Fatal Air Embolism after Choroidal Melanoma Endoresection without Air Infusion: A Case Report

Managing vitreoretinal complications in uveal melanoma: Surgical treatment and practical considerations

BACKGROUND

In the past few decades, the primary management for uveal melanoma has evolved from enucleation to eye-preserving treatments. However, despite achieving a high rate of local tumour control, complications following eye-preserving treatments still occur and are partly responsible for functional loss and secondary enucleation.

METHODS

A literature review by a broad international panel.

RESULTS

We summarised the current literature on utilizing vitreoretinal (VR) surgery for managing the complications of uveal melanoma. We also provided insights from the authors' personal experience and practical recommendations for clinical care.

CONCLUSIONS

With the advancement of VR instruments and surgical techniques and the combination of VR and ocular oncology knowledge ("Onco-VR"), it is now possible to manage or even prevent complications such as vitreous haemorrhage, retinal detachment, and toxic tumour syndrome.

Anatomical and Functional Outcomes after Endoresection and Adjuvant Ruthenium Brachytherapy for Uveal Melanoma: A Single-Center Experience

PURPOSE

To evaluate the anatomical and functional outcomes of endoresection and adjuvant ruthenium (Ru)-106 brachytherapy for uveal melanoma (UM).

METHODS

Retrospective case series of 15 UM patients (15 eyes) treated at our center (Careggi University Hospital, Florence).

RESULTS

Six patients (40%) were male and nine were female (60%). The mean age of patients at the time of treatment was 61.6 years (±19.41). The mean BCVA at baseline was 20/50. In all cases UM originated from the choroid. The mean tumor thickness at baseline was 7.14 mm (±2.05), and the mean largest basal diameter was 11.2 mm (±1.92). A concurrent retinal detachment was diagnosed in 11 patients (73.3%). Two patients (13.3%) showed vitreous seeding at baseline. Eleven patients (73.3%) were treated with primary endoresection, while four patients (26.7%) were treated with a "salvage endoresection" after primary treatment failure (previous radiation treatment). The mean follow-up time was 28.9 months (±10.6). Thirteen out of fifteen patients were alive and showed no evidence of local recurrence or distance metastasis at the last follow-up visit. The treatment achieved local control of the disease in 14 out of 15 cases (93.3%). In one case, the patient underwent enucleation for disease recurrence. The overall survival rate at the end of the follow-up was 93.3%. The mean BCVA at last follow-up visit was 20/40. Treatment was well tolerated, without significant complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoresection and adjuvant Ru-106 brachytherapy is a valuable conservative option for selected UM patients and can be used both as a primary treatment and as a salvage therapy. It can control melanoma and avoid enucleation, reduce radiation-related complications, and provide tumor tissue for chromosomal analysis and prognostic testing.

Ocular Brachytherapy (Interventional Radiotherapy): Preserving the Vision

Uveal melanoma represents the most common intraocular neoplasia among adults. Brachytherapy (interventional radiotherapy; IRT) has a great advantage, when compared with enucleation, both in terms of organ and function sparing. The Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study introduced into clinical practice a standardised procedure that allowed the equivalence of IRT with enucleation in terms of overall survival to be demonstrated. IRT is carried out by placing a plaque in direct contact with the sclera under the uveal melanoma. Several radioactive sources may be used, including 106-ruthenium, 125-iodine, 103-palladium and 90-strontium. It is a multidisciplinary procedure requiring the collaboration of interventional radiation oncologists and ophthalmologists in the operating theatre and medical physicists for an accurate treatment time calculation. It also relies on ultrasound imaging to identify the lesion and verifiy the correct plaque placement. An emerging tool of paramount importance could be the use of artificial intelligence and predictive models to identify those patients at higher risk of developing late side-effects and therefore who may deserve preventive and supportive therapies.

Main Principles of Vitrectomy Using Intraocular Tamponades - A Basic Course in Surgery

This article is intended to clearly present the basic principles for the use of intraocular tamponades in vitreous/retinal surgery in the event of retinal detachment and other pathologies using additional video footage. It examines the various gases, silicone oils and perfluorocarbon liquids with their indications, administration and in particular intraoperative handling including pitfalls and complications. Characteristic animations show the principles of use in surgery in a comprehensible way. The two lead authors dedicate this article to their teacher Prof. Dr. V.-P. Gabel, who in the early 1990s successfully established the first vitrectomy courses for ophthalmologists at Regensburg University Eye Clinic each year. Many colleagues who still work in retinal surgery today first started learning about this segment on these courses. The other coauthors participated under his supervision in annual vitrectomy wet labs run by the German Academy of Ophthalmology.