Management of corneal complications in xeroderma pigmentosum

Outcomes of keratoplasty in a cohort of Indian patients with xeroderma pigmentosum

Purpose:

To evaluate the outcomes of keratoplasty for xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) performed at a tertiary eye care center.

Methods:

A retrospective review of medical records of those patients who were clinically diagnosed to have XP (54 eyes of 36 patients) and underwent keratoplasty; either deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK, four eyes), endothelial keratoplasty (EK, eight eyes), or penetrating keratoplasty (PK, 42 eyes) from 1994 to 2018.

Results:

The median age at surgery was 20.6 years (interquartile range [IQR], 14.6–27.6 years) and 20 (55.6%) were males. Graft failure occurred in 15 eyes (35.7%) in the PK group and two eyes (50%) in the DALK group; none failed in the EK group. The probability of graft survival in the PK group was 97.2% ± 2.7% at 1 year, 74.0% ± 8.0% at 2 years, and 54.8% ± 11.7% at 5 years. In the PK group, 13 eyes needed antiglaucoma medications, 11 eyes developed graft infiltrate, and 13 eyes needed secondary interventions (cataract surgery, excision biopsy, and tarsorrhaphy). In the EK group, three eyes needed secondary interventions (excision biopsy). Median postoperative endothelial cell density at the last follow-up in the PK group was 1214 cells/mm² (IQR, 623–2277 cells/mm²).

Conclusion:

Despite the complexities of the ocular surface and adnexal issues in XP, keratoplasty had reasonably good outcomes. More than half of the PK grafts survived 5 years with no failures in the EK group. Regular follow-up and timely management of suture-related infections raised intraocular pressure, and suspicious ocular surface lesions, in addition to solar protection, are important for the success of keratoplasty in these eyes.

Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia Following Keratoplasty in Xeroderma Pigmentosa: A Series of Seven Cases

Purpose: To describe the clinical features and management of post-keratoplasty ocular surface squamous neoplasia (pk-OSSN) in patients with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP).Methods: Retrospective case series of seven patients with XP.Results: The mean age at diagnosis of pk-OSSN was 22 years (median, 21 years; range, 12 to 37 years). There were four males and three females. Full-thickness keratoplasty (n = 5) and Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (n = 2) were performed for optical (n = 6) and therapeutic indications (n = 1). None of the patients had evidence of OSSN before or at the time of keratoplasty. The mean interval between keratoplasty and pk-OSSN was 44 months (median, 14 months; range, 3 to 109 months). The tumor epicenter was located at the limbus (n = 4), bulbar conjunctiva (n = 1) or cornea (n = 2). The mean dimension of the lesions was 12 mm (median, 11 mm; range, 6 to 18 mm). Treatment details included conjunctival/corneal tumor excision (n = 6), plaque brachytherapy (n = 3; 1 primary, 2 adjuvant) and extended enucleation (n = 1). One patient had tumor recurrence 18 months after OSSN treatment, which was treated with wide excisional biopsy. All patients are alive and free of disease over a mean follow-up period of 37 months (median, 37 months; range, 4 to 65 months).Conclusion: XP patients undergoing keratoplasty can develop OSSN several months to years after keratoplasty and require close follow-up for the same. Wide excisional biopsy with/without plaque radiotherapy is effective in the management of pk-OSSN.

Ophthalmic manifestations and histopathology of xeroderma pigmentosum: two clinicopathological cases and a review of the literature

Xeroderma pigmentosum is a rare, autosomal recessive disease caused by a defect in DNA repair. Patients with xeroderma pigmentosum often have cutaneous and ocular sun sensitivity, freckle-like skin pigmentation, multiple skin and eye cancers, and, in some patients, progressive neurodegeneration. Xeroderma pigmentosum predominantly affects the ultraviolet (UV) exposed ocular surface, resulting in eyelid atrophy and cancers, corneal dryness, exposure keratopathy, and conjunctival tumors. We report the clinical history and ocular pathology of two white women who had xeroderma pigmentosum with neurological degeneration: Case 1 (died at age 44 years) and Case 2 (died at age 45 years). Case 1, with mutations in the XPA gene, had more than 180 basal cell carcinomas of her skin and eyelids and died from complications of neurodegeneration. Case 2, with mutations in the XPD gene, was sun-protected and had three skin cancers. She died from complications of neurodegeneration and pneumonia. Both patients had bilateral pinguecula, corneal pannus, and exposure keratopathy. Case 1 had bilateral optic atrophy, and Case 2 had bilateral peripheral retinal pigmentary degeneration. Both patients developed retinal gliosis. The ophthalmic manifestations and pathology of xeroderma pigmentosum are discussed and reviewed with respect to this report and other cases in the literature. These cases illustrate the role of DNA repair in protection of the eyes from UV damage and neurodegeneration of the retina.

Conjunctival necrobiotic granuloma in xeroderma pigmentosum

PURPOSE

We report clinical and histopathologic findings of a conjunctival lesion associated with xeroderma pigmentosum.

METHODS

A Saudi girl with known xeroderma pigmentosum presented with pain and photophobia of the right eye and an elevated temporally located perilimbal mass.

RESULTS

The mass was resected successfully and has not recurred during 1-year follow-up. Histopathologic examination of the tissue showed a necrobiotic granuloma with associated histiocytic infiltration. The patient had no systemic disease, lipid was not detected in the histiocytic lesion, no Touton giant cells were present, and there was no evidence of elastolysis.

CONCLUSION

Ocular malignancies occur in association with xeroderma pigmentosum, but benign lesions that mimic a malignancy may occur.