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Background: Involvement of cervical lymph nodes is the single most important prognostic factor in oral carcinoma. This study was aimed to evaluate the correlation between tumour stage and lymph node metastasis.Methods: A descriptive study was planned in oral cancer patients who fall within the inclusion criteria. This was compared with the postoperative histopathologic status of cervical nodes. Correlation analysis was done between tumor stage and lymph node metastasis.Results: Total 106 patients were included in the study. The male female ratio was 1.4:1. Majority of the patients 37(34.9%) were in the sixth decade of life. Carcinoma of the tongue was present in 17 cases while only 4 had carcinoma of lower alveolus. Most of the patients with oral cancer presented at an early stage (T1-T2). Stage IV was the commonest with 51 (48.1%) patients. Level I was the most commonly involved lymph node station (78.1%) in squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity. A weak significant positive correlation between tumor stage and lymph node metastases (r =0.298) was found (p = 0.002). There was a moderate significant (p = 0.0001) positive correlation (r = 0.435) between pathological tumour stage and level of lymph node involvement. But the positive correlation was not statistically significant in carcinoma of the lower alveolus (r = 0.387, p=0.112).Conclusions: Significant positive correlation between pathological tumor stage and level of lymph node involvement in oral cancer and carcinoma tongue. But, in carcinoma lower alveolus the positive correlation was not significant.

Background: The preoperative ultrasound (USG) guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of axillary metastasis may avoid unnecessary axillary dissections and time consuming and costly sentinel lymph node biopsy. This study was aimed to evaluate the accuracy of USG guided FNAC in preoperative assessment of clinically node negative breast cancer patients.Methods: An observational study was done in patients who fall within the inclusion criteria. USG guided FNAC of suspicious nodes was done. All the selected patients were taken up for modified radical mastectomy. The resected specimens were sent for detailed histopathological (HPR) evaluation, which was taken as the gold standard for the comparison with the pre-operative FNAC report.Results: Among a total of 33 patients with early breast cancer subjected to USG guided FNAC and compared with the HPR results. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of FNAC were 44.44%, 100%, 100% and 28.57% respectively.Conclusions: The sensitivity of USG guided FNAC of suspicious axillary lymph nodes was low, whereas the specificity and positive predictive values were high. Moreover, the negative predictive value is very less. Hence, the results suggested that USG guided FNAC has not proved to be sufficiently accurate for routine preoperative assessment in patients with early breast cancer.

Background: Measurement of intra abdominal pressures is used to identify patients at risk of intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome after abdominoplasty that may lead to tight closure of the abdomen. This comparative study was aimed at measuring the IAP of patients in groups of meshplasty and abdominal wall plication, intraoperatively and post operatively.Methods: A comparative study was conducted among 34 patients who underwent meshplasty and abdominal wall plication. Each group comprised of 17 patients. All preoperative blood investigations and pre anesthetic evaluations were done. The technique used is decided based on the soft tissue laxity, rectus diastasis and presence of ventral hernias. Intra operatively, IAP was measured soon after the placement of mesh or after Rectus plication and post operatively, IAP was measured within 24 hours. IAP was measured using the intra vesical technique using Foley’s Catheter.Results: Fifty percent of the total patients were in the age group 41-50yrs and 88.2% of the patients were females. No significant variations in IAP, either intraoperative (p=0.051) or post operative (p=0.202), was evidenced in both groups. Post operatively, patient developed minimal complications such as seroma collection, wound infection and respiratory complications, improving on symptomatic treatment and antibiotics.Conclusions: No significant intraoperative or postoperative IAP was found between the two study groups underwent meshplasty and abdominal wall placation techniques.