvular heart disease Aortic insufficiency Mitral stenosis Tricuspid valve stenosis Pulmonary valve stenosis Mitral insufficiency/regurgitation Tricuspid insufficiency/regurgitation Pulmonary insufficiency/regurgitation Vascular surgerySee also :Category:Vascular surgery'' Aortic aneurysm References Lists of diseases

[Replacement of the aortic valve with a pulmonary autograft: experience at the University of Verona].

Early and long term results after surgical replacement of the aortic valve depend to a large degree on the type of valve substitute used. Pulmonary autograft offers many theoretical advantages, particularly in young patients. Between July 1994 and August 1996, 15 patients (12 male) with a mean age of 28 +/- 6 years (range 14 to 36 years) were selected for aortic valve replacement with a pulmonary autograft. The aortic valve disease was isolated insufficiency in 7 cases (47%), stenosis in 3 (20%) and mixed lesion in 5 (33%). One patient in the last group had bacterial endocarditis (Streptococcus mitis). Seven patients (47%) had a bicuspid aortic valve. In 3 cases (20%) the autograft was inserted as a scalloped subcoronary implant. Twelve patients (80%) had total aortic root replacement with re-implantation of the coronary ostia. The right ventricular outflow tract was reconstructed with a cryopreserved homograft (13 pulmonary; 2 aortic). The aortic cross-clamp time was 156 +/- 18 minutes with a total bypass time of 221 +/- 26 minutes. All patients survived the operation. Three postoperative bleeding (20%) necessitated re-exploration. Mean post-operative hospital stay was 10 +/- 2 days. All patients were discharged on aspirin for the period of three months. One patient (7%) with moderate neo-aortic valve insufficiency died suddenly 11 months post-operatively. All survivors are asymptomatic, in NYHA FC 1 at a mean follow-up time of 15.7 months. Freedom from reoperation, valve related complication and endocarditis is 100%. Two-dimensional (2-D) echocardiography six months postoperatively showed a mean left ventricular outflow gradient of 13 +/- 4 mmHg with no evidence of aortic regurgitation in 11 cases (78.5%) and trivial in 3 (21.5%). Although the Ross operation is technically more challenging and requires a longer operating time than standard procedures, this does not seem to affect early mortality and morbidity. Clinical and haemodynamic results appear to be gratifying. Continued patients evaluation particularly with regard to evidence of valve degeneration and arrhythmias in the long term is warranted.

Myocardial rupture

Classification Myocardial ruptures can be classified as one of three types. Type I myocardial rupture is an abrupt slit-like tear that generally occurs within 24 hours of an acute myocardial infarction. Type II is an erosion of the infarcted myocardium, which is suggestive of a slow tear of the dead myocardium. Type II ruptures typically occur more than 24 hours after the infarction occurred. Type III ruptures are characterized by early aneurysm formation and subsequent rupture of the aneurysm. Another method for classifying myocardial ruptures is by the anatomical portion of the heart that has ruptured. By far the most dramatic is rupture of the free wall of the left or right ventricles, as this is associated with immediate hemodynamic collapse and death secondary to acute pericardial tamponade. Rupture of the interventricular septum will cause a ventricular septal defect. Rupture of a papillary muscle will cause acute mitral regurgitation.

[Results of singular valve replacement with a mechanical prosthesis or bioprosthesis in valve diseases with advanced myocardial failure].

Surgery may prolong survival in some patients in advanced cardiac failure due to valvular heart disease refractory to digitalo-diuretic and vasodilator therapy. The operative risk is high and myocardial dysfunction after surgery is also a problem. However, in some cases, surprising improvement is observed. An analysis of the principal publications in the literature on the natural history of valvular heart disease and the results of surgery in the last ten years show that: In chronic aortic valve disease complicated by congestive heart failure, the natural prognosis does not exceed 2 to 3 years in either aortic stenosis or regurgitation. On the other hand, prosthetic valve replacement is associated with a 57% 4 years survival in aortic regurgitation, and a 70% 5 years survival in aortic stenosis, but with an operative mortality of 20 to 27%. Surgery is even more valuable in acute aortic regurgitation due to endocarditis, leading to a 60% 2 years survival compared to only 6% with medical therapy alone. In chronic mitral valve disease with advanced cardiac failure, the natural prognosis does not exceed 4.5 years in mitral regurgitation, 8 years in mitral stenosis and an intermediate period in mixed mitral valve disease. On the other hand, prosthetic valve replacement with an operative risk of 21 to 26% is associated with a life expectancy of 56 to 60% at 5 years, and 46% at 10 years, operative mortality included. The surgical results depend on good myocardial protection and intensive pre-, per- and post-operative care using positive inotropic agents, vasodilators and, when necessary, intra aortic balloon pumping.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Late postinfarction rupture of the interventricular septum].

Postinfarction ventricular septal rupture complicates 1 to 2% of cases of acute myocardial infarction and accounts for 5% of early mortality. This severe complication usually occurs within two weeks after acute myocardial infarction, and the elderly are more susceptible. We present a case of late rupture of the septum. In a 75-year-old man, a ventricular septal defect developed more than two months after an extensive inferoseptal myocardial infarction due to occlusion of the right coronary artery. After more than two months of no symptoms he was referred to hospital due to symptoms of right ventricle failure. The diagnosis was made by echocardiography, pulmonary artery catheterization and ventriculography. Coronarography was also performed. Intraaortic balloon pump was introduced and the patient was transferred to the operating room. The defect was repaired using a circular polytetrafluoroethylene patch supported by buttressed interrupted sutures from both sides. Due to significant mitral valve regurgitation mechanical bileaflet mitral valve was implanted with preservation of the entire mitral apparatus and the left descending artery was revascularized using a saphenous graft. This case is reported to emphasize that later postinfarction rupture of the ventricular septum may occur with symptoms of right ventricle failure dominating the clinical course.

[Elective Mitral Valve Repair for Acute Mitral Regurgitation Due to Anterior Papillary Muscle Rupture:Report of a Case].

An 83-year-old woman with congestive heart failure due to severe mitral regurgitation was referred to our department. Because acute coronary syndrome was suspected, the patient underwent emergent coronary artery angiography, which showed 75% stenosis of segment 2 and 90% stenosis of segment 11. Subsequently, segment 11 was treated by percutaneous coronary intervention. Additionally, transesophageal echocardiography findings showed a prolapse of P2 due to papillary muscle rupture. After management of heart failure, a scheduled operation was performed under the diagnosis of acute mitral regurgitation due to papillary muscle rupture. Intraoperative findings demonstrated a rupture of the anterior papillary muscle, prolapse of P2, and no evidence of infection. The patient underwent mitral valve repair with artificial chordae through median sternotomy. Her postoperative course was uneventful.

Pulmonary wedge pressure

Noninvasive estimation techniques have been proposed. Clinical significance Because of the large compliance of pulmonary circulation, it provides an indirect measure of the left atrial pressure. For example, it is considered the gold standard for determining the cause of acute pulmonary edema; this is likely to be present at a PWP of >20mmHg. It has also been used to diagnose severity of left ventricular failure and mitral stenosis, given that elevated pulmonary capillary wedge pressure strongly suggests failure of left ventricular output. Traditionally, it was believed that pulmonary edema with normal PWP suggested a diagnosis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or non cardiogenic pulmonary edema (as in opiate poisoning). However, since capillary hydrostatic pressure exceeds wedge pressure once the balloon is deflated (to promote a gradient for forward flow), a normal wedge pressure cannot conclusively differentiate between hydrostatic pulmonary edema and ARDS.

Duromedics original prosthesis: what do we really know about diagnosis and mechanism of leaflet escape?

The Edwards-Duromedics (ED) is a bileaflet pyrolitic carbon mechanical valve introduced by Hemex Scientific Inc in 1982, subsequently acquired by Baxter Healthcare Corp, withdrawn from the market in 1988, and modified and reintroduced in 1990. From 1982 to date, 46 cases of leaflet escape have been registered by the manufacturer of an estimated total of 20,000 valves implanted. Disc embolization 12 years after an ED mitral prosthesis implantation is reported in a 45-year-old man operated on when he was in cardiogenic shock because a preliminary transthoracic Doppler echocardiography did not show malfunction of the valve. A correct diagnosis was made four days after the onset of the symptoms by transesophageal echocardiography. During the operation, the posterior leaflet of the ED valve was not found, a 29 mm St Jude Medical bileaflet mechanical prosthesis was implanted and the patient died in the intensive care unit because of low cardiac output syndrome. Cavitation damage is generally considered the most frequent mechanism in cases of such fracture. Thus, any patient with a mechanical valve presenting with acute pulmonary edema must be immediately transferred to a surgical unit; cinefluoroscopy or transesophageal echocardiography may be performed rapidly to achieve successful management of patients with leaflet embolization.

[Obstacle to left ventricle ejection after mitral valvular replacement with a Carpentier-Edwards bioprosthesis. Apropos of 2 cases].

Impairment of the left ventricular ejection induced by a mitral prosthesis remains an infrequent complication, perhaps because it often is unrecognized. This complication would mainly be seen with ball prostheses or standard bioprosthesis used in mitral valve replacements with a small ventricle. Two cases have been recently reported during mitral valve replacement. The two patients were successfully re-operated upon, one after five weeks and the second immediately after the first procedure. A review of the literature enable to specify the etiology and diagnostic criteria with the assistance of Doppler-sonocardiography. Early re-operation may prevent death, often due to a post-operative myocardial dysfunction.

Effective percutaneous "edge-to-edge" mitral valve repair with mitraclip in a patient with acute post-MI regurgitation not related to papillary muscle rupture.

A 65-year-old woman was admitted to our institution for rest dyspnea and hypotension. EKG showed sinus tachycardia with signs of infero-posterior STEMI. 2D-echocardiogram showed severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction with a- diskynesia of the inferior and posterior walls and severe functional mitral regurgitation (MR). The patient underwent urgent coronary angiography that showed 3-vessels disease with total occlusion of both first obtuse marginal (OM) branch of the left circumflex artery and right coronary artery (RCA) and critical stenosis of left anterior descending (LAD). Because of extremely high surgical risk, we performed a staged totally percoutaneous approach. First, we reopened the presumed culprit vessels (RCA and OM) and then, after 48 hr, we performed angioplasty of the LAD. Since revascularization provided no significant improvement in respiratory and hemodynamic parameters we performed a percutaneous mitral repair with Mitraclip. MR grade was reduced from severe to trivial with rapid improvement of the respiratory and hemodynamic parameters. The post-procedural course was uneventful and the patient was discharged 7 days later. At the 30-day and 6-month follow-up the patient remained asymptomatic in NYHA I functional class with no recurrence of MR. Acute MR due to post-AMI mechanical complications is generally considered a contraindication to MitraClip implantation for several reasons. However, the present report shows that, in selected cases, the Mitraclip system may be successfully used to reduce the severity of acute MR secondary to AMI and may allow to reverse cardiogenic shock and/or refractory pulmonary congestion related to the acute regurgitation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system as a bridge to reparative surgery in ventricular septal defect complicating acute inferoposterior myocardial infarction.

Post-infarction ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a rare but potentially lethal complication of acute myocardial infarction. Medical management is usually futile, so definitive surgery remains the treatment of choice but the risk surgery is very high and the optimal timing for surgery is still under debate. A 55-year-old man with no previous medical history attended the emergency-room for 12 h evolution of oppressive chest pain and strong anginal pain 7 days ago. On physical examination, blood pressure was 96/70 mmHg, pansystolic murmur over left sternal border without pulmonary crackles. An electrocardiogram revealed sinus rhythm 110 bpm, elevation ST and Q in inferior-posterior leads. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed inferoposterior akinesia, posterior-basal septal rupture (2 cm × 2 cm) with left-right shunt. Suspecting VSD in inferior-posterior acute myocardial infarction evolved, we performed emergency coronarography with 3-vessels disease and complete subacute occlusion of the mid segment of the right coronary artery. Left ventriculography demonstrated shunting of contrast from the left ventricule to the right ventricule. He was rejected for heart transplantation because of his age. Considering the high surgical risk to early surgery and his hemodynamic and clinical stability, delayed surgical treatment is decided, and 4 days after admission the patient suffered hemodynamic instability so venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system (ECMO) is implanted as a bridge to reparative surgery. The 9th day after admission double bypass, interventricular defect repair with pericardial two-patch exclusion technique, and ECMO decannulation were performed. The patient's postoperative course was free of complications and was discharged 10 days post VSD repair surgery. Follow-up 3-month later revealed the patient to be in good functional status and good image outcome with intact interventricular septal patch without shunt. ECMO as a bridge to reparative surgery in postinfarction VSD is an adequate option to stabilize patients until surgery.

Down syndrome

Heart The rate of congenital heart disease in newborns with Down syndrome is around 40%. Of those with heart disease, about 80% have an atrioventricular septal defect or ventricular septal defect with the former being more common. Mitral valve problems become common as people age, even in those without heart problems at birth. Other problems that may occur include tetralogy of Fallot and patent ductus arteriosus. People with Down syndrome have a lower risk of hardening of the arteries. Cancer Although the overall risk of cancer in Down syndrome is not changed, the risk of testicular cancer and certain blood cancers, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL) is increased while the risk of other non-blood cancers is decreased. People with Down syndrome are believed to have an increased risk of developing cancers derived from germ cells whether these cancers are blood- or non-blood-related.

[Effectiveness of transesophageal echocardiography in diagnosing complete rupture of the papillary muscle after acute myocardial infarction].

We reviewed a case undergoing emergency surgery for acute post-infarction papillary muscle rupture. The patient was a 79-year-old woman transferred to our hospital with cardiogenic shock who required endotracheal intubation. The acute myocardial infarction diagnosis was based on the electrocardiographic findings. She had developed progressively worsening pulmonary edema. No heart murmur was detected. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated hyperdynamic cardiac motion and an intracardiac massive turbulent color Doppler signal, but neither mitral regurgitation nor the ruptured papillary muscle head was demonstrated. Her deteriorating condition precluded cardiac catheterization. We performed transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), which demonstrated massive mitral regurgitation and the ruptured anterior papillary muscle connected to normal chordae tendineae and anterior and commissural leaflets. During systole, the head of the ruptured papillary muscle moved like a whip in the left atrium. Emergency surgery was performed. Complete rupture of the anterior papillary muscle head was found, and the mitral valve was replaced with a porcine bioprosthesis (Mosaic #25). Postoperatively, she was weaned from intra-aortic balloon pumping after 2 days and recovered uneventfully. Postoperative coronary angiography demonstrated no significant coronary arterial stenosis. To make the diagnosis of post-infarction papillary muscle rupture, we recommend immediate TEE.

[Myocardial infarction in pregnancy].

We report two cases of pregnant women who developed an acute myocardial infarction. The proposed cause of massive myocardial anterior and interventricular wall infarction of the first patient appears to be bacterial intracoronary thrombus during the course of bacterial endocarditis. Acute insufficiency of the mitral valve caused by rupture chordae tendineae of the anterior mitral left was another complication. Labor contractions occurred on the 13th day of treatment. On the next day the patient gave birth to a healthy child by elective cesarean section. She was also qualified for an operation because of increased signs of left ventricular heart failure. Preoperative coronary angiography revealed occlusion of the anterior descending branch and reconstruction of its periphery. Other vessels were not changed. The patient was subjected to implantation of artificial valve, an aortocoronary by-pass and repair of atrial septal defect. Eighteen months follow up was uneventful. The second case was a 29 year-old pregnant woman who had previously undergone mitral commissurotomy admitted because of an acute myocardial infarction in the II trimester. No complication of the disease was observed.

List of ICD-9 codes 390–459: diseases of the circulatory system

Heart failure Congestive heart failure unspecified Left heart failure Pulmonary edema, acute Systolic heart failure Diastolic heart failure Heart failure, combined, unspec. Ill-defined descriptions and complications of heart disease Myocarditis unspecified Myocardial degeneration Cardiovascular disease unspecified Cardiomegaly Functional disturbances following cardiac surgery Rupture of chordae tendineae Rupture of papillary muscle Certain sequelae of myocardial infarction not elsewhere classified Certain sequelae of myocardial infarction not elsewhere classified acquired cardiac septal defect Certain sequelae of myocardial infarction not elsewhere classified other Other ill-defined heart diseases Other disorders of papillary muscle Hyperkinetic heart disease Takotsubo syndrome Other ill-defined heart diseases Heart disease unspecified

List of cardiology mnemonics

Renal failure Embolism: pulmonary Complications of Myocardial Infarction Darth Vader Death Arrythmia Rupture(free ventricular wall/ ventricular septum/ papillary muscles) Tamponade Heart failure (acute or chronic) Valve disease Aneurysm of Ventricles Dressler's Syndrome thromboEmbolism (mural thrombus) Recurrence/ mitral Regurgitation Coronary artery bypass graft: indications DUST:p. 31 Depressed ventricular function Unstable angina Stenosis of the left main stem Triple vessel disease ECG: left vs. right bundle block WiLLiaM MaRRoW:p. 31 W pattern in V1-V2 and M pattern in V3-V6 is Left bundle block. M pattern in V1-V2 and W in V3-V6 is Right bundle block. Exercise ramp ECG: contraindications RAMP:p. 31 Recent MI Aortic stenosis MI in the last 7 days Pulmonary hypertension Endocarditis FROM JANE: Fever Roth's spots Osler's nodes Murmur of heart Janeway lesions Anemia Nail hemorrhage Emboli Heart valve sequence Try Puling My Aorta:p. 3 Tricuspid


You are in the middle of the ENT block. You have already passed the Pneumology and Digestive blocks. Dermatology is still to come out, but a dermatologist (answer 1) would not ask this. So we are left with parotid and larynx; but parotid squamous cell carcinoma is rare; I would mark 5 and rest easy. Perhaps because all the adenopathies at this level that I have seen have ended up corresponding to carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract.

You are in the middle of the ENT block. You have already passed the Pneumology and Digestive blocks. Dermatology is still to come out, but a dermatologist (answer 1) would not ask this. So we are left with parotid and larynx; but parotid squamous cell carcinoma is rare; I would mark [HIDDEN] and rest easy. Perhaps because all the adenopathies at this level that I have seen have ended up corresponding to carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract.

A 64-year-old smoker and heavy drinker reports painless right jugulodigastric lymphadenopathy of progressive growth in the last two months whose fine needle aspiration was reported as squamous cell carcinoma. Which of the following is the most likely location of the primary tumor:

OTOLARYNGOLOGY AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

Metastatic laryngeal basaloid squamous cell carcinoma simulating primary small cell carcinoma of the lung on fine needle aspiration lung biopsy. A case report.

First described in 1986, the basaloid squamous variant of laryngeal carcinoma is an uncommon, aggressive neoplasm with early presentation of metastatic disease and widespread dissemination. It is characterized primarily by its biphasic morphologic appearance. A 64-year-old female smoker presented with left hilar and right lower lung lobe masses. The fine needle aspiration cytologic findings were consistent with features of primary undifferentiated small cell carcinoma. The basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck region is a highly malignant neoplasm with frequent metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. Metastatic deposits may consist of basaloid and/or squamous carcinoma cells. The basaloid component of this biphasic neoplasm is poorly differentiated and demonstrates cytologic features that mimic undifferentiated small cell carcinoma. Previous reports of cervical lymph node metastases from basaloid squamous carcinoma indicate frequent misdiagnosis as small cell carcinoma. Pulmonary metastases are more problematic since they introduce the possibility of a second primary lesion in these patients who have a frequent history of cigarette and/or ethanol abuse. Immunohistochemistry is useful in the distinction of metastatic basaloid squamous carcinoma from a second primary cell carcinoma of the lung.

Thyroid metastasis from small cell lung carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Small cell lung carcinoma frequently metastasizes to lymph nodes, liver, adrenal glands, bone, brain and pleura. Metastasis of small cell lung cancer to the thyroid gland is extremely rare. A 55-year-old Turkish man presented with a mediastinal mass intermingled with mediastinal lymphadenopathy, measuring 11cm in total, and encasing superior vena cava and deviating his trachea, esophagus and vascular structures. He had superior vena cava syndrome. His thyroid appeared normal on computed tomography of his chest. A bronchoscopic biopsy showed small cell lung carcinoma. Chemotherapy with cisplatin and etoposide and external radiotherapy was given. Six months after the presentation, multiple brain metastases were detected on magnetic resonance imaging. Chemotherapy was changed to topotecan and cranial irradiation was performed. At the same time, a right thyroid nodule was detected on computed tomography of his chest and showed growth in size in the following 4 months. A palpable right thyroid nodule came to our attention at that time, the 10th month of presentation. Free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine, thyroid-stimulating hormone, antithyroglobulin and antithyroid peroxidase antibodies were within normal limits. Thyroid ultrasonography showed a right thyroid lobe 26.2×16.8×15.7mm hypoechoic solid nodule with irregular borders. Ultrasonography-guided thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsy showed metastasis from small cell lung carcinoma. His cranial metastases worsened. He developed right cervical lymph node, hepatic, pancreatic and meningeal metastases and died 15 months after the initial presentation and 9 months after the detection of thyroid metastasis by computed tomography of his chest. Our case and two previously reported cases were male, 55-years old or older and had history of more than 40 pack-years of cigarette smoking. All had metastatic disease elsewhere, when the thyroid metastasis was diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. All had poor survival, between 9 and 18 months, after thyroid metastasis was diagnosed. We conclude that in a patient with a known history of malignant disease, the finding of a new thyroid mass should be promptly evaluated with a thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsy to search for metastatic disease. The clinical features of our and two previously reported cases were summarized.

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of thyroid: a case report and review of literature.

Thyroid gland lacks squamous epithelium (except in some rare situations like embroyonic remnants or in inflammatory processes); for that reason the primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of thyroid is extremely rare entity, seen only in less than 1% of all thyroid malignancies and is considered almost fatal. So, far, only few case reports have been published in literature. Herein we present a 54 years old Saudi female with 3 months history of progressive neck swelling and hoarse voice, who was referred to us by her primary care physician as suspected case of anaplastic carcinoma of thyroid for radical external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). Fine Needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) revealed squamous cell carcinoma. Computed tomography (CT) neck showed 10 × 10 cm mass in left lobe of thyroid invading trachea and skin. Extensive staging work up ruled out the possibility of any primary site of SCC other than thyroid gland. Tumor was found unresectable and was referred to radiation oncology. She received palliative EBRT 30 Gy in 10 fractions. After completion of EBRT, there was progression of disease and patient died 3 months after completion of EBRT by airway compromise. Primary SCC of thyroid is rare and aggressive entity. FNAC is reliable and effective tool for immediate diagnosis. Surgery is a curative option, but it is not always possible as most of cases present as locally advanced with adjacent organs involvement. EBRT alone was found ineffective. Aggressive combined modality (debulking surgery, radiation and chemotherapy) shall be considered for such cases.

Sebaceous lymphadenoma of parotid gland: A case report of a unique presentation in an immunocompromised patient.

Sebaceous lymphadenoma is a rare, benign tumor of the parotid gland accounting for only 0.196% of all adenomas of the parotid gland. Our aim is to present a case of sebaceous lymphadenoma, which has been rapidly enlarging over a period of few months in an immunocompromised patient. This presentation is unusual for a benign salivary gland neoplasm. A 55-year-old female who is a known case of systemic lupus erythromatous, antiphospholipid syndrome, and lupus nephritis, which have been treated by cyclophosphamide, presented with a 2-year complaint of fluctuating painless right parotid swelling, over the last 3 months the swelling started to progressively increasing in size. Physical examination showed a 4 × 3 cm firm, nontender mass in the right parotid gland. The facial nerve was intact and no cervical lymphadenopathy. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) revealed marked chronic inflammation and was not helpful for diagnosis. Right superficial parotidectomy was performed without complications and there was no recurrence after 24 months of careful follow-up. In patients presenting with a rapidly enlarging parotid mass associated with an intact facial nerve, the possibility of sebaceous lymphadenoma should be considered as an important differential diagnosis in addition to other benign tumors of the parotid gland. The role of FNAC in this neoplasm is controversial.

Non-squamous malignancy in lymph nodes: the occult primary.

The present study presents 105 patients seen at a head and neck specialist clinic with a neck gland which subsequently proved to be a non-squamous malignancy. Of the 105 patients, 50 patients were eventually found to have a tumour in the head and neck region, 30 to have a distant primary and in 25 no primary site was ever found. The majority of patients were diagnosed in the clinic after careful examination and most of the remainder were diagnosed during endoscopy/biopsy. Chest radiography was the most useful investigation for diagnosing primary tumours of the lung. The 5-year-survival for the whole group of 105 patients was 28% (95% CI 17-39). The 5-year-survival for the head and neck primary tumour group was 44% (95% CI 25-60). The median survival of patients with a distant primary tumour was only a 6 months, there was one 5-year-survivor. The median survival for those in whom the primary was never discovered was 18 months. However, a reasonable proportion of these patients survived, five being alive at 5 years. The difference between survival for the three groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The most common histological type was undifferentiated/anaplastic tumours (37 out of 105) and this was followed by adenocarcinoma (33 out of 105). There was a significant difference in the survival between these two groups (chi 2 = 2.02, d.f. = 1, P = NS). Multi-variate analysis suggested that survival was better in the older age group and was affected by histology (P = 0.0093, P = 0.0332 respectively). The present study suggests that the treatment of patients in whom the primary site is eventually found to be in the head and neck region is rewarding with the same survival as a similar group of patients with squamous cell carcinoma. Sixty of the group of 105 patients had excision biopsies of the neck node and this did not affect survival.

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the parotid gland: a rare entity.

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the parotid gland is a rare aggressive malignancy. It is a rapidly advancing lesion which, if not recognised and treated early, results in high morbidity and mortality. Despite radical surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy, prognosis of this cancer continues to be poor. Careful clinical and histological examination is mandatory to differentiate this tumour from metastatic squamous cell carcinoma and other primary malignancies of the parotid. The authors hereby report the case of a 50-year-old male patient who presented with a progressively increasing, painless mass in parotid region of 6 months duration. An initial fine-needle aspiration cytology and subsequent histopathological examination confirmed that the tumour was squamous cell carcinoma. As no other primary source could be demonstrated in the patient, a final diagnosis of primary squamous cell carcinoma of parotid was offered. Currently the patient is on regular follow-up without any signs of recurrence.

[Primary bronchogenic and pharyngo-laryngeal carcinomas (author's transl)].

The study of 112 case histories of lung cancers, both primary and secondary, has allowed the authors to determine as being of 5% the incidence of primary bronchogenic carcinoma associated with treated pharyngo-laryngeal cancer. One out of three such primaries was a solitary lung opacity. Bronchogenic primaries appeared be almost as frequent as lung, pleura and mediastine secondarie. They can be diagnosed at any moment of the treatment or follow-up of pharyngo-laryngeal cancer, and appear to occur later than pulmonary metastases. Their symptoms are more "bronchopulmonary" in nature. They are more frequently associated with endolarynx and chorda carcinomas. They are possibly more frequent in cases of smaller primaries without lymph-node involvement. Solitary lung opacities should be considered as independent primaries and constitute the best candidates for efficient pulmonary treatment. Treated pharyngo-laryngeal patients should undergo regularly spaced lung roentgenograms and frequent tracheal sputum cytology.

Correct diagnosis of Warthin tumor in the parotid gland with dynamic MRI.

Warthin tumor (WT) is a benign tumor of the salivary gland primarily affecting middle-aged men.  WT is almost exclusively located in the parotid gland and tend to grow slowly without symptoms.  Although fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) often correctly diagnoses these tumors, they are occasionally misdiagnosed as malignant.  Our study sought to distinguish between WT and non-WT using dynamic MRI.  In dynamic MRI, a series of images are taken over time measuring the intensity of gadolinium uptake by the parotid.  We examined two patients for this study.  The first was a 53-year old male, heavy smoker, experiencing manic-depressive episodes.  He received a brain MRI at which time his parotid tumor was discovered.  Parotid FNAC indicated a squamous cell carcinoma.  The second patient was a 76-year old male, moderate smoker and drinker, who had been complaining about swelling in the neck.  FNAC of the parotid indicated acinic cell carcinoma and gadolinium-enhanced MRI suggested the tumor was malignant.  Prior to surgically extracting of these masses, we performed dynamic MRI on each patient.  Both tumors exhibited a pattern consisting of rapid enhancement and rapid attenuation, the pattern of which is characteristic of WT.  The surgical specimens confirmed that both were WTs without malignant transformation.  Our findings indicate that dynamic MRI is a useful tool for preoperative diagnosis of WT, where other examinations indicate malignancy.  Early and correct diagnosis of WT can minimize the use of invasive procedures, and eliminate the stress placed on the patient from a diagnosis of cancer.

Esophageal myoepithelial carcinoma: Four case reports.

Myoepithelial carcinoma (MC) is a rare malignant neoplasm that mainly occurs in the salivary gland. MC can be confused with many other tumors when arising outside the salivary glands because it presents with a wide spectrum of cytomorphological and immunohistochemical features. To the best of our knowledge, esophageal MC has not been previously reported. The purpose of this study was to describe the imaging and clinicopathological features of esophageal MC to improve the understanding of the disease. Three men and one woman diagnosed with esophageal MC were enrolled in this study. The primary clinical symptom was dysphagia. The mass was mainly located in the middle esophagus. Laboratory tests revealed that two patients who underwent tumor abnormal protein were positive. Radical resection was performed for all patients with no adjuvant therapy. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed infiltrative growth of epithelial cells with hyperchromatic and pleomorphic nuclei toward the periphery. Immunohistochemistry showed that all patients were positive for P63, and most patients were positive for SOX-10, AE1/AE3, P40, and calponin. The Ki-67 values were all higher than 60%. Patient one died one month after discharge from an unknown cause. Patient two lost to follow-up. At patient three's four-month review, enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed anastomosis recurrence and bilateral lung metastases. He abandoned treatment and lost to follow-up. Patient four attended review appointments regularly and remained in a good general condition. Here, we present the first report of esophageal MC and review the relevant literature. Esophageal MC is more likely to occur in the middle esophagus in older patients with male dominance. A fungating type observed on CT scanning may help narrow down the differential diagnosis. Cystic change or necrosis may occur in larger lesions. The final diagnosis should be made according to the pathological examination. The treatment for MC is surgical resection, and the efficacy of chemotherapy needs to be determined with future studies.

Warthin-like mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the parotid gland: a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common malignant salivary gland tumor. Although the parotid gland is the most common site of involvement, other major salivary glands and the minor salivary glands-most commonly of the palate-also can be involved. The management of mucoepidermoid carcinoma depends on the grade of the tumor and the adequacy of resection. We present the case of a 56-year-old female presenting a painless progressive cheek mass over 2 months. Imaging and fine-needle aspiration cytology provided the diagnosis of Mucoepidermoid carcinoma. A superficial parotidectomy was done, and the histopathology revealed a predominantly cystic tumor with a bilayered epithelium of oncocytic and basal cells. Moderate nuclear pleomorphism with infiltration of atypical squamous cells in few glandular cysts was seen. Special staining revealed the presence of intracellular mucin. A diagnosis of Warthin-like variant of MEC was made, based on these findings. After the surgical procedures, the patient is disease-free at 8 months of follow-up. The Warthin-like variant is a rare variant of MEC with fewer than 10 cases described in the English literature. Various differential diagnoses include the malignant transformation of Wartin tumor (WT), squamous metaplasia of WT, and metastasis from a distant primary. We emphasize the role of routine microscopy in identifying rare variants of common malignancies. Even though translocation studies are helpful in diagnosis, the typical histopathological findings should confirm it.

Second primary tumours in head and neck cancer.

Head and neck cancer patients have a higher risk of second primary tumours than the general population. The most frequent locations are head and neck, lung and oesophagus, decreasing long-term survival. The aim of this work was to analyse the incidence, location according to index tumour and stage, chronology, patient age, and survival after diagnosis. Retrospective study on 579 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, treated with curative intent, with a minimum 24-month follow-up. Early stages (I/II) were 42.4%, and 57.6% were stages III and IV. Second primary tumour incidence was 15% (87/579), with 9.2% (8/97) developing a third tumour. The most frequent locations of the second tumours were head and neck, 37.9% (33/87); lung, 36.8% (32/87); oesophagus, 5.7% (5/87); and colon, 5.7% (5/87). Five- and 10-year survival in patients without a second tumour was 65.1% and 52.7% respectively, versus 58.7% and 40.2% in those who developed one. The incidence of second primary tumours increased in the last decade, having a negative effect on survival. Since no specific early diagnosis tool is available, alcohol and tobacco avoidance along with scheduled follow-up are suggested procedures to reduce its incidence.

Cytologic features of metastatic lymphoepithelial carcinoma in pleural fluid: a case report.

Lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the salivary gland is a rare undifferentiated or poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma associated with abundant inmphocytes. Only a handful of reports descibe the cytologic features of fine needle aspiration in lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the salivary gland and lymph nodes. A 29-year-old man presented with a painless mass in his right parotid gland. After the surgical specimen was evaluated, the mass was diagnosed as a lymphoepithelial carcinoma, which extended to the periglandular soft tissue with lymph node metastasis. Despite radiation and chemotherapy, multiple mediastinal lymph node metastases, including in the right hilar lymph nodes, occurred. Pulmonary atelectasis of the right upper lobe and a right pleural effusion developed. Aspiration cytology of metastatic lymph nodes and pleural effusion cytology both demonstrated strongly cohesive clusters of tumor cells. These cells had vesicular nuclei and prominent nucleoli admixed with benign lymphoid cells. Pleural effusion cytopathology ofmetastatic lymphoepithelial carcinoma is similar to that of primary tumor fine needle aspiration. Therefore, a specific diagnosis of lymphoepithelial carcinoma is possible on the basis of body fluid with these cytologic features.

[Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of hilar lymph node with unknown primary site].

An abnormal shadow was observed on chest X-ray films of a 63-year-old man presenting with cough and sputum. Chest computed tomographic scans disclosed enlargement of the right hilar lymph nodes, but no obvious primary lesion was found in the lung field. Bronchoscopic examination revealed a slightly widened second carina, but no malignant cells were detected by transbronchial aspiration cytology. At surgery, a tumor was found between the truncus superior and the truncus intermedius. The pathologic diagnosis was a metastatic lymph node of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Because the tumor severely adhered to the bronchus and pulmonary arteries, we performed a right pneumonectomy with mediastinal node dissection. Pre- and postoperative examinations did not detect the primary lesion, and no recurrence had been observed 76 months after surgery. This was thought to be a very rare case of T0 N1 M0 lung cancer. In general, the prognosis is poor for patients with metastatic carcinoma of unknown primary site. However, patients with T 0 lung cancer, as in this case, might enjoy a better prognosis if complete resection and dissection of metastatic lymph nodes are performed.

Unilateral, multicentric Warthin's tumor mimicking a tumor metastatic to a lymph node. A case report.

Warthin's tumor may be associated with false positive diagnoses of malignancy on fine needle aspiration. The most common cause of error is markedly atypical squamous metaplasia mimicking metastatic cystic squamous carcinoma. The common location of Warthin's tumors within periparotid nodes may add to the clinical suspicion of metastasis. We report a case of unilateral, multicentric Warthin's tumor arising in periparotid and intraparotid glands, leading to a strong clinical and cytologic suspicion of malignancy. A 60-year-old female presented with a 3-month history of several enlarged lymph nodes in the right side of the neck. Fine needle aspiration, performed at the right upper neck lymph node, suggested the possibility of metastatic tumor. On computed tomography and ultrasonography there were 4 nodular lesions in the right retromandibular area and lateral aspect of the neck, 1-1.5 cm in diameter. A thyroid scan revealed diffuse enlargement of the thyroid gland and a nodular lesion in the right lobe. Right thyroid lobectomy and modified radical neck dissection, including right superficial parotidectomy, were performed for evaluation of occult malignancy. Histologically we confirmed that the tumor was a synchronous, multicentric Warthin's tumor arising in the parotid gland and intraparotid and paraparotid lymph nodes. Clinicians and pathologists should consider an extraparotid Warthin's tumor in the differential diagnosis of multiple cervical masses.

[Clinical report of 81 cases of multiple primary cancers in laryngeal carcinoma].

To explore the clinical characteristics and the survival status of the patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma in the multiple primary cancers (MPC). Follow-up and clinical data were analyzed retrospectively in 81 laryngeal squamous cell cancer patients with MPC among 1101 patients with laryngeal carcinoma. Survival analysis and every influencing factor on survival rate were performed by Kaplan-Meier method. The occurrence rate of MPC in the patients with laryngeal squamous cell cancer was 7.4% (81/1101) in this report. Oral cavity carcinoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma were the most common MPC in 29 cases (35.8%) in head and neck regions. MPC in head and neck regions were more often seen among patients who had treated with radiotherapy (chi2 = 5.7, P = 0.017). Lung carcinoma (25.9%, 21/81) and esophageal carcinoma (22.2%, 18/81) were the most common MPC in remote organs in 52 cases (64.2%). Thirty seven MPC cases (45.7%) were occurred in aerodigestive tract and 32 cases(39.5%) in respiratory tract in this series. Fourteen cases (17.3%) were synchronous MPC, the median time interval was 2 months. Other 67 cases (82.7%) were metachronous MPC, the median time interval was 28 months. The squamous cell carcinoma (66.7%) was the most common pathologic type among all MPC in 81 cases, which was more often seen among patients who had smoked and drunk (P = 0.007). The MPC of esophageal carcinoma and oropharyngeal carcinoma were more often seen among patients of supraglottic index cancer presentation (P = 0.04). The MPC of oral cavity cancers and nasopharyngeal carcinoma and lung carcinoma were more often seen among patients of glottic index cancer presentation (P = 0.006). The total three-and five-year survival rates were 45.2% and 29.7% respectively of all MPC patients, the five-year survival rate for patients (53 cases) who received actively different therapies for their MPC was 45.5%, obviously higher than that of untreated patients (28 cases) whose three-year survival rate was zero (P = 0.000). Lung carcinoma and esophageal carcinoma were the most common multiple primary cancers among MPC of the laryngeal cancer. MPC of the laryngeal cancer in head and neck regions were more often seen among patients who had treated with radiotherapy. The pathologic type of squamous carcinomas of MPC was more often seen among patients who had smoked and drunk. MPC affected the prognosis of patients in laryngeal cancer largely. Treating effectively and in time could help to improve the survival rate of patients with MPC in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas.

Bilateral Basaloid Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

We describe the first known case of bilateral basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the parotid gland, and we review existing literature. A previously healthy, 70-year-old white man presented with a 2-cm enlarging mass in the tail of the right parotid gland. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography showed ipsilateral pathologic adenopathy. Results of fine-needle aspiration revealed a high-grade malignancy with squamous features. The patient underwent a right total parotidectomy and modified radical neck dissection. Final pathologic findings revealed a basaloid squamous cell carcinoma. Four years after the initial resection, the patient presented with an enlarging left parotid mass. Findings of fine-needle aspiration and imaging were similar to those 4 years earlier. The patient received a left total parotidectomy and modified radical neck dissection. Postoperative radiation therapy was performed after each surgical intervention. He remains disease free at 4-year follow-up after the second mass was resected. Squamous cell carcinoma with basaloid features is a rare and aggressive type of squamous cell carcinoma. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of bilateral parotid basaloid squamous cell carcinoma.

Panendoscopy for second primaries in head and neck cancer.

Four hundred patients with biopsy-proven squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract were studied for evidence of a synchronous second primary tumor. The protocol of study included in most cases direct laryngoscopy, metal tube bronchoscopy, and esophagoscopy. Chest x-ray studies were performed on all patients and many had barium swallow x-ray studies. Asymptomatic second head and neck primary tumors were found only in the vallecula and esophagus among this series of patients. Metachronous second primary tumors were presented as early as one month after the original endoscopy and were located in areas which had been carefully examined by endoscopy and appeared asymptomatic to the examining physician at the time of the original evaluation. Based on this series of patients, we recommend careful indirect laryngoscopy and oral examination, direct laryngoscopy and esophagoscopy as well as a barium swallow for patients with clinically suspicious mucosal lesion of the upper aerodigestive tract. In view of our failure to discover a single lung carcinoma which was not evident from chest x-ray studies, we recommend bronchoscopy, which adds some morbidity to the endoscopic procedure, not be included unless a specific clinical suspicion is entertained. However, because of the important treatment implication which follow the diagnosis of a new squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract, we feel it is imperative that the entire esophagus be evaluated in the course of the pretreatment exploration of the patient. Although few esophageal tumors were discovered, their implications in terms of surgical resection and debilitation without much likelihood of long-term patient survival has encouraged us to continue the above described procedure.

Primary parotid lymphoepithelial carcinoma: A case report and literature review of a rare pathological entity.

Lymphoepithelial carcinoma (LEC) of the salivary glands is a rare, but distinct, poorly-differentiated neoplasm that resembles undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC). Among primary salivary gland LECs, they most commonly arise in the parotid gland. These lesions have a noticeable racial predilection, mostly occurring in Asians and Arctic region native populations. They are strongly associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and are more common in EBV-endemic areas. The most common presenting symptoms of primary parotid LEC are parotid mass development and cervical lymphadenopathy. We report an unusual case of EBV-negative LEC in a Canadian Caucasian woman. A 40-year-old female from Atlantic Canada presented with a rapidly enlarging preauricular mass and cervical lymphadenopathy. Preoperative diagnostics via radiology and fine needle aspiration alluded to an ambiguous primary parotid malignancy. She underwent a total parotidectomy with facial nerve sacrifice and ipsilateral selective neck dissection. The facial nerve was reconstructed with a lateral antecubital nerve graft. Pathology came back positive for LEC, and she began adjuvant radiotherapy. At her 1-year follow up, she was disease-free and obtained a House-Brackmann facial nerve function grade of 3. The case report highlights the importance of having a high index of suspicion and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in reaching the diagnosis of primary parotid LEC. LEC can afflict patients of any ethnicity in non-EBV endemic areas and should therefore be considered in all patients with a painless parotid mass regardless of ethnicity. Further studies are required to elucidate the oncogenic role of EBV in these cancers.

[Multiple primaries of the upper aerodigestive tract, esophagus, and lung].

The existence of multiple primary tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract, esophagus, and lung (UADT-E-L) is related with a common etiopathogenic factor (alcohol-tobacco association). In a review of 43 patients, 6.75% with a UADT-E-L tumor developed another neoplasm, 3.25% at the same site. Nine percent (8.59%) of the tumors were synchronic and 10.85% were metachronic. The most frequent association was larynx-lung. Another neoplasm was detected by physical examination and/or radiology in 44.18% of cases, with a time lapse of less than 3 years in 50%. The most frequent treatment was surgery with/without complementary radiotherapy. The most common stage was T1-T2 (62.06%) and N0-N1 (68.96%). The survival rate was 31% at 2 years and 25% at 3 years.

Graves disease and metastatic hormonal-active Hürthle cell thyroid cancer: A case report.

A hormone-active metastatic Hürthle cell thyroid carcinoma (HCTC) and Graves disease (GD) present a therapeutic challenge and is rarely reported. We present a 64-year-old male patient, who had dyspnea and left hip pain lasting 4 months. He had clinical signs of hyperthyroidism and a tumor measuring 9 cm in diameter of the left thyroid lobe, metastatic neck lymph node and metastases in the lungs, mediastinum, and bones. Laboratory findings confirmed hyperthyroidism and GD. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy and cytological investigation revealed metastases of HCTC in the skull and in the 8th right rib. A CT examination showed a thyroid tumor, metastatic neck lymph node, metastases in the lungs, mediastinum and in the 8th right rib measuring 20 × 5.6 × 4.5 cm, in the left acetabulum measuring 9 × 9 × 3 cm and parietooccipitally in the skull measuring 5 × 4 × 2 cm. Histology after total thyroidectomy and resection of the 8th right rib confirmed metastatic HCTC. The region of the left hip had been irradiated with concomitant doxorubicin 20 mg once weekly. When hyperthyroidism was controlled with thiamazole, a total thyroidectomy was performed. Persistent T3 hyperthyroidism, most likely caused by TSH-R-stimulated T3 production in large metastasis in the 8th right rib, was eliminated by rib resection. Thereafter, the patient was treated with 3 radioactive iodine-131 (RAI) therapies (cumulative dose of 515 mCi). Unfortunately, the tumor rapidly progressed after treatment with RAI and progressed 10 months after therapy with sorafenib. Despite treatment, the disease rapidly progressed and patient died due to distant metastases. He survived for 28 months from diagnosis. Simultaneous hormone-active HCTC and GD is extremely rare and prognosis is dismal. Concomitant external beam radiotherapy and doxorubicin chemotherapy, followed by RAI therapy, prevented the growth of a large metastasis in the left hip in our patient. However, a large metastasis in the 8th right rib presented an unresolved problem. Treatment with rib resection and RAI did not prevent tumor recurrence. External beam radiotherapy and sorafenib treatment failed to prevent tumor growth.

Cervical lymph node metastases of squamous cell carcinoma from an unknown primary.

Cervical lymph node metastases of squamous cell carcinoma from occult primary constitute about 2-5% of all patients with carcinoma of unknown primary site (CUP). Metastases in the upper and middle neck are generally attributed to head and neck cancers, whereas the lower neck (supraclavicular area) involvement is often associated with primary malignancies below the clavicles. The diagnostic procedures include physical examination with thorough evaluation of the head and neck mucosa using fiber-optic endoscopy, biopsies from all suspicious sites or blindly from the sites of possible origin of the primary, computer tomography and/or magnetic resonance. A systematic tonsillectomy in the absence of suspicious lesions is often recommended since up to 25% of primary tumors can be detected in this site. The thoracic primary (tracheal, bronchial, lung, esophagus) has to be excluded, especially in the case of lower neck involvement. Positron emission tomography (PET) with fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose allows detection of primary tumor in about 25% of cases, but this procedure is still considered investigational. Therapeutic approaches include surgery (lymph node excision or neck dissection), with or without postoperative radiotherapy, radiotherapy alone and radiotherapy followed by surgery. In early stages (N1), neck dissection and radiotherapy seem to have similar efficacy, whereas more advanced cases (N2, N3) necessitate combined approaches. The extent of radiotherapy (irradiation of bilateral neck and mucosa versus ipsilateral neck radiotherapy) remains debatable. A potential benefit from extensive radiotherapy should be weighted against its acute and late morbidity and difficulties in re-irradiation in the case of subsequent primary emergence. The role of other methods, such as chemotherapy and hyperthermia, remains to be determined.

Osteoclast-like giant cell tumor of the parotid gland; a case report with literature review.

The osteoclast-like giant cell is a benign tumor that presents as either an isolated benign tumor or one with a carcinomatous component. This study aims to report a rare case of osteoclast-like giant cell tumor (GCT) of the parotid gland. A 67-year-old female presented with a painless left pre-auricular swelling of 2-month duration which increased in size gradually over that period. On examination, there was a firm, mobile mass with well-defined borders in the left parotid gland. Fine needle aspiration cytology showed a giant cell-rich lesion that was highly cellular and contained a large number of osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells, with clusters of spindle and epithelioid cells. Total parotidectomy was performed. After the operation, the patient was sent for radiotherapy. The histogenesis and exact nature of this tumor are unknown although numerous ideas have been put forward. The most common clinical manifestation is a painless slow-growing tumor in the parotid area. Primary osteoclast-like GCT of the salivary gland might show concomitant benign or malignant neoplasms. There is also a "pure form" of the tumor that has no accompanying neoplasm. GCT of the parotid gland is a rare tumor. The histogenesis and nature of parotid gland GCT are not completely understood. The treatment of choice is total excision followed by radiotherapy.

Multiple primary cancers in Indian population: metachronous and synchronous lesions.

A retrospective study of 177 patients attending Tata Memorial Hospital over a period of 40 years from 1942 through 1981 is presented. These patients who had "primary lesions" in the head and neck region, breast, esophagus, lung, and elsewhere as carcinoma or sarcoma developed "second primary" at different sites, after the treatment for the primary lesion after a variable period over years--as "metachronous lesions" (139 patients). Another group of patients presented with "double primary" at initial clinical examination and investigations, and these were "synchronous" lesions (38 patients). The analysis brings out the relationship of these lesions in both groups to each other with reference to habits in Indian population, viz, pan chewing, tobacco smoking, and alcohol consumption and time interval and histological variations among these lesions. An interesting relationship has been observed in certain aerodigestive tract primary lesions developing second cancer due to continued effect of "carcinogens," as habits are hard to die even after developing cancer. Analysis also brings out an interesting observation of involvement of "physiologically and anatomically" related organs developing second cancer at an interval or concurrently. A solitary pulmonary nodule or an opacity in a patient with extrathoracic cancer should not be considered as "metastatic" unless proved otherwise; metachronous lesions need to be treated energetically, adequately, efficiently, and aggressively in certain clinical situations for better results and salvage.

[Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the breast - a case report].

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor among women in Poland. According to the Center of Oncology (The National Cancer Registry) in 2010 in our country 15,784 new cases have been noted. Since 1970s worldwide growth of new cases of breast cancer have been reported. Among the well-known histological types of breast tumors, small percentage - only 0.1% - include squamous cell component. A 69-year-old female met her doctor because of the right breast tumor. After two months of observation, in the last two weeks before the visit, the tumor started to grow very rapidly. As the diagnosis from fine needle aspiration biopsy (squamous cell carcinoma) was very rare for this location, and considering the other clinical symptoms the woman reported, it was suspected to be metastatic. Finally, as the other origins of the primary tumor have been declined and as the patient's condition begun to worsen very rapidly, the urgent treatment: mastectomy (toilet mastectomy) and adjuvant chemotherapy afterward, according to the pathological report were performed. Rare histological types of the breast cancer use to suggest a metastatic origin or behave as tumors with highly malignant histological grade.

[Second primary tumors development in head and neck region. Case report].

Tumours of head and neck present 12.2% of the pernicious tumours' morbidity rate in Poland. Annually, the number of new cases is around 6500. The authors of this work present a case of a 65-year-old farmer who has been smoking for 40 years and occasionally abusing alcohol. The medical history of the patient includes: arterial hypertension, ureterolithiasis, obesity. The patient's brother suffered from knee cancer. In 1998 the patient underwent ablation of carcinoma (2x2 cm) from the left auricle. The result of histopathological examination was Carcinoma planoepitheliale keratodes. In 2003, due to Carcinoma planoepitheliale laryngis, horizontal surgery of the larynx was performed. In the same year the patient had superficial lobe of the left parotid gland removed (due to Carcinoma planoepitheliale glandulae parotis sinisti). After the surgery, supplementary treatment was introduced (irradiation Co60; dose--60Gy on the treated area). Currently the patient is under systematic supervision. He is in a good clinical condition. There have been no features of local growth in the treated organs nor any remote metastasis reported.

Cystic lesion of the parotid gland with squamous metaplasia mistaken for squamous cell carcinoma. A case report.

The diverse range of diseases that affect the salivary glands may lead to problems and pitfalls in cyto-diagnosis. While false negative diagnosis of cystic salivary gland tumors is well known, false positive cytodiagnosis in nonneoplastic salivary cysts is less well documented. An 85-year-old female presented with a painless left parotid gland swelling of three months' duration. Fine needle aspiration cytology yielded fluid, smears of which showed keratinizing squamous cells with nuclear atypia leading to a cytologic diagnosis of cystic squamous cell carcinoma. A total radical parotidectomy followed. Histopathologic study showed cystic dilatation of many of the salivary ducts, which were lined with metaplastic squamous epithelium that showed atypia. There was no evidence of squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous metaplasia is known to occur in benign salivary gland lesions, such as pleomorphic adenoma and Warthin's tumors, as well as in salivary duct cysts and necrotizing sialometaplasia. However, atypical squamous metaplasia of salivary duct cysts mimicking squamous cell carcinoma on cytology is unusual.

Squamous carcinoma presenting as an enlarged cervical lymph node.

Patients presenting with an enlarged cervical lymph node containing squamous cell carcinoma are a difficult problem for head and neck surgeons. In most cases, the primary site lies in the head and neck region. The advent of fine-needle aspiration cytologic study means that this group of patients can be accurately identified in the clinic and investigated accordingly. The current report studies the records of 267 such patients presenting to the Head and Neck Unit at The University of Liverpool over a 29-year period. The 5-year survival rate for all patients presenting with a cervical lymph node metastasis was 27%. The 5-year survival rate for patients with a detected primary in the head and neck was 31% and the primary site was identified during the patient's life time in all but 36 patients (13%). In 53% of patients, the primary site was discovered during routine clinical examination, and in a further 16% it was discovered at panendoscopy. Most diagnostic tests proved relatively unhelpful but 10 patients in our series had the primary site discovered by radiograph and 9 of these had carcinoma of the lung. In the current study when the primary site was discovered it was in the head and neck region in 74% of patients. Primary sites other than head and neck occurred in 11% of the patients and no 5-year survivors existed. Multivariate analysis suggested that open biopsy of the lymph node metastasis appeared to have an adverse effect on survival as did advanced age and advanced N stage. The late diagnosis of the primary site, if it proved to be in the head and neck region, on the other hand, had a positive association with survival. Patients presenting with a lymph node metastasis in the head and neck region from an unknown primary have a prognosis identical to that of other patients with head and neck squamous carcinoma with neck node metastases. The prognosis for patients in whom the primary site is never discovered or in whom the primary site is not head and neck, however, is disastrous. If the primary tumor proves to be in the head and neck region, treatment is worthwhile since almost a third of patients are cured of their disease. When the primary carcinoma is not in the head and neck region, treatment must be considered palliative.

A rare case of paratesticular pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration: a case report.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of children and young adults. It represents 6.5% of all malignant tumors in pediatrics with an annual incidence of 4 to 7 cases per million children. Embryonal RMS arising in paratesticular region in young males is a common entity, however pleomorphic RMS in such location is quite rare. An eighteen year old male presented with painless right scrotal mass measuring 7 x 6 x 5 cm of two year duration, which was reported on ultrasonography as extratesticular tumor. Fine needle aspiration showed cellular smears comprising of pleomorphic population of mostly singly scattered cells and few cell aggregates. Few isolated large cells with whip like cytoplasmic processes and faint cross-striations were also seen. A diagnosis of paratesticular malignant mesenchymal tumor probably RMS was made. Tumor was removed surgically with right sided orchidectomy. On histopathology, it was reported as pleomorphic RMS. There was focal lymphatic invasion and involvement of rete testis. Immunostaining of tumor cells revealed myogenin and desmin positivity. The case is being presented because of diagnosis of RMS on Fine needle aspiration and rare occurrence of pleomorphic RMS in paratesticular location.

[Retrospective study of thyroid invasion and central lymph node metastasis in 124 patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma].

<bObjective:</b To investigate the characteristics of thyroid invasion and central lymph node metastasis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma, and the impact on survival rate and quality of life. <bMethods:</b A retrospective analysis of 124 cases (122 males and 2 females with age range from 36 to 78 years old) with laryngopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma who were initially treated in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from January 2014 to December 2017 was performed. The clinical data included tumor location, pathological T stage, pathological N stage, invasion of thyroid gland, central lymph node metastasis, surgical procedures and so on. Patients were grouped according to if presence of thyroid invasion and central lymph node metastasis. With follow-up, the survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method, and tumor recurrence and metastasis were evaluated. <bResults:</b Of the patients, 12 patients had thyroid involvement and 5 patients had central lymph node metastasis. The incidence of thyroid involvement was 8.16% (8/98) in pyriform sinus, 1/18 in posterior pharyngeal wall and 3/8 in posterior cricoid wall, with statistically significant difference (χ<sup2</sup=15.076,<iP</i=0.008). The incidence of central lymph node metastasis was 1.02% (1/98) in pyriform sinus, 3/18 in posterior pharyngeal wall and 1/8 in posterior cricoid wall, also with statistically significant difference (χ<sup2</sup=11.205, <iP</i=0.008). There was no statistical correlation between thyroid invasion or central lymph node metastasis and gender, smoking or alcohol exposure history and tumor pathological differentiation (all <iP</i>0.05). The 3-year overall survival rate was 80.65% and the 3-year recurrence free rate was 85.48%. Totally 24 patients died in 3 years, including 4 cases in thyroid invasion group and 1 case in central lymph node metastasis group. Local recurrence occurred in 18 patients, including 4 cases in thyroid invasion group and 1 case in central lymph node metastasis group. There was no significant difference in survival between patients with and without thyroid invasion and central lymph node metastasis (all <iP></i0.05). There were significantly difference in 3-year overall survival and relapse-free survival among the groups with different T stages, N stages, pathological stages and tumor pathological differentiation levels (all <iP<</i0.05). There were significantly differences in the levels of serum calcium and FT3 between the groups with or without thyroid invasion and central lymph node metastasis (all <iP</i<0.05). <bConclusion:</b The incidences of thyroid invasion and central lymph node metastasis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma are rare, and the risk of occurrence is related to the primary site of tumor. Comprehensive evaluation, correct decision-making and accurate treatment could be helpful to cure radically the tumor, to prevent recurrence and to improve the quality of life of patients.

THYROID METASTASIS FROM CLEAR CELL CARCINOMA OF THE KIDNEY 16 YEARS AFTER NEPHRECTOMY.

The thyroid gland is one of the most vascularized organs in the body. However, metastatic disease to the thyroid gland is rare. When it does occur kidney is the most common primary tumor site, followed by melanoma, lung, breast, esophagus, uterus and colon carcinoma. We describe the case of an isolated thyroid metastasis from clear cell renal carcinoma occurring 16 years after nephrectomy. An 82 years-old woman presented for the recent growth of a right thyroid nodule, diagnosed 3 years before, when a fine needle aspiration biopsy found a benign cytology suggesting a well-differentiated follicular thyroid adenoma. Her medical history included type 2 diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation and a right nephrectomy for a clear cell renal carcinoma done 16 years before. The patient has lost weight but she was otherwise asymptomatic. The right lobe goiter was painless, firm, and mobile with deglutition, without signs of local compression or latero-cervical lymphadenopathy. Thyroid ultrasonography revealed an enlarged (9.9 cm) macronodular right lobe, with multiple cystic areas, with normal left lobe and a thrombus in the right internal jugular vein. Thyroid function tests were normal. The patient was suspected of thyroid carcinoma and underwent a near total thyroidectomy. Histopathological examination revealed a metastasis of clear cell renal carcinoma in the right thyroid gland lobe (8.5/5/5 cm). Further imaging showed no primary tumor or other metastases. Metastatic renal carcinoma to the thyroid should be considered in any patient presenting with a thyroid mass and a medical history of operated renal cell carcinoma, since it can occur up to 25 years after nephrectomy.

Nodal metastases from laryngeal carcinoma and their correlation with certain characteristics of the primary tumor.

5O cases of carcinoma larynx were included in a prospective study to detect the incidence and pattern of nodal metastases (both clinical and occult) and to study the influence of certain characteristics of the primary tumor on the incidence of nodal metastases. In our study 66% (33 cases) of the lesions were transglottic as compared to 24% (12 cases) supraglottic and 10% (5 cases) glottic lesions. The most common age group affected in our study was 51-60 years comprising 50% of the cases. The most common symptoms were hoarseness, breathlessness and difficulty in swallowing. The incidence of clinically positive neck at the time of presentation was 42% while the incidence of occult nodal metastases was found to be 27.6%. The most common levels of lymph nodes involved in our study were levels II and III (87.5% cases). Multiple level lymph node involvement was seen in 71.4% of the eases at the time of presentation. A high incidence of cervical nodal metastases was associated with the following characteristics of the primary lesion-extralaryngeal spread, infiltrating or endophytic peripheral growth pattern, poor cellular differentiation and advanced T stage. In view of the high incidence of occult nodal metastases, use of selective lateral neck dissection is advocated in patients with a clinically negative neck at the-time of presentation (early glottic carcinomas being excluded).

Papillary cystic acinic cell carcinoma with many psammoma bodies, so-called psammoma body-rich papillary cystic acinic cell carcinoma: report of a case with fine needle aspiration findings.

Psammoma bodies are infrequent in salivary gland aspirates. We present a case of papillary cystic acinic cell carcinoma with many psammoma bodies and discuss the diagnostic pitfalls with other salivary gland tumors. A 24-year-old woman presented with a 5-month history of a gradually enlarging, painless lump in the left side of the face. Physical examination demonstrated a 2 x 2-cm, nontender, rubbery mass inferior to the auricle in the left parotid area. Sonography showed a 2-cm, cystic mass in the left parotid. Fine needle aspiration was performed and showed mainly papillary clusters and isolated cells with vacuolated cytoplasm and a round nucleus with an inconspicuous nucleolus resembling foamy histiocytes and many psammoma bodies, some of which were surrounded by cells resembling cannonballs. A preliminary diagnosis of papillary cystic salivary gland neoplasm was made and supeficial parotidectomy performed. A diagnosis of papillary cystic acinic cell carcinoma with many psammoma bodies was made. Aspiration cytology of papillary cystic acinic cell carcinoma with many psammoma bodies can be confused with more common tumors, such as cystic mixed tumor and adenoid cystic carcinoma with cannonballs, low grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma or cystic papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.