Purpose: Rectal cancer treatment has a wide range of possible approaches from radical extirpative surgery to nonoperative watchful waiting following chemoradiotherapy, with or without, additional chemotherapy. Our goal was to assess the personal opinion of active practicing surgeons on rectal cancer treatment if he/she was the patient. Methods: A panel of the International Society of University Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ISUCRS) selected 10 questions that were included in a questionnaire that included other items including demographics. The questionnaire was distributed electronically to ISUCRS fellows and other surgeons included in our database and remained open from April 16 to 28, 2020. Results: One hundred sixty-three specialists completed the survey. The majority of surgeons (n = 65, 39.9%) chose the minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery for their personal treatment of rectal cancer. For low-lying rectal cancer T1 and T2, the treatment choice was standard chemoradiation+local excision (n = 60, 36.8%) followed by local excision ± chemoradiotherapy if needed (n = 55, 33.7%). In regards to locally advanced low rectal cancer T3 or greater, the preference of the responders was for laparoscopic surgery (n = 65, 39.9%). We found a statistically significant relationship between surgeons' age and their preference for minimally invasive techniques demonstrating an age-based bias on senior surgeons' inclination toward open approach. Conclusion: Our survey reveals an age-based preference by surgeons for minimally invasive surgical techniques as well as organ-preserving techniques for personal treatment of treating rectal cancer. Only 1/4 of specialists do adhere to the international guidelines for treating early rectal cancer.

Primary hypoparathyroidism (PHPT) is a rare disease most commonly caused by surgical parathyroid glands destruction or genetic disorders. PHPT manifestation varies from subclinical to acute or even lethal symptoms. In atypical presentation the signs of hypocalcemia could be missed, and asymptotic chronic hypocalcemia could manifest only in the presence of exacerbated comorbidities, infections, hypomagnesemia or certain medications. We present a case of PHPT with severe hypocalcemia manifesting as seizures and delirium in a presence of COVID-19 infection.

Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia is a rare interstitial lung disease with different onset of symptoms, which responds rapidly to glucocorticoid treatment. We present a case of cryptogenic organizing pneumonia which manifested as a progressive 3-year dyspnea that ultimately has led to acute respiratory failure. Moreover, treatment with prednisone for this patient exhibited slow onset of the effect.

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