Intraocular Lens Power Estimation in Combined Phacoemulsification and Pars Plana Vitrectomy in Eyes with Epiretinal Membranes: A Case-Control Study

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of postoperative refractive outcomes of combined phacovitrectomy for epiretinal membrane (ERM) in comparison to cataract surgery alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine eyes that underwent combined phacovitrectomy with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation for cataract and ERM (combined surgery group) and 39 eyes that received phacoemulsification for cataract (control group) were analyzed, retrospectively. The predicted preoperative refractive aim was compared with the results of postoperative refraction. RESULTS: In the combined surgery group, refractive prediction error by A-scan and IOLMaster were -0.305+/-0.717 diopters (D) and -0.356+/-0.639 D, respectively, compared to 0.215+/-0.541 and 0.077+/-0.529 in the control group, showing significantly more myopic change compared to the control group (p=0.001 and p=0.002, respectively). Within each group, there was no statistically significant difference in refractive prediction error between A-scan and IOLMaster (all p>0.05). IOL power calculation using adjusted A-scan measurement of axial length based on the macular thickness of the normal contralateral eye still resulted in significant postoperative refractive error (all p<0.05). Postoperative refraction calculated with adjusted axial length based on actual postoperative central foveal thickness change showed the closest value to the actual postoperative achieved refraction (p=0.599). CONCLUSION: Combined phacovitrectomy for ERM resulted in significantly more myopic shift of postoperative refraction, compared to the cataract surgery alone, for both A-scan and IOLMaster. To improve the accuracy of IOL power estimation in eyes with cataract and ERM, sequential surgery for ERM and cataract may need to be considered.

Impact of critical pathway implementation on hospital stay and costs in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: Recent studies have shown that pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) can be performed quite safely. Critical pathway (CP) has been one of the key tools used to achieve excellent outcomes in high-quality, high-volume centers. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of CP implementation for PD patients. METHODS: The important components of CP for PD patients include the early start of an oral diet and removal of the abdomen drain following follow-up computed tomography, with the intention of shortening the postoperative hospital stay. The study group (CP group) comprised of 88 patients who underwent pylorus-preserving or classical PD from January 2009 to December 2010. The control group (pre-CP group) was 185 patients who underwent PD between January 2005 and December 2008. RESULTS: The two groups did not show significant differences in demographic profiles and the primary diagnosis. The incidences of overall postoperative complications such as delayed gastric emptying, fistula, and hemorrhage were similar or decreased in the CP group (54% vs. 40.9%). The incidence of clinically significant complications also showed a similar rate (5.4% vs. 4.5%) between the two groups. The nutritional status at discharge and re-admission rates were not different. The CP group showed a significantly shorter postoperative hospital stay (20.2+/-9.2 days vs. 14.9+/-5.1 days, p<0.001) and the total medical costs were also significantly reduced, by 15% (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicated that the implementation of CP for PD patients can decrease the length of hospital stay and reduce medial costs, with maintenance or improvement of patient outcomes. Further investigation is necessary to validate the actual impact of CP for PD through multi-center high-volume studies.

Ocular Perforation and Visual Field Defect Caused by an Acupuncture Needle: a Case Report

PURPOSE: To report a case of globe perforation and linear retinal tear after periocular acupuncture therapy which resulted in persistent temporal field defect with normal retinal function evidenced by multifocal electroretinogram (MERG). CASE SUMMARY: A 42-year-old female presented with decreased visual acuity and pain in her right eye after a periocular acupuncture therapy for blepharospasm. At initial presentation, the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.08 in the injured eye and the intraocular pressure was 15 mmHg. Ultrasonography showed minimal vitreous hemorrhage and fundus examination revealed a linear retinal tear in the posterior pole sparing the macula. Consequently, barrier laser photocoagulation was performed around the lesion. The patient suffered from metamorphopsia and persistent decreased visual acuity even after 3 months. On fundus examination, epiretinal membrane with macular pucker was observed on the macula. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) revealed retinal nerve fiber layer defect with a full-thickness posterior wall tear. Multifocal electroretinogram showed normal retinal function; however, Humphrey visual field test demonstrated field defect corresponding to the injury. A 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy was performed with membranectomy and ILM peeling. One month postoperatively, improvement in BCVA and metamorphopsia was achieved; however, the scotomata remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular perforation or retinal tear caused by an acupuncture needle is a rare condition that has not been reported previously in Korea. Furthermore, no case of traumatic visual field defect with preserved retinal function has been reported elsewhere. Hence, the authors present a case of isolated visual field defect without retinal dysfunction following full-thickness retinal tear caused by an acupuncture needle.

Retinal Vascular Caliber Changes on OCT after Intravitreal Bevacizumab Injection in Diabetic Macular Edema

PURPOSE: To investigate retinal vascular caliber changes with Spectral Domain OCT after intravitreal bevacizumab injection in diabetic macular edema patients. METHODS: Thirty-four eyes of 29 diabetic macular edema patients who were intravitreously injected with bevacizumab (1.25 g/0.05 ml) were studied. Twenty-four fellow eyes of 24 patients with bevacizumab injection were also recruited as a control group. We measured retinal vascular caliber a distance of 0.5-1 disc sizes from the disc margin with Spectral Domain OCT at baseline and 1-month and 3-month follow-up visits. Central macular thicknesses were also measured. RESULTS: Over the 3 months of study, there was a significant reduction of arteriolar caliber compared to baseline (p = 0.024), There was significant reduction of venular caliber at 1 month (p = 0.001) and 3 months (p = 0.000) compared to baseline. Venular caliber reduction at the 3-month follow-up was significantly correlated with central macular thickness (R = 0.487, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Retinal venular caliber reduction was significant at 1- and 3-month follow-up, and arteriolar caliber reduction was significant at 3-month follow-up compared to baseline. After 3 months of treatment, venular caliber reduction was correlated with reduction of central macular thickness.

Exophthalmometric Values With Hertel Exophthalmometers in Children

PURPOSE: To investigate the normal exophthalmometric values in children and facilitate the exophthalmic evaluation in pediatric patients with orbital disease. METHODS: We measured 516 eyes in 258 children aged 3 to 9 years without any orbital disease such as thyroid ophthamopathy, orbital pseudotumor and orbital wall fracture. We considered the association of age, sex, binocular variance, inter rim distance and axial length with the exophthalmometric values. Axial length was measured in only 120 eyes of60 patients who underwent operation for strabismus. RESULTS: The mean exophthalmometric values in the patients was 12.43+/-1.55 mm. The exophthalmos had a significant positive correlation with the age, axial length and inter rim distance. There were significant differences in exophthalmometric values by sex in children aged from 8 to 9 years but no significant difference by binocular variance. There were significant differences in the inter-rim distance related to sex. CONCLUSIONS: The exophthalmometric values in children had significant correlation with age, sex, axial length, and inter-rim distance. There was a significant increase of inter-rim distance in males compared to females. Knowing the mean exophthalmometric values in children would be useful with the exophthalmometric reference in pediatric patients with orbital disease.

The Size of Extraocular Muscles Estimated by Computed Tomography in Patients Undergoing Orbital Wall Fracture Repair

PURPOSE: To determine the cross sections of extraocular muscles in patients with orbital fracture and to demonstrate a relationship among the cross sections, the size of orbital fracture, the soft tissue, and fat herniation and limitation of ocular movement. METHODS: The study included 87 patients (87 eyes) with orbital fracture. The cross section was defined as multiplication of the long axis and short axis. The ratio of the cross section in normal and injured eyes was calculated at preoperative and postoperative periods. RESULTS: The cross sections of all rectus muscles, except for the superior, increased in injured eyes and subsequently decreased postoperatively. After surgery, the cross sections of lateral and medial rectus muscles recovered to near normal but the inferior remained enlarged. The increased ratio of the short and long axis was significant but not the difference of the cross sections related to the short and long axis ratio. There was a preoperative difference between injured/normal cross section ratio in relation to the size of inferior fracture. There was postoperative normalization for the cross sections of inferior rectus muscles with the restrictive limitation due to inferior fracture. CONCLUSIONS: The cross sections increased mostly after orbital fracture and subsequently decreased postoperatively. There was a change in the cross section ratio with the size of inferior fracture at preoperative period but there was no change in the cross sections related to the restrictive or paralytic limitation, except for eyes with the restriction secondary to inferior fracture. These were significantly normalized postoperatively in cross section.