Biocompatibility of Ferrara intracorneal ring segment with and without chondroitin sulfate coating: clinical and histopathological evaluation in rabbits

PURPOSE: To investigate and compare the biocompatibility of two types of Ferrara intracorneal ring segment: with and without chondroitin sulfate coating by clinical and histopathological evaluation. METHODS: A randomized experimental study was carried out on thirty right-eye corneas from 30 Norfolk albino rabbits allocated into two experimental groups: Group G1 - implanted with Ferrara intracorneal ring segment without coating (FICRS) and Group G2 - implanted with Ferrara intracorneal ring segment with chondroitin sulfate coating (FICRS-CS). Left eyes formed the control group. Clinical parameters analyzed were: presence of edema, vascularization, infection and ring extrusion one, 30, and 60 days after surgery. Histopathological parameters analyzed were: number of corneal epithelial layers over and adjacent to the ring, presence of spongiosis, hydropic degeneration, basement membrane thinning, inflammatory cells, neovascularization and pseudocapsule formation. RESULTS: At clinical examination 60 days after implant, edema, vascularization and extrusion were observed respectively in 20%, 26.7%, 6.7% of FICRS corneas and in 6.7%, 6.7%, and 0% of FICRS-CS corneas. Histopathological evaluation showed epithelial-layer reduction from 5 (5;6) to 3 (3;3) with FICRS and from 5 (5;5) to 4 (3;5) with FICRS-CS in the region over the ring. Epithelial spongiosis, hydropic degeneration, and basement membrane thinning were present in 69.2%, 53.8%, and 69.2% of FICRS and in 73.3%, 73.3%, and 46.7% with FICRS-CS, respectively. Vascularization was present in 38.5% of FICRS and 13.3% with FICRS-CS, inflammatory cells in 75% of FICRS and 33.3% with FICRS-CS, and pseudocapsule in 66.7% of FICRS and 93.3% with FICRS-CS. Giant cells occurred only in the FICRS-CS group (20%). CONCLUSION: Ferrara intracorneal rings coated with chondroitin sulfate (FICRS-CS) caused lower frequency of clinical and histopathological alterations than Ferrara intracorneal rings without the coating (FICRS), demonstrating higher biocompatibility of the FICRS-CS.

Optic coherence tomography in a patient with diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis / Tomografia de coerência óptica em neuretinite subaguda difusa unilateral

PURPOSE: To measure retinal nervous fiber layer (RNFL) thickness using OCT3 (Carl-Zeiss) in patients with diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis (DUSN) with or without live worm and correlate it with visual acuity. METHODS: RNFL thickness, using RNFL thickness 3.4 program and best corrected visual acuity were measured in patients with DUSN between January 2005 and December 2006. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients, aged 9 - 42 years were selected, of whom 20 had live worm. Mean RNFL was 71.55 ± 27.26 in the DUSN eye and 103.07 ± 20.66 in the contralateral eye (p<0.001). Pearson's correlation between visual acuity and RNFL was r= -0.522 (p<0.001) in the DUSN eye and r= -0.097 (p=0.509) in the contralateral eye. CONCLUSION: RNFL thickness in DUSN patients is directly proportional to visual acuity. Further research is needed to reinforce the correlation between visual acuity and thickness of the nerve fibers in patients with DUSN to follow them after the treatment.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o uso do OCT3 (Carl-Zeiss) para medir a espessura da camada de fibras nervosas em pacientes com neuroretinite unilateral subaguda difusa (DUSN) e correlacionar com a acuidade visual. MÉTODOS: Foi medido a espessura da camada de fibras nervosas, utilizando programa "RNFL thickness 3.4" e a melhor acuidade visual de pacientes com DUSN entre janeiro de 2005 e dezembro 2006. RESULTADOS: Trinta e oito pacientes, com idade entre 9-42 anos foram selecionados para este estudo, sendo que 20 casos apresentavam larva viva localizada. A média da RNFL foi 71,55 ± 27,26 nos olhos com DUSN e 103,07 ± 20,66 nos olhos contralaterais (p<0,001). Correlação de Pearson entre a acuidade visual e a espessura da camada de fibras nervosas foi r= -0,522 (p<0,001) nos olhos com DUSN e r= -0,097 (p=0,509) nos olhos contralaterais. CONCLUSÃO: A espessura da camada de fibras nervosas de pacientes com DUSN apresenta uma correlação diretamente proporcional com a acuidade visual. Novos estudos são necessários para reforçar a correlação entre a acuidade visual e a espessura da camada de fibras nervosas nos pacientes com DUSN com a finalidade de acompanhar os pacientes após o tratamento.

Intermediate uveitis complicated by choroidal granuloma following subretinal neovascular membrane: case reports / Granuloma de coróide secundário a membrana neovascular sub-retiniana em uveíte intermediária: relato de casos

Choroidal neovascularization is a very rare complication in intermediate uveitis. A 27-year-old female patient diagnosed with intermediate uveitis two years ago. She presented with 20/200 visual acuity, snowballs, snowbanks, and macular cystoid edema in the right eye observed by fluorescein and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Photocoagulation was performed in the inferior peripheral retina in both eyes. The patient refused to undergo the prescribed clinical treatment. She returned twelve months later presenting with count fingers visual acuity, dry retina and subretinal macular pigmented granuloma observed on OCT. A 15-year-old female patient with decreased visual acuity of 20/400 in the right eye for eight days. She presented with bilateral vasculitis and papilitis, in the right eye, hemorrhage and extramacular subretinal neovascular membrane were observed on fluorescein and OCT. She was treated with 40 mg prednisone and intravitreous injection of 1.25 mg bevacizumab. Five months later she presented with 20/50 visual acuity, and extramacular granuloma observed on OCT. The formation of subretinal granuloma in intermediate uveitis is a possibility when complicated by subretinal neovascular membrane.

Neovascularização de coróide é uma complicação muito rara na uveíte intermediária(1). Paciente feminino, 27 anos, com diagnóstico de uveíte intermediária dois anos atrás. Apresentava acuidade visual de 20/200, "snowballs", "snowbanks" e edema macular cistóide no olho direito observado na angiofluoresceinografia (AGF) e tomografia de coerência óptica (OCT). Fotocoagulação foi realizada na retina periférica inferior em ambos os olhos. A paciente recusou a submeter-se ao tratamento clínico prescrito. Ela retornou doze meses mais tarde apresentando acuidade visual de conta dedos, retina sem edema e granuloma sub-retiniano macular observado no OCT(2). Paciente feminino, 15 anos, com diminuição da acuidade visual no olho direito (20/400) há oito dias. Apresentava vasculite e papilite em ambos os olhos, no olho direito, hemorragia e membrana neovascular sub-retiniana observada na AGF e OCT. Foi tratada com 40 mg de prednisona e injeção intra-vítreo de bevacizumab (1,25 mg). Cinco meses depois, apresentou acuidade visual de 20/50 e granuloma extramacular observada no OCT. A formação de granuloma sub-retiniano na uveíte intermediária é uma possibilidade quando complicada por membrana neovascular sub-retiniana.

Tuberculose ocular / Ocular tuberculosis

Relato de quatro casos de tuberculose ocular presumida, com comprometimento do segmento posterior em três destes casos. Nos dois primeiros casos, relata-se comprometimento do segmento anterior do olho e antecedente de tuberculose, em um caso sistêmica e no outro ocular. No terceiro caso, paciente apresenta lesão coriorretiniana no olho esquerdo. No quarto caso, descrita lesão serpiginosa-like. Os pacientes evoluíram favoravelmente com o tratamento específico. As lesões oculares da tuberculose são diversas e devemos continuar atentos a esta enfermidade.

Report of four cases of presumed ocular tuberculosis, with involvement of the posterior segment in tree cases. In the first and second case, report anterior involvement of the eye and antecedent of tuberculosis, in a systemic case and the other ocular. In the third case, patient presents coriorretiniana lesion in the left eye. In the fourth case, report lesion serpiginosa-like.The patients under-went the treatment for tuberculosis. The ocular lesions of the tuberculosis are polymorphic and we must be aware of this disease.

Retinopatia de Purtscher-like e pancreatite aguda / Purtscher-like retinopathy and acute pancreatitis

Retinopatia de Purtscher-like é uma baixa súbita da visão associada à imagem de múltiplas áreas branco-amareladas (manchas algodonosas) e hemorragias no pólo posterior de ambos os olhos. O exato mecanismo da injúria ainda não é claro, mas provavelmente seria de natureza embólica.Tem sido descrita em uma variedade de condições, incluindo pancreatite aguda, síndrome de embolia gordurosa, insuficiência renal, nascimento (parto e pós-parto), desordens do tecido conectivo, entre outras. Serão relatados três casos de pancreatite aguda confirmada pelos exames laboratoriais e história clínica, associadas a alterações no exame do fundo de olho, compatíveis com esta retinopatia.

Purtscher-like retinopathy is acute loss of vision associated image of the multiple areas of retinal whitening and hemorrhage in the posterior pole of both eyes. The exact mechanism of injury remains unclear, current evidence suggests that it is embolic in nature. In a variety of conditions are been described including acute pancreatitis, fat embolism syndrome, renal failure, childbirth, and connective tissue disorders. Will are related three cases of the acute pancreatitis which was confirmed by complementary laboratory studies and clinical history, associated from exam of the fundus of the eye, similar is this retinopathy.