Prospective Correlation of Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea With Severe Clinical Features of Thyroid Eye Disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and severity of thyroid eye disease (TED) using a validated OSA screening tool. METHODS: A prospective, observational cohort study was performed. New adult TED patients were offered OSA screening with the Snoring Tired Observed Pressure (STOP)-Bang survey during their initial evaluation. Clinical examination and treatment for TED were standard of care and utilized the International Thyroid Eye Disease Society Vision Inflammation Strabismus Appearance system. At the conclusion of the study period, analysis was performed correlating maximum severity of TED signs and symptoms between high- and low-risk OSA groups. Multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses were also performed to analyze the association between the numerical STOP-Bang score and maximum severity of the potentially actionable clinical features of TED (compressive optic neuropathy, vertical prism deviation, horizontal prism deviation, exophthalmos, vertical fissure height). RESULTS: Eighty-five patients met inclusion criteria. Twenty-eight percent were at high risk of OSA (STOP-Bang score of 3 or higher). When comparing the low- and high-risk cohorts, increased risk of OSA was significantly associated with the development of TED compressive optic neuropathy (p = 0.014), conjunctival injection (p = 0.027), chemosis (p = 0.013), upper eyelid edema (p = 0.024), lower eyelid edema (p = 0.003), eyelid erythema (p = 0.037), and vertical strabismus (p = 0.047). In the multivariate regression analyses, higher STOP-Bang scores correlated with increased risk of TED compressive optic neuropathy (p = 0.006), vertical strabismus (p = 0.019), and higher subjective diplopia scores (p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Increased risk of OSA, as determined by the STOP-Bang survey, is associated with increased severity of multiple clinical features of TED, including TED compressive optic neuropathy and strabismus.

Comparing Image Segmentation Techniques for Determining 3D Orbital Cavernous Hemangioma Size on MRI.

PURPOSE: To measure orbital cavernous hemangioma size using 3 segmentation methods requiring different degrees of subjective judgment, and to evaluate interobserver agreement using these methods. METHODS: Fourteen patients with orbital cavernous hemangiomas were included in the study. Pretreatment T2-weighted MRIs were analyzed by 2 observers using 3 methods, including 1 user-dependent image segmentation method that required high degrees of subjective judgment (ellipsoid) and 2 parameter-dependent methods that required low degree of subjective judgment (GrowCut and k-means clustering segmentation). Interobserver agreement was assessed using Lin's concordance correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Using the ellipsoid method, the average tumor sizes calculated by the 2 observers were 1.68 ml (standard deviation [SD] 1.45 ml) and 1.48 ml (SD 1.19 ml). Using the GrowCut method, the average tumor sizes calculated by the 2 observers were 3.00 ml (SD 2.46 ml) and 6.34 ml (SD 3.78 ml). Using k-means clustering segmentation, the average tumor sizes calculated by the 2 observers were 2.31 ml (SD 1.83 ml) and 2.12 ml (SD 1.87 ml). The concordance correlation coefficient for the ellipsoid, GrowCut, and k-means clustering methods were 0.92 (95% CI, 0.83-0.99), 0.12 (95% CI, -0.21 to 0.44), and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.90-0.99), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: k-means clustering, a parameter-dependent method with low degree of subjective judgment, showed better interobserver agreement compared with the ellipsoid and GrowCut methods. k-means clustering clearly delineated tumor boundaries and outlined components of the tumor with different signal intensities.

Doxycycline Injection for Sclerotherapy of Lower Eyelid Festoons and Malar Edema: Preliminary Results.

PURPOSE: To investigate the safety and efficacy of direct, intralesional doxycycline hyclate injection for improving the appearance of cosmetically significant lower eyelid festoons and malar edema. METHODS: An Institutional Review Board approved, retrospective review was performed of 15 consecutive patients with malar edema and/or festoons injected with doxycycline hyclate at a concentration of 10 mg/ml. Pre- and postinjection photographs were reviewed and graded on a scale of 0 to 3 (0: no festoon; 1: small festoon; 2: medium festoon; 3: large festoon) by 2 masked physician observers. Patients were excluded from the final analysis if they received an alternate dose concentration, had incomplete photographic records, or did not follow up. Student t test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Twenty consecutive treatment areas of 11 patients were included in the analysis. Final follow up ranged from 3 to 104 weeks, with a mean follow up of 22.5 weeks. The average (standard deviation) initial festoon grade of 2.5 (0.58) decreased to 0.9 (0.82) with a p value of <0.001. The average number of injections performed per side was 1.4 (range: 1-2). The mean volume per injection was 0.72 ml (range: 0.15-2.0 ml). Commonly documented subjective complaints were burning sensation with injection, pain, bruising, and erythema. There were no other dermatologic or visual complications following treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results suggest that intralesional injections of doxycycline hyclate at a concentration of 10 mg/ml may be an effective treatment option for cosmetically significant lower eyelid festoons and malar edema. Future prospective studies with increased patient numbers, increasing concentrations, combination therapies with local anesthetic or regional nerve blocks, and longer follow up are needed to validate these results and determine optimal injection technique.

Using experience sampling to examine links between compassion, eudaimonia, and pro-social behavior.

OBJECTIVE: Compassion has been associated with eudaimonia and pro-social behavior, and it has been regarded as a virtue, both historically and cross-culturally. However, the psychological study of compassion has been limited to laboratory settings and/or standard survey assessments. Here, we use an experience sampling method (ESM) to compare naturalistic assessments of compassion with standard assessments, and to examine compassion, its variability, and associations with eudaimonia and pro-social behavior. METHOD: Undergraduate students (n = 200) took a survey that included standard assessments of compassion and eudaimonia. Then, over 4 days, they were repeatedly asked about their level of compassion, eudaimonia, and situational factors within the moments of daily life. Finally, pro-social behavior was tested using the Dual Gamble Task and an opportunity to donate task winnings. RESULTS: Analyses revealed within-person associations between ESM compassion and eudaimonia. ESM compassion also predicted eudaimonia at the next ESM time point. While not impervious to situational factors, considerable consistency was observed in ESM compassion in comparison with eudaimonia. Further, ESM compassion along with eudaimonia predicted donating behavior. Standard assessments did not. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with virtue theory, some individuals' reports were indicative of a probabilistic tendency toward compassion, and ESM compassion predicted ESM eudaimonia and pro-social behavior toward those in need.

Predominant Contribution of Superior Rectus-Levator Complex Enlargement to Optic Neuropathy and Inferior Visual Field Defects in Thyroid Eye Disease.

PURPOSE: To compare extraocular muscle volumes in thyroid eye disease patients with and without compressive optic neuropathy. METHODS: A retrospective review of 44 orbital CT scans (28 orbits without compressive disease and 16 orbits with compressive optic neuropathy) was conducted. The extraocular muscle volumes, summated soft tissue volumes, and optic nerve volumes were calculated at a section in the posterior 1/3 of the orbit. The visual fields of the orbits with compressive optic neuropathy were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean combined extraocular muscle/summated soft tissue volume ratio and the mean superior rectus-levator complex/summated soft tissue volume ratio were greater in those with compressive optic neuropathy than in those without compressive optic neuropathy (p = 0.02, 0.008, respectively). The ratio of the mean inferior, medial, or lateral rectus/summated soft tissue volume did not differ significantly between patients with or without compressive optic neuropathy (p values of 0.315, 0.615, and 0.254, respectively). Visual field analysis of the compressive optic neuropathy group demonstrated that 58% of the orbits with visual field defects had inferior field defects. CONCLUSIONS: When measured at a section near the orbital apex, the mean combined muscle/summated soft tissue volume ratio and the mean superior rectus-levator complex/summated soft tissue volume ratio are greater in those with compressive disease than those without. This suggests that the specific enlargement of the superior rectus-levator complex makes a significant contribution to thyroid eye disease-compressive optic neuropathy and may explain the inferior visual field deficits classically found in this group of patients.

Unique histopathologic features of the eyelid dermatofibroma.

Purpose: Dermatofibromas are common cutaneous lesions, but rarely occur in the eyelid skin. The reason for the low incidence in the palpebral skin has not been elucidated. In this study, we analyze the histopathologic features of an illustrative case of dermatofibroma and review previously published cases to determine whether eyelid dermatofibroma develops differently from the prototypical dermatofibroma. Methods: Histopathologic analysis of a new illustrative case of eyelid dermatofibroma and retrospective review of published cases. Results: The distinguishing features of the illustrative lesion included a rounder gross appearance, nonacanthotic epithelium, basophilic staining, cellular character, and a paucity of "collagen trapping." These features deviated from the typical features associated with classic dermatofibroma. Review of the 11 previously published cases of eyelid dermatofibroma revealed that they were more similar in appearance to the illustrative lesion than to classic dermatofibroma. Discussion: The rarity and histological deviations of the eyelid dermatofibroma suggest that the dermal substrate from which the lesion develops differs from that of the classic dermatofibroma. This difference may be explained microanatomically based on the fact that the dermis of the eyelid is predominantly papillary, whereas the dermis of extrapalpebral skin where dermatofibromas are more common is predominantly reticular. Conclusions: Although related, eyelid dermatofibromas appear to be histologically distinct from classic dermatofibromas, owing to the unique dermal composition of the site of origin.

Low-Flow Orbital Venous Malformation Masquerading as Rhabdomyosarcoma.

A 15-month-old male was referred for biopsy of presumed rhabdomyosarcoma in the setting of rapidly progressing left-sided proptosis. Examination revealed left periorbital edema and left hypoglobus. MRI revealed a soft-tissue density mass within the left lateral retrobulbar space. Several days later, he developed acute periorbital ecchymosis and increasing edema. With high suspicion for a vascular lesion, a CT scan was performed with dynamic arterial and venous imaging. Central filling was noted in the lateral retrobulbar component with increased enhancement on delayed venous imaging in the middle cranial fossa component favoring the diagnosis of a low-flow orbital venous malformation. In the setting of spontaneous orbital hemorrhage and risk of future vision loss, the decision was made to proceed with a combined neurosurgical approach treating the intracranial component and debulking the orbital component. This case highlights the importance of thorough radiographic evaluation prior to proceeding with a surgical procedure in the appropriate clinical context.

Greater Proptosis Is Not Associated With Improved Compressive Optic Neuropathy in Thyroid Eye Disease.

PURPOSE: Despite the paucity of supporting data, it has generally been held that proptosis in thyroid eye disease (TED) may provide relative protection from compressive optic neuropathy (CON) by producing spontaneous decompression. The objective of this study was to investigate this phenomenon in patients with bilateral TED-CON. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 67 patients (134 orbits) with bilateral TED-CON at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. Significant asymmetric proptosis (Hertel) was defined as ≥ 2 mm. Significant asymmetric CON was defined first, as the presence of an relative afferent pupillary defect. Those without an relative afferent pupillary defect were evaluated according to the TED-CON formula y = -0.69 - 0.31 × (motility) - 0.2 × (mean deviation) - 0.02 × (color vision) as previously established for the diagnosis of TED-CON. A difference in the formula result ≥ 1.0 between eyes was considered significant. Patients were then divided into 4 groups. RESULTS: Forty-one of 67 patients demonstrated asymmetric CON (29 by relative afferent pupillary defect, 12 by formula). Twenty-one of 67 patients demonstrated asymmetric proptosis. Only 5 of 12 (41.6%) of the patients who had both asymmetric proptosis and asymmetric CON (group 1) showed greater proptosis in the eye with less CON. Twenty-nine patients (group 2) showed that asymmetric CON occurred despite symmetrical proptosis. Seventeen patients (group 3), showed the inverse, that asymmetric differences in proptosis occurred with symmetrical CON. CONCLUSION: Despite commonly held assumptions, our results suggest that greater proptosis is not associated with improved TED-CON. Combining groups 1 to 3-all of which demonstrated asymmetry of either proptosis, CON, or both-91.4% of patients did not show a relationship between greater proptosis and improved CON.

Improvement in Both Primary and Eccentric Ocular Alignment After Thyroid Eye Disease-Strabismus Surgery With Tenon's Recession.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the improvement in primary and eccentric gaze ocular alignment in thyroid eye disease (TED) patients undergoing horizontal strabismus surgery with Tenon's recession. METHODS: This is an Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective analysis of TED patients undergoing horizontal strabismus surgery for esotropia. The study included all patients from 2007 to 2016 operated on by a single surgeon at Columbia University Medical Center. Surgical success was defined as the ability to fuse at both near and distance either without prismatic correction or with less than 10 prism diopters (PD) of correction. Measurements of ocular alignment were also made in eccentric fields of gaze. This study was Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant with protection of individually identifiable information. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients with TED and restrictive horizontal strabismus underwent unilateral or bilateral medial rectus recession to relieve diplopia. All patients underwent Tenon's recession with dissection of Tenon's from the overlying conjunctiva permitting it to retract into the orbit. Overall the success rate was 87% with a reoperation rate of 7.9%. The improvement in horizontal deviation in both primary and eccentric gaze was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The change in vertical deviation in the 5 cardinal positions of gaze was not statistically significant. The postoperative change in vertical deviation was not proportional to the preoperative horizontal deviation or the amount of horizontal recession. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the preoperative incomitance of ocular deviations in TED patients, persistent postoperative eccentric misalignment is expected. The addition of Tenon's recession to TED-horizontal strabismus surgery led to statistically significant improvement in ocular alignment in both primary and eccentric gaze. This is the first study of TED-strabismus surgery to analyze the postoperative results in positions outside of primary and reading gaze. The authors postulate that the release of scar tissue by the addition of Tenon's recession contributes to these improvements.

A Simple Quantitative Measure of Orbital Compliance.

PURPOSE: This study evaluates the reliability of a frequently used subjective measurement of orbital compliance (0-3 scale) and describes a simple, quantitative measure with excellent intra- and interrater reliability. METHODS: Two examiners performed both measurements on 100 orbits (50 consecutive patients) from the office of 1 oculoplastics surgeon. Each measurement was obtained at 2 different time points, 10 minutes apart. For the subjective measurement, the patient was asked to close their eyes, and the globe was displaced posteriorly with digital pressure until moderate resistance was felt. This was graded on a 0 to 3 scale. For the quantitative measurement (millimeter scale), the difference in axial displacement was measured using a Hertel exophthalmometer. RESULTS: The subjective measurement (scale, 0-3) showed excellent test-retest reliability (average, 0.901) for both examiners at both time points and good interobserver reliability (average, 0.677). The quantitative measurement (millimeter scale) showed excellent test-retest reliability (average, 0.848) and very good interobserver reliability (average, 0.756). CONCLUSION: This study shows that while both methods have both excellent test-retest reliability, the interobserver reliability is slightly higher with the quantitative measurement. This suggests that the described measurement of orbital compliance is both a reasonable alternative and possibly more accurate measurement without the steep learning curve.

Utility of PROSE Device in the Management of Complex Oculoplastic Pathology.

PURPOSE: To describe the use of Prosthetic Replacement of the Ocular Surface Ecosystem (PROSE) device in the management of complex oculoplastic pathology. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of individuals over 18 years of age who were referred and successfully fit with the PROSE scleral device between January 1995 and June 2015. RESULTS: Nine cases were identified that had complex oculoplastic disease and severe corneal surface disease. All patients with ptosis had improvement in marginal reflex distance-1 following PROSE and 5 of 7 patients with ptosis were spared further surgical intervention. Two underwent surgical repair with successful corneal stabilization with PROSE. Those with eyelid malposition including ectropion, entropion, or trichiasis experienced improvement in their corneal surface and deferred further surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: These cases highlight the use of the PROSE device to elevate the upper eyelid in patients with lagophthalmos and ptosis, stabilize the corneal surface to allow for additional eyelid surgery to be performed safely, and protect the corneal surface in patients with intractable trichiasis and entropion. Prosthetic Replacement of the Ocular Surface Ecosystem should be considered in patients with complex oculoplastic pathology to improve visual function, corneal surface disease, and eyelid position.

Treatment of Pediatric IgG4-Related Orbital Disease With TNF-α Inhibitor.

The authors describe a 9-year-old female who presented with swelling, proptosis, and tenderness of the right upper eyelid and MRI imaging demonstrating right lacrimal gland enlargement. After failing treatment with corticosteroids, the patient underwent a biopsy that was consistent with IgG4-related orbital disease. She was subsequently successfully treated with adalimumab (TNF-α inhibitor). This is the first case report of the successful use of a TNF-α inhibitor for the treatment of IgG4-related orbital disease in a child.

Lateral tarsal strip plus skin-muscle flap excision in the treatment of lower eyelid involutional entropion.

This article examines the effectiveness of skin-muscle flap excision in conjunction with a lateral tarsal strip for the treatment of involutional entropion. Ninety-six eyelids in 83 consecutive patients with involutional entropion were treated using a standardized surgical procedure. All patients underwent lower eyelid tightening with a lateral tarsal strip, dissection of a skin-muscle flap inferiorly through a subciliary incision and excision of redundant skin as well as orbicularis muscle. Follow-up data was obtained by retrospective chart review and telephone interviews. 80 patients were included in this study. The only exclusion criteria was failure to attend the 1 week follow-up appointment, n = 3. There was only one recurrence which was mild and revised under local anesthesia. Two patients had overcorrection with mild ectropion but did not require additional surgery. In those that completed their initial post-operative visit, the average time follow-up time was 502 days. Excision of a skin-muscle flap is a useful addition to lateral tarsal strip surgery in the treatment of involutional entropion and is a quick procedure producing excellent functional and cosmetic results. To our knowledge, this is the first cohort of patients to be reported using this technique where all patients had a standardized surgical approach. Additional studies are needed to compare long-term outcomes of this technique against other surgical treatments.