CONTEXT: Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas are most commonly found in the stomach, lungs, orbital soft tissue, salivary glands and thyroid. Involvement of the trachea is extremely rare. CASE REPORT: This report describes a rare case of MALT lymphoma of the trachea in a 71-year-old woman who presented with a one-year history of coughing, dyspnea, hoarseness and weight loss. There was an infiltrative lesion in the mid-trachea. The anatomopathological diagnosis was only made from the fifth endoscopic biopsy attempt. Immunochemotherapy consisting of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone (R-COP) induced complete remission of the symptoms and endoscopic lesion. CONCLUSIONS: MALT lymphoma of the trachea is extremely rare and indolent disease. It has to be considered in the differential diagnosis of airway lesions. It is crucial to obtain an anatomopathological diagnosis from a specialized pathologist. Immunochemotherapy with R-COP induced complete remission of the disease.

Objective To evaluate the impact of systematic laparoscopic skills and suture training (SLSST) on the total laparoscopic hysterectomy intra- and postoperative outcomes in a Brazilian teaching hospital. Methods A cross-sectional observational study in which 244 charts of total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) patients operated from 2008 to 2014 were reviewed. Patient-specific (age, parity, previous cesarean sections, abdominal surgeries and endometriosis) and surgery-related variables (hospital stay, operative time, uterine volume and operative complications) were analyzed in three different time-frame groups: 2008-09 (I-1) – TLHs performed by senior attending physicians; 2010-11 (I-2) – TLHs performed by residents before the implementation of the SLSST program; and 2012-14 (I-3) – TLHs performed by residents after the implementation of the SLSST program. Results A total of 244 TLH patients (mean age: 45.93 years) were included: 24 (I-1), 55 (I-2), and 165 (I-3). The main indication for TLH was uterine myoma (66.4%). Group I-3 presented a decrease in surgical time compared to group I-2 (p = 0.010). Hospital stay longer than 2 days decreased in group I-3 compared to group I-2 (p = 0.010). Although we observed decreased uterine volume (154.2 cm3) in group I-2 compared to group I-1 (217.8 cm3) (p = 0.030), logistic regression did not find any association between uterine volume and surgical time (p = 0.103). Conclusion The total operative time for laparoscopic hysterectomy was significantly shorter in the group of patients (I-3) operated after the systematic laparoscopic skills and suture training was introduced in our hospital.

Objective To assess the most common psychological disturbances in women with deep endometriosis and bowel involvement who are waiting surgical treatment and to evaluate what forms of coping are used to solve the problem. Methods This was a cross-sectional observational study of 40 women diagnosed with deep endometriosis and intestinal symptoms. They completed two questionnaires: one for anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [ HADS]) and the Scale of Mode of Confronting Problems (EMEP, in the Portuguese acronym). Results We found that 77.1% of the patients had anxiety and depression, with anxiety being the most prevalent (87.5% of the patients); 90% of the patients used problem-focused and religious introspection as their main modes of confronting problems. Conclusion In the use of the HADS questionary, two psychological aspects were the most present in women with deep endometriosis awaiting surgical treatment: anxiety and depression. The most used forms of coping to solve the problem were problem-coping and religious practices.