Squamous cell carcinoma of the eyelid.

A total of 24 patients (12 men and 12 women) with squamous cell carcinoma of the eyelid were identified from pathology records at Wills Eye Hospital from 1978 through 1987. Squamous cell carcinoma accounted for 24 of 648 (3.7%) malignant eyelid lesions submitted during the 10-year study period. The median age of patients at the time of diagnosis was 72 years (range, 55 to 96 years). Initial therapy of all tumors involved surgical excision. Four patients developed clinical recurrence of squamous cell carcinoma in a median of 7.5 months after surgery. There were no tumor recurrences when frozen section techniques were applied during the initial surgical excision. The data suggest that the risk of persistence or recurrence of tumor was increased for patients who delayed seeking medical care after the lesion was first noticed and when frozen section control was not used during surgery. None of the patients were known to have developed metastases, and there were no tumor-related deaths.

Color Doppler imaging of arterial blood flow in central retinal vein occlusion.

PURPOSE: The hemodynamics of the retrobulbar arterial circulation of patients with central retinal vein occlusion were evaluated in order to better understand the pathophysiology of this disease. METHODS: Color Doppler imaging was used to measure the peak systolic velocity and vascular resistance (pulsatility index) in the retrobulbar arteries of involved eyes and clinically healthy fellow eyes of patients with central retinal vein occlusion and in the control eyes of age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Average peak systolic velocity was significantly lower and average vascular resistance was significantly higher in the central retinal artery of involved eyes of patients with central retinal vein occlusion compared with clinically healthy fellow eyes and compared with control eyes. There also was a trend toward higher vascular resistance in the central retinal artery of clinically healthy fellow eyes of patients with central retinal vein occlusion compared with control eyes. In the ophthalmic arteries and short posterior ciliary arteries, vascular resistance was significantly higher in both the involved eyes and clinically healthy fellow eyes of patients with central retinal vein occlusion compared with control eyes. CONCLUSION: Color Doppler imaging parameters of the central retinal artery circulation were abnormal in eyes with central retinal vein occlusion, suggesting impaired arterial blood flow associated with this disease. The high vascular resistance in the central retinal arteries, ophthalmic arteries, and short posterior ciliary arteries of both involved and clinically healthy fellow eyes of patients with central retinal vein occlusion suggests that diffuse small vessel disease may predate and contribute to the development of central retinal vein occlusion.

Color Doppler hemodynamics of giant cell arteritis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine quantitative and qualitative hemodynamic alterations within the ophthalmic, central retinal, and short posterior ciliary arteries in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) proved by biopsy specimen. DESIGN, PATIENTS, AND SETTING: A consecutive case series of patients with GCA referred to an urban eye hospital who were evaluated with color Doppler imaging that was used to analyze orbital blood flow velocities and vascular resistance in 22 consecutive patients with GCA compared with age and sex-matched controls. RESULTS: Patients with GCA all demonstrated significantly reduced central retinal and short posterior ciliary arterial mean flow velocities as well as significantly increased vascular resistance compared with matched controls. Ophthalmic artery mean flow velocity demonstrated marked variation depending on the anatomic location studied. Other color Doppler imaging characteristics of GCA included the following: ophthalmic artery aliasing (high velocity and turbulent flow at presumed focal vasculitic stenoses), reversal of flow within the ophthalmic artery, reduced and truncated time-velocity waveforms of the central retinal and short posterior ciliary arteries, and absolute deficits of flow within the central retinal and short posterior ciliary arteries. Aliasing of flow velocity within the ophthalmic artery (two patients) was associated with clinical progression of GCA. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the concept that quantitative and qualitative alterations in blood flow or pathophysiologic mechanisms of visual loss in GCA. This technique may be useful in the diagnosis and management of GCA since some of the color Doppler waveforms observed in GCA have not been seen in non-arteritic optic neuropathy. Treatment with corticosteroids often appears to stop the progression of these hemodynamic abnormalities but generally does not improve preexisting vascular abnormalities.

Primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal sac: report of a case.

A 41-year-old white woman presented with a 1-month history of epiphora and a painless medial canthal mass on the left that was unresponsive to antibiotic treatment. Computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans delineated a soft tissue mass with bony destruction originating in the area of the left lacrimal sac with extension into the maxillary and ethmoid sinuses and inferomedial orbit. Open biopsy of the mass revealed adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). On surgical exploration, the tumor was found to originate from the lacrimal sac wall. Radical surgery with wide excision of surrounding bone and periorbital tissue was performed in light of the histological diagnosis and tumor extension. Orbital exenteration was not performed in order to preserve the patient's left eye. A 6-week course of adjunctive radiotherapy was applied without complication. The patient was clinically and radiologically free of tumor at 1-year follow-up. This case represents only the third time that primary ACC arising from the lacrimal sac has been reported.

Color Doppler imaging: methodology and preliminary results in glaucoma.

Color Doppler imaging (CDI) has recently been applied to investigation of the normal vascular anatomy of the eye and orbit as well as a variety of conditions in which vascular abnormalities are important. Combining B-scan ultrasonography and Doppler waveform analysis, CDI enables noninvasive serial examination of blood velocity and vascular resistance from the ophthalmic, short posterior, ciliary and central retinal arteries. This technology is being used to study the ophthalmic circulation of patients with primary open-angle or normotension glaucoma.

Optic nerve decompression improves hemodynamic parameters in papilledema.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine changes in color Doppler imaging parameters before and after optic nerve sheath decompression (ONSD) for chronic papilledema caused by pseudotumor cerebri (PTC). METHODS: Color Doppler imaging was performed within 48 hours before surgery and within 48 hours after the procedure using a color Doppler unit with a 7.5-MHz phased linear transducer. Pulsed Doppler spectrum analyses were recorded digitally on videotape from the ophthalmic, central retinal, and short posterior ciliary arteries, using a 0.4 x 0.6-mm sample volume. RESULTS: Blood flow velocities in the ophthalmic, short posterior ciliary, and central retinal arteries of 24 eyes were significantly decreased compared with a healthy age-matched group. Eyes with visual acuities worse than 20/30 before surgery had significantly decreased velocities in the ophthalmic, short posterior ciliary, and retinal arteries, whereas in eyes with visual acuities better than 20/30, only the short posterior ciliary and central retinal arteries demonstrated decreased velocities. In addition, Gosling's pulsatility index was increased for the central retinal artery but not the ophthalmic or short posterior ciliary arteries. Thirteen eyes improving in visual acuity and field after ONSD demonstrated significant improvement in all color Doppler imaging parameters for the short posterior ciliary arteries. The ophthalmic artery diastolic velocity also increased significantly but the central retinal artery parameters did not change. The eyes that remained stable or worsened did not demonstrate significant postoperative changes. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that some of the visual loss from chronic papilledema may be due to ischemia, and worsening visual acuity correlates with greater impairment of the retrobulbar circulation. One of the mechanisms by which ONSD improves visual function may be reversal of this ischemic process.

Optic nerve sheath decompression may improve blood flow in anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study are to evaluate the retrobulbar circulation in progressive nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and to assess changes in blood flow after optic nerve sheath decompression (ONSD). METHODS: Twenty-five patients with progressive NAION were studied using color Doppler imaging (CDI) before and after ONSD. Blood flow velocities and vascular resistance were calculated for the ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery, and posterior ciliary arteries in each eye. Contralateral eyes served as the control group. RESULTS: Preoperatively, the study group demonstrated significantly lower blood flow velocities in the central retinal artery (P < 0.002) and posterior ciliary arteries (P < 0.02) when compared with the contralateral control group. Postoperatively, there was a significant increase in blood flow velocity in the ophthalmic artery (P < 0.04) and the central retinal artery (P < 0.05) as well as a significant decrease in vascular resistance in the posterior ciliary arteries (P < 0.02) in the study group. There were no significant changes in blood flow velocity or vascular resistance in the contralateral control group. Long-term follow-up on eight patients suggests a persistence of this trend. Seventeen of the 25 operated eyes demonstrated a postoperative improvement in visual function, defined as a gain of two lines or more in Snellen visual acuity or at least 20 degrees of visual field expansion. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that eyes with acute NAION have impaired blood flow when compared with the contralateral control group. Furthermore, they suggest that ONSD may improve blood flow to the ischemic optic nerve halting the progression of visual loss and in some cases improving visual function.

Color Doppler imaging of the ocular ischemic syndrome.

PURPOSE: This study describes hemodynamic characteristics of the ophthalmic, central retinal, and posterior ciliary arteries in 16 eyes of 11 patients with the ocular ischemic syndrome. Understanding the hemodynamic characteristics of the retrobulbar circulation may elucidate the natural history and pathophysiology of the ocular ischemic syndrome and perhaps form the basis for rational treatment of this condition. METHODS: Color Doppler imaging, a procedure that permits rapid noninvasive imaging of the ophthalmic, central retinal, and posterior ciliary arteries, was used to quantitate peak systolic blood flow velocities and vascular resistance (pulsatility index) within these vessels in study group eyes and in an age-matched control population. RESULTS: We demonstrated markedly reduced ocular ischemic syndrome central retinal and posterior ciliary artery peak systolic velocities compared with control group eyes. Central retinal and posterior ciliary artery vascular resistance (pulsatility index) was greater in ocular ischemic eyes versus control group eyes. Reversal of ophthalmic artery blood flow was detected in 12 of 16 ocular ischemic syndrome eyes. Study group eyes with poor vision had no detectable posterior ciliary arterial blood flow. CONCLUSION: Color Doppler imaging quantitates hemodynamic characteristics of the retrobulbar circulation in the ocular ischemic syndrome. There is markedly reduced peak systolic velocity and increased vascular resistance in ocular end arteries such as the central retinal and posterior ciliary arteries. Ophthalmic artery reversal of flow seems to represent collateral blood flow to lower resistance vascular beds. Posterior ciliary artery hypoperfusion may correlate with poor vision in the ocular ischemic syndrome.

Gaze-induced amaurosis from central retinal artery compression.

Color Doppler imaging was used to evaluate a patient with gaze-induced amaurosis caused by an intraconal orbital mass. The time-velocity waveform demonstrated abnormally high vascular resistance in the central retinal artery of the affected eye in the primary position. Abduction of the affected eye resulted in transient visual loss with an unreactive pupil. This same maneuver during color Doppler imaging resulted in a dramatic reduction of blood flow in the central retinal artery. Two months after surgical excision of the mass, the gaze-evoked amaurosis was no longer present, and color Doppler imaging demonstrated normal blood flow in the central retinal artery. This suggests that impaired retinal and optic nerve blood flow are responsible for gaze-induced amaurosis from compressive orbital lesions.

Color Doppler imaging of the eye and orbit. A synopsis of a 400 case experience.

Color Doppler imaging (CDI) is a recent advance in ultrasonography that allows simultaneous two-dimensional imaging of structure and blood flow. Doppler information is superimposed in color over a conventional gray-scale ultrasound image. Using this technique we have examined 400 eyes. The central retinal artery, posterior ciliary arteries, ophthalmic artery, the central retinal vein and the vortex veins could be located in all normal eyes. Using the color image as a guide, Doppler spectral analysis is used for quantitative assessment of blood flow velocity in these vessels. We also studied patients with intraocular tumors, arterial and venous retinal occlusions, orbital vascular anomalies and tumors. Color Doppler imaging is a new and promising modality for the study of ocular and orbital hemodynamics.

Color Doppler imaging provides accurate assessment of orbital blood flow in occlusive carotid artery disease.

Color Doppler imaging was used to evaluate the hemodynamics of the ophthalmic vasculature in a case of complete internal carotid artery occlusion. This procedure, which allows rapid, noninvasive imaging, showed a partial ophthalmic artery obstruction with absent flow in the central retinal artery, central retinal vein, and nasal posterior ciliary arteries. Although altered perfusion of the retinal vessels may be evaluated clinically, assessment of blood flow in the ophthalmic and ciliary arteries previously could be evaluated only indirectly by intravenous fluorescein angiography. The color Doppler imaging findings were confirmed by intravenous fluorescein angiography and carotid arteriography. Color Doppler imaging represents a noninvasive method to diagnose abnormal blood flow of the ophthalmic artery and its branches and to evaluate serial changes of the circulation in a noninvasive manner.

Color Doppler imaging. A new noninvasive technique to diagnose and monitor carotid cavernous sinus fistulas.

Color Doppler imaging is a recent development in ultrasonography that allows for simultaneous two-dimensional structural imaging and Doppler evaluation of blood flow. With this technique, one patient with a traumatic carotid cavernous sinus fistula and two patients with spontaneous dural cavernous arteriovenous malformations were evaluated. Color Doppler imaging demonstrated a dilated superior ophthalmic vein with arterialized blood flow in all three patients. In two cases the diagnosis was confirmed by angiography, and in one of these cases the fistula was occluded with a detachable balloon catheter. Postembolization color Doppler imaging revealed return of normal venous flow in the superior ophthalmic vein. This technique offers a noninvasive means to confirm the clinical diagnosis and to track the hemodynamics of these arteriovenous fistulas. In certain cases, color Doppler imaging may eliminate the need for computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of suspected arteriovenous malformations of the orbit.

HIV and banked fascia lata.

Banked irradiated fascia lata is used in many ophthalmic procedures. Along with its increased popularity has come concern over protection from the AIDS virus. Banked fascia lata is protected against the AIDS virus by donor selection, antibody testing and irradiation sterilization. With the knowledge that fascia may also be heated as additional protection, this study was performed to determine if heat treatment weakens the fascia. Results suggest that heat treatment does not clinically or statistically weaken banked homogenous fascia lata.

Surgically induced astigmatism in human cadaver eyes.

A human cadaver eye model was used to study the effects of various sized limbal and scleral-pocket-type incisions on corneal astigmatism. Limbal incisions of 5.0 mm and 10.0 mm and scleral pocket incisions of 3.5 mm and 7.0 mm were carefully placed in human cadaver eyes. These wounds were closed in a uniform fashion, first loosely and then tightly, using interrupted 10-0 nylon sutures. Pre-incision and post-incision keratometer readings were taken and the net change in astigmatic error was calculated. The results indicate that tighter sutures, larger wound size, and limbal rather than scleral-pocket-type incisions were associated with a greater degree of immediate postoperative astigmatism in the cadaver eye.