Role of Concomitant Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection in Small-Gauge Vitrectomy for Idiopathic Epiretinal Membrane Peel

PURPOSE

The concomitant use of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) at the completion of pars plana vitrectomy for the treatment of epiretinal membrane may speed up the anatomical and functional outcomes of surgery. We report the outcome of patients undergoing small-gauge vitrectomy for idiopathic epiretinal membrane peel with or without adjuvant TA therapy.

DESIGN

This is a retrospective, single-center case series.

METHODS

We included 75 eyes of 75 individual patients. Twenty-six patients (group A) had an adjuvant TA injection during surgery, whereas 49 patients (group B) were not injected. We assessed the patients for change in visual acuity (VA) and central macular thickness before and after surgery.

RESULTS

Group A had a mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution VA of 0.63 ± 0.33 and 0.51 ± 0.31 preoperatively and 3 months after surgery, respectively. Group B had a mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution VA of 0.47 ± 0.17 and 0.36 ± 0.17 preoperatively and 3 months after surgery, respectively. No significant difference was found between the groups in change of VA. The mean central macular thickness for groups A and B patients before surgery was 474.12 ± 120 μm and 445 ± 85 μm, decreasing to 369 ± 70 μm and 386 ± 60 μm at the final visit, respectively. The difference in macular thickness reduction between the groups was statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Anatomical and functional improvement was found in both groups after surgery. Macular thickness was further reduced in the group of patients treated with adjuvant TA.

The incidence of retinal breaks in the presenting and fellow eyes in patients with acute symptomatic posterior vitreous detachment and their associated risk factors

PURPOSE

To determine the incidence of retinal breaks in presenting and fellow eyes in patients with acute symptomatic posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) and their associated risk factors.

DESIGN

A prospective study of 101 consecutive patients presenting with acute symptomatic PVD.

METHODS

The PVD status and other relevant ophthalmic findings were noted for both presenting and fellow eyes at initial presentation. Patients with PVD in the fellow eye were followed up appropriately whereas those without were invited to return for a further examination 4 years later. Data analysis was performed using general linear model and logistic regression.

RESULTS

The mean age was 62 years. Seventy-six eyes had PVD in the presenting eyes, which were more myopic than their fellow eyes. Increased myopia and the presence of vitreous and/or retinal hemorrhage were associated with the presence of retinal tear(s) (P = 0.03 and P < 0.0001, respectively) at presentation. Twenty-three of the presenting eyes and 2 of the fellow eyes had have retinal break(s) at the first clinic visit. Of those, 14 eyes were found not to have a visible Weiss ring. Only 5.9% of the eyes (3 presenting eyes and 3 fellow eyes) developed delayed retinal break(s).

CONCLUSIONS

Acute symptomatic PVD is a common presentation. It is essential to perform thorough examination to both presenting eye and fellow eye at initial presentation and follow-up appointments to prevent delay of treatment to retinal break(s).

Clinical and demographic associations with optic nerve hypoplasia in New Zealand

AIM

To identify the clinical features of optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) and prevalence within a population of New Zealand children with severe visual impairment.

METHODS

Retrospective review of medical records of children with severe visual impairment registered with Blind and Low Vision Educational Network New Zealand.

RESULTS

Of 1500 children with severe visual impairment, 94 (6.3%) exhibited ONH, and 91 (97%) cases were bilateral. Of these 94 cases, 52 (55%) were males and ethnicities were European Caucasian (52%), Maori (40%), Pasifika (6%) and other (2%). Most children with ONH had poor vision, with 60% having ≤ 6/60 Snellen visual acuity equivalent. The median maternal age was 20.0 years old with 52% ≤ 20 years. There was a statistically significant over-representation of Maori ethnicity (40%) and young maternal age with age less than 20 years old (44%) in our cohort compared to the general population (14.6% and 7.4%, respectively; p<0.0001). Half had hypopituitarism, while neuroimaging abnormalities were detected in 60% cases. Cerebral neuroradiographic abnormalities were found to be associated with higher rate of developmental delay (OR 9.764 95% CI 3.246 to 29.373).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first major study of visual impairment in New Zealand children, and it demonstrates that ONH is an important cause of severe visual disability; with an over-representation of Maori children and younger maternal age.

Iatrogenic choroidal neovascularization following idiopathic epiretinal membrane peel

Choroidal neovascularization is an uncommon complication of macular surgery. The functional outcome is poor despite various treatment options, including laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy, and a variety of surgical procedures. We report a case of iatrogenic choroidal neovascularization in a 69-year-old woman at the site of inadvertent retinal trauma 5 weeks after an epiretinal membrane peel. Visual acuity was 6/15 at the time of diagnosis. Four intravitreal bevacizumab injections were administered over a period of 6 months; treatment was discontinued when a disciform scar was noted. At last follow-up, 21 months after surgery, the patient's visual acuity was counting fingers.

Combining primary and piggyback intraocular lenses to treat extreme myopic astigmatism in stable keratoconus following cataract surgery

The majority of those with keratoconus can maximise visual acuity with spectacle or contact lens correction as they age; however, as subjects enter their sixties, cataracts may supervene and contact lens tolerance diminishes with consequent reduction in visual acuity. Following cataract extraction, the complex refractive error associated with keratoconus may not be readily corrected by an intraocular lens alone. This report highlights the planned implantation of a primary posterior chamber toric intraocular lens with a secondary piggyback, sulcus-based, intraocular lens in advanced but stable keratoconus with extreme myopic astigmatism and cataract.

Do Optic Disc Drusen Cause Unilateral Nyctalopia

This is a case report of a patient with unilateral nyctalopia in whom ipsilateral optic disc drusen were the only finding despite extensive investigation.

Recurrent vitreous occlusion of glaucoma drainage device tube in a patient with glaucoma in aphakia: a case report

Patients with spontaneous lens dislocation and glaucoma can be challenging to manage. We present a forty-six year old Caucasian lady who was referred with bilateral high intraocular pressure, and was subsequently diagnosed with glaucoma in association with lens dislocation and Marfan syndrome. Baerveldt glaucoma drainage device tubes were inserted in both eyes due to poor response to medical therapy. However, this was complicated by recurrent vitreous occlusion of both glaucoma drainage tubes requiring further multiple surgical interventions. There have not been any further recurrences of vitreous incarceration or posterior segment complications since, but the patient remains under close follow-up.

Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma: a light microscopic, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural and immuno-ultrastructural study indicating neuroendocrine differentiation

AIMS

Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma is a rare low-grade soft-tissue sarcoma with locally aggressive and metastasizing potential. Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma has distinctive clinical, light microscopic, immunophenotypic, cytogenetic and ultrastructural features. Evidence that extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma often shows neuroendocrine features was first provided by Chhieng et al. on the basis of an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study of seven cases. Our study aims to further confirm by immunohistochemistry and ultrastructural studies, including immunoelectron microscopy, that extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma indeed may show neuroendocrine differentiation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Fifteen cases of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma and seven control cases of skeletal chondrosarcomas were studied. Extensive immunohistochemical analysis was performed in all cases and ultrastructural studies were done in 11 extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcomas and three skeletal chondrosarcomas. Immunoelectron microscopy was performed on one case each of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma and skeletal chondrosarcoma. Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcomas expressed neuron-specific enolase (100%), synaptophysin (87%), S100 (50%), PGP 9.5 (40%), and epithelial membrane antigen (25%). Co-expression of synaptophysin and PGP 9.5 was observed in six tumours. Skeletal chondrosarcomas showed expression of S100 protein, vimentin and neuron-specific enolase in all cases. Synaptophysin, chromogranin and PGP 9.5 were not expressed in any skeletal chondrosarcoma case. Ultrastructurally, extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma was characterized by distinct cords of cells immersed in a glycosaminoglycan-rich matrix. The cells were rich in mitochondria, had well-developed Golgi apparatus and there were numerous smooth vesicles. In three cases there were easily found 140-180 nm diameter membrane-bound dense-core granules in cell bodies and in processes, unrelated to the Golgi, compatible with neurosecretory granules. Fewer such granules were present in the remaining extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma cases, three of which also contained intracisternal tubules typical of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma. The skeletal chondrosarcomas had scalloped cell surfaces, prominent rough endoplasmic reticulum focally distended with secretory product, and lacked neurosecretory granules. Intermediate filaments were prominent in both extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma and skeletal chondrosarcomas. Immunoelectron microscopy showed synaptophysin expression in the extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma but not in the skeletal chondrosarcoma case.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms that a substantial proportion of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcomas show immunophenotypic and/or ultrastructural evidence of neuroendocrine differentiation, and are unlikely to be related to conventional skeletal chondrosarcomas.