Application of digital media and information technology as an educational method in the Ophthalmology journal club.

Background: A journal club session tends to be boring after many hours of work during the week. Attendees lose their attention span shortly after the activity begins. Objectives: To introduce a new educational model, including the use of digital media devices and social media, in journal club teaching and to evaluate whether this new model could prolong attendees’ attention span. Methods: An online survey from the ophthalmology journal club was conducted to evaluate the range of attention span, the problems and suggestions. Then a team was convened to build a new educational model based on the survey results. Observations in the classroom, the information gathered from the social media, and a post-action online survey were used to evaluate the outcomes. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used for data analyses. Results: There were 20 journal club sessions during the study period. The journal club is comprised of 30 residents, 10 fellows and 19 staff members. The pre-action survey showed important information about the most boring part and the median attention span was 30 minutes. After the new educational model was introduced, the median attention span increased to 55 minutes (p<0.001, Wilcoxon signed ranks test). The status of the attendees, frequency of attendance, and frequency of falling asleep did not show statistically significant association with longer attention span. Students’ achievement scores were good. Conclusion: The new educational model increased the attendees’ attention span and provided learning achievement in the ophthalmology journal club.

Disappearance of primitive basaloid cells after external irradiation in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland.

OBJECTIVE: To study the histopathological findings of basaloid adenoid cystic carcinoma after high dose orbital irradiation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The histopathology study was done in a 38-year-old Thai female patient who had basaloid adenoid cystic carcinoma of the right lacrimal gland confirmed by incisional biopsy. After a 60-Gy external irradiation, the mass decreased in size and finally could not be palpated, but subsequent orbital imaging still showed infiltrative soft tissue mass at the right lacrimal gland with bony defects at posterosuperior and lateral walls without extraorbital extension. Orbital exenteration and lateral orbitectomy was performed. The specimen was submitted for histopathological examination. RESULTS: Microscopic examination revealed periglandular infiltration with chronic inflammation of the palpebral lobe of lacrimal gland. The orbital lobe was extensively replaced with fibrous tissue. There was only a small area of cribiform pattern of the adenoid cystic carcinoma left; no basaloid pattern was seen in the tissue. CONCLUSION: The primitive cells (basaloid pattern) disappear after orbital irradiation for adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland. Replacement with fibrous tissue is seen.

Folliculectomy: management in segmental trichiasis and distichiasis.

OBJECTIVE: To propose a new surgical technique as an alternative method for the correction of segmental trichiasis and distichiasis. MATERIAL AND METHOD: An interventional case series reviewed the segmental trichiasis and distichiasis patients who were treated with folliculectomy in the Ophthalmology Department, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. The data was collected from January 1997 to December 2002. The history, clinical features and treatments were reviewed. Patients with the initial diagnosis of entropion were excluded. RESULTS: Nine segmental trichiasis and distichiasis patients (13 eyes) were reviewed. Eight eyes underwent folliculectomy and one had folliculectomy with anterior lamellar recession. The follow-up time was 1-24 months. Nine of thirteen eyes (69.2%) were successfully treated with folliculectomy or folliculectomy with anterior lamellar recession. Four eyes needed second operations due to the recurrence of the eyelashes. CONCLUSION: Folliculectomy revealed good results in trichiasis and distichiasis. It should be considered as an alternative technique because it is a simple and fast procedure.