ABSTRACT
Background: Posterior capsular opacification (PCO) which is also known as “after cataract” or “secondary cataract”, is the most common complication of cataract surgery, with an incidence of 20-50%. The current study was conducted in a tertiary hospital of Odisha with an objective to find out the determinants of PCO among patients with defective vision attending the outdoor patient department of Ophthalmology.Methods: A hospital based descriptive study was conducted among the patients attending the ophthalmology out patient department of a tertiary hospital of Odisha. The detail history regarding the type of surgical procedure used for cataract extraction and the type of Intra Ocular Lens (IOL) implanted, duration of post-operative period was collected from the available documents and ophthalmic examination of the participants.Results: In the present study, 184 participants were included and examined. Fifty percent of the participants had undergone conventional extra capsular cataract extraction procedure. In 86.95% participants, the IOL used was Poly Methyl Methacrylate lens (PMMA). In 26.08% of the participants the development of PCO was within 12 to 36 months of cataract surgery. The average duration of PCO development recorded for participants <20 years was 3 months.Conclusions: Most of the participants included in the study with PCO had undergone conventional ECCE surgery, implanted PMMA lens, IOL with round edge and had a duration of 12-36 months between cataract surgery and PCO development. The average duration of PCO development is less among younger participants which gradually increases with increase in age.
ABSTRACT
Background: At present, the only effective treatment of posterior capsular opacification (PCO), which is the most common complication of modern cataract surgery, is Neodymium-Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) laser capsulotomy. There are few complications associated with this easy and quick laser capsulotomy. The current study was conducted in a tertiary hospital of Odisha with an objective to find the safety and efficacy of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy in the management of defective vision due to posterior capsular opacity.Methods: The study was conducted among the patients attending the Ophthalmology out patient department of a tertiary hospital in Odisha with defective vision due to posterior capsular opacity after cataract surgery. Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy was carried out in all patients with significant PCO. Visual acuity and intraocular pressure were recorded before and after the procedure. The cases were carefully followed up and looked for any complication and visual acuity was assessed during follow up visits.Results: In the study 184 participants were included. Visual improvement was observed in 97.8% participants. Visual acuity improved to 6/6 in 21.73 %, 6/9 in 36.41 % cases, 6/12 in 15.21 % cases. Raised IOP was recorded among 46% of participant after 4 hrs of laser capsulotomy which was later observed among 12% of participants on follow up visit at 1 week. The most common complication recorded was transient rise of IOP (46.3%) followed by aqueous flare (28.8%).Conclusions: Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy is a noninvasive, effective, relatively safe procedure for PCO with good visual outcome.
ABSTRACT
Previous genetic studies demonstrated that survival and proliferation of Plasmodium falciparum parasites is dependent on salvage of essential purines from the host. Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of the most lethal form of human malaria lacks the enzymes required for de novo synthesis of purines. Analysis of the hypothetical nucleoside/nucleobase transporter protein, the gene product of PfNT3 (PF14_0662) gene in P. falciparum parasites was carried out by localisation, in view of a novel chemotherapeutic target. Immunoblotting, immunofluorescent and immunoelectron microscopic localization of PfNT3 was demonstrated using polyclonal antiserum in in vitro cultured Plasmodium falciparum parasites, propagated in human red blood cells. PfNT3 protein, the translated product of PfNT3 gene was detected in intraerythrocytic ring, trophozoite, and schizont stages. PfNT3 was localized primarily to the PPM (Parasite Plasma Membrane). The endogenous PfNT3 putative nucleoside transporter with the predominant location to the parasite plasma membrane may serve not only as routes for targeting of purine analogs/cytotoxic agents into the intracellular parasite but may also serve as drug targets. Being genome encoded the vital transporter protein can be prevented from expression by silencing of the gene, validating it to be a novel drug target.