Angiographic features and disease outcomes of symptomatic retinal arterial macroaneurysms

PURPOSE

Symptomatic retinal arterial macroaneurysms (RAM) are primarily investigated by fundus fluorescein angiography after presenting with visual disturbance. The natural history includes spontaneous regression and occasionally occlusion of the arteriole distal to the aneurysm. RAM may be managed conservatively. Interventional treatment options include focal argon laser photocoagulation, Nd:YAG laser hyaloidotomy, and pars plana vitrectomy. The purpose of this study was to elicit the rates of distal vessel occlusion and aneurysm thrombosis in RAM at presentation, and their relevance to the treatment of RAM. Furthermore, visual outcomes were examined.

METHODS

Retrospective review of cases of RAM presenting to a tertiary ophthalmology care centre was accomplished in a university teaching hospital. The angiographic features, treatment indications, and visual outcomes in patients with RAM were recorded. Angiographic features noted were distal vessel patency and aneurysm thrombosis at presentation.

RESULTS

Ten patients with RAM were identified. Ninety percent had an angiographically patent distal arteriole, with 40 % showing spontaneous thrombosis of the aneurysm sac at presentation. Patients presenting with a spontaneously thrombosed RAM were managed conservatively, those with flow within the aneurysm wall were treated with focal laser, and those with subhyaloid haemorrhage underwent Nd:YAG laser hyaloidotomy. LogMAR visual acuity improved from 0.3 (±0) at presentation to 0.15 (±0.1) in the conservative group, and from 0.78 (±0.23) to 0.24 (±0.18) in those who underwent one intervention. One patient lost vision after multiple RAM.

CONCLUSION

Thrombosis within the aneurysm wall is an important feature in deciding to treat RAM, and selective use of interventions improves vision in affected patients.

Long-term heavy silicone oil intraocular tamponade

Heavy silicone oil tamponade is intended to be temporary, but may occasionally be indefinite in patients who refuse, or are deemed unsuitable for, further surgery. The aim of this study is to compare the outcomes of patients with temporary versus indefinite heavy silicone oil intraocular tamponade. This retrospective, comparative case series identified 75 patients who underwent heavy silicone oil instillation (Oxane HD) over a 6 year period (2006-2012) in one institution. Thirty-nine patients had temporary heavy oil tamponade and 36 patients had indefinite tamponade. The majority (68 %) of patients had a history of previous vitreoretinal surgery prior to oil instillation and 66.7 % had pre-existing proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). The mean final logMAR best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was significantly better in the temporary tamponade group (1.34 ± 0.66) than the indefinite tamponade group 1.82 ± 0.64 (p = 0.003). Ambulatory BCVA (≥ 4/200) was retained in 76.3 % of temporary tamponade patients versus 54.3 % of indefinite tamponade patients (p = 0.093). Successful retinal reattachment was significantly more likely in temporary tamponade patients (92.3 %) than indefinite tamponade patients (75 %; p = 0.04). Complications in the patients with indefinite heavy silicone oil tamponade included redetachment (38.9 %), corneal pathology (13.8 %), secondary glaucoma (11.1 %) and anterior segment emulsification (8.3 %).While temporary tamponade patients had better outcomes than those with indefinite tamponade, the majority of indefinite tamponade patients still retained ambulatory vision in the affected eye. Indefinite heavy silicone oil tamponade remains a viable option for those who cannot undergo removal of oil surgery.

Subjective difficulty of each stage of phacoemulsification cataract surgery performed by basic surgical trainees

PURPOSE

To measure the relative difficulty of each stage of phacoemulsification surgery performed by basic surgical trainees.

SETTING

Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.

METHODS

This prospective study comprised 100 consecutive cases of phacoemulsification performed by 8 trainee surgeons over an 11-month period. The trainees completed a questionnaire at the end of surgery, rating the degree of difficulty of 8 individual stages of phacoemulsification on a 5-point scale from 1 (very easy) to 5 (very difficult).

RESULTS

At the start of the study, trainees had spent a mean of 9.4 months training. The mean preoperative best corrected decimal visual acuity was 20/70. The most difficult stages were phacoemulsification and capsulorhexis with the highest mean scores of 3.32 +/- 1.00 (SD) and 3.30 +/- 1.24, respectively and the lowest completion rates of 66.7% and 74.4%, respectively. The first 3 stages of peribulbar blockade (1.72 +/- 0.75), draping the surgical field (1.35 +/- 0.70) and corneal incision (1.97 +/- 0.72) were easiest and had close to a 100% completion rate. Hydrodissection, irrigation/aspiration, and intraocular lens insertion had difficulty rates of 2.42 +/- 0.92, 2.80 +/- 1.10, and 2.58 +/- 1.08, respectively, and completion rates of 92.3%, 78.4%, and 83.1%, respectively. Posterior capsule tear occurred in 9%, including 4% with vitreous loss; there was 1 case of zonular dehiscence.

CONCLUSIONS

Trainee surgeons found phacoemulsification and capsulorhexis the most difficult stages of cataract surgery early in the learning curve. More time can be dedicated to mastering these steps in the wet lab.