Cyclophotocoagulation with an illuminated laser probe under a noncontact wide-angle retinoscope: A modified technique of ciliary body photocoagulation

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of cyclophotocoagulation with an illuminated laser probe under a noncontact wide-angle retinoscope in treating refractory glaucoma. Methods: Eleven patients (11 eyes) with refractory neovascular glaucoma were treated with ciliary body photocoagulation. Preoperative and postoperative corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), ophthalmofundoscopy, B-ultrasound and ultrasound biomicroscopy, optical coherence tomography, and fundus fluorescein angiography were performed. Results: Preoperative IOP ranged from 45 to 58 mmHg (mean 51.9 mmHg). At postoperative 1, 3, and 6 months, the IOPs ranged between 16 and 33 mmHg (mean 27.1 mmHg), 14–28 mmHg (mean 20.6 mmHg), and 14–28 mmHg (mean 18.5 mmHg), respectively. IOP at the last follow-up (range 7–12 months) was 15–24 mmHg (mean 18.8 mmHg). An average of 63.8% decrease in postoperative IOP was found in these patients with no associated complications. The postoperative fibrotic exudate, anterior chamber hyphema, and exudative choroidal detachment were all well-managed and resolved. No patients experienced intraocular lens deviation or dislocation, hypotonia oculi, atrophy of eyeball, retinal detachment, endophthalmitis, or sympathetic ophthalmia. Conclusion: Cyclophotocoagulation with an illuminated laser probe under a noncontact wide-angle retinoscope is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of neovascular glaucoma.

A morphometric study of the lumbar spinous process in the Chinese population

Our goal was to analyze the anatomical parameters of the lumbar spine spinous process for an interspinous stabilization device designed for the Chinese population and to offer an anatomical basis for its clinical application. The posterior lumbar spines (T12-S1) of 52 adult cadavers were used for measuring the following: distance between two adjacent spinous processes (DB), distance across two adjacent spinous processes (DA), thickness of the central spinous processes (TC), thickness of the superior margin of the spinous processes (TS), thickness of the inferior margin of the spinous processes (TI), and height of the spinous processes (H). Variance and correlation analyses were conducted for these data, and the data met the normal distribution and homogeneity of variance. DB decreased gradually from L1-2 to L5-S1. DA increased from T12-L1 to L2-3 and then decreased from L2-3 to L4-5. The largest H in males was noted at L3 (25.45±5.96 mm), whereas for females the largest H was noted at L4 (18.71±4.50 mm). Usually, TS of the adjacent spinous process was lower than TI. Based on the anatomical parameters of the lumbar spinous processes obtained in this study, an “H”-shaped coronal plane (posterior view) was proposed as an interspinous stabilization device for the Chinese population. This study reports morphometric data of the lumbar spinous processes in the Chinese population, which provides an anatomical basis for future clinical applications.