A 38-year-old lady presented with mild fever and dry cough of 1 week duration. Her chest X-ray showed right middle lobe collapse and consolidation. CT thorax revealed a mass in the right middle lobe. Subsequent bronchoscopy showed a growth completely occluding the right middle lobe bronchus and extending proximally into bronchus intermedius. Right bilobectomy (middle and lower lobes) with lymphadenectomy was performed. All the histomorphological features were suggestive of a low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC). MEC is one of the very rare neoplasms of the lung comprising <1% of all lung tumours. Low-grade MEC has a better prognosis than high-grade tumour, the latter being similar to that of non-small-cell lung carcinoma.

Today most complications of thyroid and parathyroid surgery are related to either metabolic derangements or injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerves. This is mainly due to anatomical variations in the course of recurrent laryngeal nerve and positions of parathyroids. Patients who develop complications such as permanent hypocalcemia and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury have a diminished quality of life and increased health costs and often require lifelong replacement therapy, further surgical procedures and rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE: To study the occurrence of various postoperative complications following thyroid surgeries, and its outcome in a teaching and research medical institution. METHODOLOGY: It is an observational study made over a period of 2 years. All the cases (total 55 cases) admitted within the first year of study period for thyroid surgery were included in the study. A prospective analysis of all the patients undergoing thyroid surgeries was done mainly focusing on the operative and postoperative events. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: The peak age group of individuals undergoing thyroid surgery was in the fourth decade accounting for 44% of patients. In the present series mortality was zero and morbidity was seen in 30% of the cases most of them being transient. Hypoparathyroidism was the most common complication encountered in our study noted in 7(14%) cases of which 5 cases (10%) were transient and 2 cases (4%) were permanent. There were 3 cases (6%) of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy of which 2 were transient (4%) and unilateral (right side in both cases) and 1 was permanent and bilateral (2%). There was one case (2%) of SLN palsy on left side which developed after hemithyroidectomy for a thyroid nodule. Seroma developed in one patient (2%) after removal (Total thyroidectomy) of a longstanding MNG with retrosternal extension. Hematoma occurred in one case (2%). There was one case of stitch abscess which developed following hemithyroidectomy. There was one case (2%) of hypothyroidism which developed after total thyroidectomy for a case of Grave's disease in a young lady. Surgery of thyroid gland is a safe procedure as the there was no mortality and the morbidity is minimum most of which were transient.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the common complications in surgical patients. Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which is manifested as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), represents a significant cause of death, disability, and discomfort. With the various evidence based studies now we have a better understanding of the VTE/PE risk factors and preventive measures. However most of the hospitals and doctors fall short in implementing the knowledge while treating their patients. Hence the need for the present study to assess the practice pattern of VTE prophylaxis in surgical patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It's a retrospective study in which 100 patients were randomly selected from the operation theatre registry. Individual risk assessment was done and VTE prophylaxis given was recorded and then compared with the Caprini's VTE risk assessment model and suggested prophylaxis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Appropriate VTE prophylaxis was given only in 42.03% of the postoperative patients (18.75% of low risk, 29.17% of moderate risk and 65.51% of high risk patients). The remaining 57.97% of patients were at increased risk of developing DVT and pulmonary embolism thus increasing the chances of morbidity and mortality. The prophylaxis was inadequate mainly in the moderate and low risk individuals. Hence there is a strong need for a standard hospital policy for VTE risk assessment and prophylaxis in surgical patients. KEYWORDS: Evaluation of practice pattern of VTE prophylaxis in postoperative patients. INTRODUCTION:Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the common complications in surgical patients. 1 Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which is manifested as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), represents a significant cause of death, disability, and discomfort. The risk for VTE in surgical patients depends both on patient related factors and the type of surgery. 1,2 The commonly used guidelines for VTE risk assessment and prophylaxis are Caprini's VTE risk assessment model and American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) consensus guidelines for VTE prophylaxis. Use of LMWH, pneumatic compression stockings or graded compression stockings have greatly reduced the incidence of VTE and thereby reducing the morbidity and mortality. 2 Pulmonary embolism (PE) is now the most common cause of preventable death in surgical patients.With the various evidence based studies now, we have a better understanding of the VTE risk factors and preventive measures. The high incidence of postoperative VTE and the availability of effective methods of prevention mandate that thromboprophylaxis should be considered in every surgical patient. However most of the hospitals and doctors fall short in implementing the knowledge while treating their patients. 3,4,5 Hence the need for the present study to assess the practice pattern of VTE prophylaxis in surgical patients.