Background: Breast cancer is the commonest cancer among women. India along with United States and China collectively account for one third of the global burden. The present study reports the clinico-epidemiological data of our patient population. This may help in better understanding of the disease in our population and also form ground for conducting further breast cancer research in India. Methods: The study was conducted at an apex teaching and medical research institution in India from September 2013 to April 2015 as a retrospective review of prospectively collected data of breast cancer patients. The socio-demographic characteristics, reproductive risk factors, clinical presentation, TNM staging and histopathological characteristics for breast cancer in these patients were recorded. The data was recorded on an Xcel spreadsheet and analyzed using IBM SPSS 21. Results:The study comprised of 1310 breast cancer patients with males comprising 1.1%. The median age of presentation was 47 years, and menarche 14 years. Most of women were married and multiparous. More than half of the women were postmenopausal at presentation. All patients were symptomatic at presentation with median duration of symptom of 5 months and median lump size of 5 cm. Most common stage at presentation was Stage II and most common histopathology was Invasive ductal carcinoma. 61.9% tumors were hormone receptor positive. Triple negative cancers formed one third of all tumors. Conclusion: Breast cancer in the Indian scenario is a disease of younger woman who lack the characteristic reproductive and demographic risk factors. This calls for a need to study the clinico-demographic risk factors and characteristics of our own population.

Introduction During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, the use of laparoscopy has been discouraged by the Intercollegiate General Surgery because of its potential for aerosol generation and infection. In contrast, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the European Association of Endoscopic Surgery recommend continuing to use laparoscopy but with devices to filter released CO2 aerosol particles. However, commercially available systems are costly and may not be readily available. Herein, we describe a custom‐made system to safely remove surgical smoke and CO2, as well as a case of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in which we used it. Materials and Surgical Technique The patient had had multiple episodes of biliary pancreatitis and required urgent cholecystectomy during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Although India was in complete lockdown, it was decided to operate with precaution. A system was designed using underwater seal chest tube drainage and an electrostatic membrane filter with a viral retention function greater than 99.99%. The system was connected to an extra port for continuous controlled egression of CO2 pneumoperitoneum. A regular four‐port cholecystectomy was performed at an intra‐abdominal pressure of 12 mm Hg. The gas flow rate was 10 L/min. CO2 for pneumoperitoneum, surgical aerosol, and effluents passed through the system before collecting in the suction apparatus. The exchange of operating instruments through the ports was kept to a minimum. It was done after the abdomen was temporarily desufflated using this system. Discussion The system we designed appears safe and is cost‐effective. In resource‐limited settings, it will be handy in patients requiring laparoscopic surgery both during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic.

This patient underwent Laparoscopic heller's cardiomyotomy and Nissen fundoplication for Achalasia cardia at another institute. Following surgery his dysphagia worsened. Dysphagia persisted despite balloon dilatation. Patient was evaluated at our institute with Barium swallow and CECT thorax which showed dilated oesophagus with tight wrap. Patient was planned for laparoscopic re exploration. At surgery he had a Nissen wrap and inadequate extension of myotomy across the GE junction. Methods The video describes the procedure of laparoscopic dismantling of the wrap with extension of Heller myotomy and a Toupet Fundoplication. Results Patient had an uneventful recovery and had significant improvement in dysphagia at a follow up of 7 months. Conclusion Nissen Fundoplication is not a good choice of antireflux procedure in achalasia cardia patients following Heller Myotomy and can contribute to dysphagia in the post operative period. Extension of myotomy across the GE junction is critical to the success of Heller myotomy. Re-do surgery is difficult but can be be accomplished through approach in experienced hands. Video https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dhs-PlUm-ahDGF63VxxM0htB0dRiAGYJ/view?usp=sharing

Background: Minimally invasive thymectomy (MIT) is emerging as an effective alternative to open thymectomy in the management of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). The primary objective of our study is to assess the surgical and neurological outcome of MIT in patients with MG.Materials and Methods: It is a retrospective evaluation of prospectively collected data of 100 patients with MG, who underwent MIT from April 2012 to January 2018 at a tertiary care center in India. Surgical outcome was assessed for success of minimal invasive approach, conversion, perioperative morbidity, and postoperative hospital course. Neurological outcome was assessed, after at least 1 year of follow-up, according to Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America postintervention status. Factors predicting complete stable remission (CSR) were evaluated.Results: MIT was successfully performed in 98% patients with 2% conversion. There was no mortality. Overall, 10% of patients had perioperative morbidity with 5% having exacerbation of neurological symptoms. Two of these needed postoperative ventilation, whereas 3 recovered on conservative treatment. Median operative time and hospital stay were 140 minutes and 3 days, respectively. At a median follow-up of 47 months, CSR was seen in 20% with improvement in 73.3%. Overall, 63% patients were taken off steroids and patients requiring 3 drugs decreased by 70.7%. There was significant reduction in the dosage of pyridostigmine (P < 0.001), prednisolone (P < 0.001), and azathioprine (P = 0.002) after thymectomy. Milder disease (Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America class 1 and 2) predicted CSR on multivariate analysis.Conclusions: MIT is a safe and effective procedure that leads to improvement in neurological status with significant reduction in number and dosage of medications after thymectomy. Mild disease predicts CSR.

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