Systemic adverse events during 2005 phacoemulsifications under monitored anesthesia care: a prospective evaluation.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the systemic adverse events triggering on-call anesthesiologist's intervention during 2005 phacoemulsification under topical anesthesia on a day-surgery monitored anesthesia care regimen. METHODS: Adverse events triggering an anesthesiologist call by the attending nurse were registered. Comorbidities (7 categories), age, gender, body mass index, ASA status, length of surgery, time of the day of surgery and operated eye (first/second) were analyzed as potentially predictive factors. Odds Ratios are expressed as OR (95% CI). RESULTS: The anesthesiologist was called in 433 (21.6%) cases: age (5-yr-OR 0.95 [0.91-0.99]), ASA status 3-4 (OR 1.37 [1.02-1.85]), positive neurological history (OR 1.60 [1.06-2.40]), positive psychiatric history (OR 2.56 [1.34-4.93]) and length of surgery (OR 1.03 [1.01-1.06]) were predictive of the anesthesiologist call. Arterial hypertension (10.3%) and agitation (9.5%) were the most frequent adverse events. Age (5-yr-OR 1.27 [1.16-1.38]) and ASA status 3-4 (OR 1.83 [1.30-2.56]) were predictive of arterial hypertension. Age (5-yr-OR 0.80 [0.76-0.85]), positive neurological history (OR 1.86 [1.10-3.14]) and positive psychiatric history (OR 4.48 [2.26-8.88]) were predictive of agitation. Interruption of surgery was never required. CONCLUSION: One-day cataract surgery performed under topical anesthesia with monitored anesthesia care required anesthesiologist intervention in 21.6% of cases, mainly because of agitation or hypertension. Agitation occurred more often in younger patients with neurological or psychiatric comorbidities. Hypertension occurred more often in older patients with higher ASA scores.

Comparison of BD Multivisc with the soft shell technique in cases with hard lens nucleus and Fuchs endothelial dystrophy.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of 2.5% sodium hyaluronate (BD Multivisc) with the soft shell technique in reducing corneal endothelial cell damage during cataract phacoemulsification in patients with hard lens nucleus (3+) and cornea guttata. METHODS: Thirty patients (37 eyes) scheduled for cataract surgery at Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University Hospital San Raffaele, Milano, Italy. Thirty-seven eyes (randomly divided into Groups A and B) with hard lens nucleus (grade 3 or higher) and cornea guttata had phacoemulsification using the soft shell technique (Group A) with Biolon (sodium hyaluronate 1%) and Viscoat (sodium hyaluronate 3%-chondroitin sulfate 4%) or with BD Multivisc alone (Group B). Patients were evaluated preoperatively and after 1, 15, 90, and 180 days, checked for best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness, and corneal endothelial density. Stop and chop phacoemulsification technique, with burst mode (Alcon Legacy 20000, Advantec), was performed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups at 3 and 6 months in BCVA, IOP, corneal thickness, or endothelial cell density. The increase of central corneal thickness (preoperative: Group A 584+/-30 microm, Group B 573+/-30 microm; postoperative at 90 days: Group A 593+/-38 microm, Group B 577+/-25 microm) was not significant. Endothelial cell loss was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the soft shell technique (Biolon, Viscoat) and 2.5% sodium hyaluronate (BD Multivisc) are both effective in protecting the corneal endothelium in Fuchs dystrophy during phacoemulsification in patients with hard lens nucleus.

Incomplete extrusion of an acrylic punctum plug in a case of severe dry eye syndrome.

PURPOSE: To report a case of extrusion of a new soft punctum plug with thermoexpansion property (Medennium SmartPLUG). METHODS: A soft punctum plug was implanted in a 32-year-old woman with a severe dry eye syndrome in juvenile arthritis. RESULTS: One week after implant the plug partially extruded outside the punctum. Despite this adverse event, all subjective dry eye symptoms improved. CONCLUSIONS: The peculiarity of this case is the persistence of clinical efficacy of the soft punctum plug even if partially extruded. The patient experienced relief of symptoms that can be compared to the benefits usually obtained with a successfully implanted silicon plug.

Noncognitive symptoms in Alzheimer disease and caregivers distress in Chile.

This study describes the profile of noncognitive symptoms in Chilean AD patients and its effects on the caregiver's mental health. In a sample of 26 urban dwelling AD patients, 21 of them women, age range 63-90 years, diagnosed using NINCDS-ADRDA, the intensity and frequency of noncognitive symptoms and caregivers distress was assessed using NPI. Seventeen caregivers were first degree relatives. The most prevalent symptoms were apathy, irritability, and anxiety. The least were euphoria, hallucinations, and disinhibition. The most stressful conditions were disinhibition and agitation: the best well-tolerated were euphoria and anxiety. Caregivers responded most frequently with feelings of concern and depression. Few of them reported to be ashamed. These results may reflect cultural differences and represents the first description of this reality in Chile.

Evaluation of fixation one year after perifoveal laser treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization.

The natural prognosis of subfoveal neovascularization is severe visual acuity loss. Perifoveal laser photocoagulation is meant to spare a small portion of the central retina so as to possibly preserve foveal fixation. The aim of this retrospective study was to detect the persistence of central fixation and to evaluate the visual function of patients who had undergone perifoveal laser photocoagulation one year before, due to the presence of age-related macular degeneration with subfoveal neovascularization. The visual function was assessed by means of visual acuity (VA) measurement, central perimetry, scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) scotometry and capability of using low-vision aids with success. Twelve eyes of 12 patients, 5 males and 7 females, with mean age 72.6 +/- 9.62 years, were included in the Study Group. Mean VA was 0.22 +/- 0.089 before laser treatment, 0.17 +/- 0.054 one week after laser treatment (p = 0.0152) and 0.13 +/- 0.063 one year after laser treatment (p = 0.045), with a statistically significant reduction of VA overtime (initial-final p = 0.0015). Mean lesion size was 2.12 +/- 0.528 disc diameters on the last follow-up fluorescein angiogram. One year after laser treatment, perimetry showed the persistence of central fixation in 2 eyes, while 10 eyes seemed to have lost it. SLO scotometry revealed central dot stimulus perception in 6 eyes and no central residual in 6 eyes. The SLO fixation plot showed persistence of central fixation also in 1 eye in which static perimetry had not detected it. The preferential retinal locus was located on the upper or upper-right margin of the lesion in 8 of the 9 eyes with paracentral fixation. All patients achieved a useful reading VA using low-vision aids, with 7.16 +/- 6.1 mean magnification power. The eyes with central visual residual on SLO scotometry had a final VA slightly higher than those without central residuals (VA 0.158 +/- 0.03 and 0.098 +/- 0.07, respectively), though the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.0977).