Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Surgery versus Primary Surgery in Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Review of Outcomes at National Institute of Cancer Research Hospital in Bangladesh

Introduction: This study evaluated the difference in operative and clinical outcomes for patients with advanced ovarian cancer after primary debulking surgery (PDS) versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS) in Bangladesh. Methods: Sixty patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer presenting to the department of Gynaecological Oncology at the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital were prospectively enrolled. Thirty patients underwent primary debulking surgery and thirty patients received NACT followed by IDS. Results: In the PDS and IDS groups respectively, 56.7% and 50% of patients presented with stage IIIC and 67.7% and 56.7% respectively had serious papillary type histopathology. Duration of surgery, amount of blood loss and total hospital stay were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in IDS group than in the PDS group. There was a statistically significant difference in postoperative tumor residuals between IDS and PDS patients. Complete tumor resection (R0) was obtained in 24 (80%) of IDS patients versus 13 (43.3%) PDS patients. In fifteen months of follow-up, 21 (70%) in the PDS group and 5 (16.7%) in the IDS group recurred (p = 0.021). Median progression free survival in PDS patients was twelve months while that of the IDS group was seventeen months. There was one death at 45 days in the PDS group. No other deaths were documented at fifteen months of follow-up. Conclusion: Interval debulking surgery has a more favorable outcome than primary debulking surgery on progression free survival in advanced ovarian cancer patients and permits a less aggressive surgery to be performed in Bangladesh.

Evaluation of the Factors Associated with Delay in Initiation of Treatment of Advanced Stage Cervical Cancer Patients in Bangladesh

Research Background: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women and the third leading cause of female cancer death in Bangladesh. Delay in initiation of treatment in advanced stage cervical cancer patients is an important modifiable risk factor for cancer-related mortality. Identifying elements associated with delay of diagnosis will help reduce barriers to timely treatment of cervical cancer. Research Objectives: The objective of this study was to analyze the factors leading to delay in diagnosis and treatment of women with advanced stage cervical cancer. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study analyzed the factors associated with delay in initiation of treatment for 138 patients with advanced-stage cervical cancer from November 2019 to October 2020 at the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Advanced-stage cervical cancer patients between the ages of 30 to 70 years were included in this study. Face-to-face interviews with the participants used a predesigned data collection sheet. In this study, three components of delay were identified: primary delay due to patient factors, healthcare provider delay, and healthcare-system infrastructure delay. Factors associated with delay were the independent variables and durations of delay were the outcome variables. Descriptive statistics were expressed as mean + standard deviation, median, percentage, and frequency. Results: One hundred and thirty-eight patients with advanced stage cervical cancer were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 48.74 (±9.57) years. Thirty-four percent of patients were illiterate. More than half (57.25%) of the patients were from lower middle-class families. Delays were categorized as patient-related, healthcare provider delay, and healthcare-system infrastructure related. Patient-related factors included low monthly income, residence in a rural area, embarrassment, fear, lack of knowledge regarding cervical cancer, delay in contacting a spouse, family member or friend prior to the first medical encounter. These elements predicted a primary delay of more than 60 days (P value Conclusion: Three broad categories of delay in diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer: patient-related factors, healthcare provider-related factors, and healthcare-system infrastructure factors were analyzed. Illiteracy, lack of awareness regarding cervical cancer, lack of health-seeking behavior, and poor income status were associated with patient-related primary delay. Nonperformance of speculum examination in the initial consultation, misdiagnosis, inappropriate management, and delay in referral to the cancer treatment center by primary healthcare providers were the contributing factors for healthcare provider delay. Lack of availability and accessibility of health services and limitation of radiotherapy resources led to healthcare-system infrastructure delays. All three categories of delay must be addressed through the education of communities, the gynecologic training of community healthcare providers, the improvement of medical infrastructure, and the increase of medical resources.

Comparison of Propofol and Fentanyl for Preventing Emergence Agitation Following Sevoflurane Anesthesia in Pediatric Patients: A Single-Center Study in Bangladesh

Background: Emergence agitation (EA) is a common phenomenon observed in pediatric patients following general anesthesia. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of propofol and fentanyl in preventing EA and to compare their associated complications or side effects. Methods: This prospective randomized observational comparative study was conducted at Dhaka Medical College Hospital from July 2013 to June 2014. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of propofol and fentanyl on EA in children aged 18 to 72 months undergoing circumcision, herniotomy, and polypectomy operations. Ninety children were included in the study, with 45 in each group. Patients with psychological or neurological disorders were excluded. Various parameters including age, sex, weight, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, duration of anesthesia, Saturation of Peripheral Oxygen (SPO2), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) score, duration of post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) stay, incidence of laryngospasm, nausea, vomiting, and rescue drug requirement were compared between the two groups. Results: Age, sex, weight, ASA class, and duration of anesthesia were comparable between the two groups. Perioperative SpO2 and HR were similar in both groups. However, the PAED score was significantly higher in the fentanyl group during all follow-ups except at 30 minutes postoperatively. The mean duration of PACU stay was significantly longer in the fentanyl group. Although the incidence of laryngospasm was higher in the fentanyl group, it was not statistically significant. Conversely, nausea or vomiting was significantly higher in the fentanyl group. The requirement for rescue drugs was significantly higher in the fentanyl group compared to the propofol group. Conclusion: Both propofol and fentanyl were effective in preventing emergence agitation in pediatric patients undergoing various surgical procedures under sevoflurane anesthesia. However, propofol demonstrated a better safety profile with fewer incidences of nausea, vomiting, and rescue drug requirements compared to fentanyl.

Post Thyroidectomy Assessment of Intact Parathyroid Hormone for Early Prediction of Hypocalcaemia

Background: As the half-life of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) is very low, it reflects parathyroid insufficiency within minutes to hours after total thyroidectomy. Therefore, iPTH level assessment in the postoperative period can be used to predict the development of hypocalcaemia. The optimal time point to measure serum iPTH is important for the accurate prediction of hypocalcaemia. Aim: This paper aims to evaluate the ability of iPTH as an early predictive marker of hypocalcaemia and determine which time iPTH is more able to predict postoperative hypocalcaemia. Method: This prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, BSMMU, Dhaka, from July 2020 to December 2021, with 67 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy. iPTH levels were measured on the day before the operation and at 1 hour, 4 hours, and 24 hours after the operation. S.calcium levels were measured on the day before the operation and 1st postoperative day. All the data were compiled and sorted properly and were analyzed statistically. Results: Postoperative hypocalcaemia developed in 18 cases, with an incidence of 26.9%. Pearson correlation showed a significant correlation between postoperative iPTH at 1 hr, 4 h, and 24 hr with 1st postoperative calcium value. The Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was processed for the postoperative iPTH at 1 hr, 4 h, and 24 hr. The sensitivity, specificity, cut-off value, and mean AUC found 93.9%, 94.4%, ≤14.0, 0.988;95.9%, 94.4%, ≤09.5, 0.993 and 91.8%, 94.4%, ≤11.0, 0.993 respectively. Conclusion: iPTH can be used as an early predictor of post-thy-roidectomy hypocalcaemia. 4 hr iPTH showed more sensitivity and specificity for a cut-off value near the laboratory reference range.

Risk Factors for Wound Infection Following Caesarean Section: A Case Control Study from Sir Salimullah Medical College &Mitford Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Background: Post caesarean section (CS) wound infection or surgical site infection is a leading cause of prolonged hospital stay or readmission. An understanding of its risk factors is important. Methods: A case control study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Sir Salimullah Medical College & Mitford Hospital, in Dhaka, Bangladesh from January to June 2014 to evaluate the risk factors of postoperative surgical site infection following CS. One hundred patients were studied. Results: Fifty patients of post CS wound infection (surgical site infection: SSI) were selected as cases. Body mass index > 25 (kg/m2), anemia (p = 0.001), prolonged rupture of membrane (p = 0.005), prolonged operation time (p = 0.019), and junior surgeons performing the operation (p = 0.011) were the risk factors for CS-SSI. Conclusions: Pre- and postoperative care and surgical training of junior doctors should be directed to these risk factors.

Fast Track Surgery and Its Outcome in Colorectal Surgery in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Fast track surgery is an evidence-based multidisciplinary approach. The underlying principle is to enable patients to recover from surgery and leave the hospital sooner by minimizing the stress responses on the body during surgery. Our aim was to compare the outcome of fast-track protocol and conventional methods in colorectal surgery. Method: It was an observational cross-sectional study carried out at the Department of Surgery in different tertiary level hospitals, Dhaka Bangladesh during the period January 2014 to December 2017. Among this population, 50 patients were placed in the fast-track program (Group A) from January 2014 to December 2015 and 50 patients were in the conventional method (Group B), from January 2016 to December 2017. The fast-track patients were selected after receiving ethical approval from the Bangladesh College of Physician & Surgeons. Data analysis was done using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) for windows version 20. Results: The average age of the patients was 45.24 ± 16.65 years (range: 11 - 70 years) in the fast track group (Group A) and 43.24 ± 17.76 years in the conventional method (Group B). The majority were female between two groups, with 56% in group A and 52% in group B. General and surgical complications occurred in 9 (18%) patients and 11 (22%) patients respectively in group A. On the other hand in group B general and surgical complications occurred in 10 (20%) patients and 13 (26%) patients respectively. The average hospital stay was 9.24 ± 5.99 days in group A and the average hospital stay was 10.10 ± 6.04 days in group B. Conclusion: Making the decision to adopt fast-track surgery will challenge current traditional practice for all members of the multidisciplinary team across the whole local health community.