[Spontaneous separation of epiretinal membrane: Reports of 3 cases]. / Pelage spontané de membrane épimaculaire : série de 3 cas.

PURPOSE: Idiopathic epiretinal membranes most commonly develop in patients over 50 years of age. Posterior vitreous detachment seems to play a role in their formation. Epiretinal membranes are uncommon in young subjects. Surgical intervention is indicated in eyes with true functional symptoms and loss of visual acuity. METHOD: We report 3 cases with spontaneous separation of epiretinal membranes imaged by Optical Coherence Tomography. RESULTS: All patients reported improvement in functional symptoms after spontaneous separation of the epiretinal membrane. Anatomic recovery with reappearance of the foveolar depression was observed on Optical Coherence Tomography. CONCLUSION: A longer period of observation may be indicated in young patients with epiretinal membrane, due to the higher rate of spontaneous separation.

[Corneal manifestations of measles in the unvaccinated adult: two typical cases during an epidemic]. / Manifestations cornéennes de la rougeole chez l'adulte non vacciné : deux cas typiques en période d'épidémie.

Measles is a disease due to morbillivirus, which belongs to the paramyxoviridae subfamily. It affects mostly young patients, and evolves through four phases: incubation, invasion, eruption and desquamation. Ophthalmic manifestations may occur during the invasive and eruptive phases. Conjunctivitis is the most common ophthalmologic manifestation and is often asymptomatic. Measles keratitis is the most concerning manifestation, with possible corneal ulcer, bacterial superinfection and corneal perforation. We report two cases of acute keratitis occurring during the eruptive phase of measles in two unvaccinated young adults. The involvement was central and strictly epithelial in both patients. The outcome was favorable with symptomatic treatment.

[Management of herpes zoster neurotrophic ulcer using a new matrix therapy agent (RGTA): A case report]. / Utilisation d'un agent biodégradable de la régénération tissulaire (RGTA) dans le traitement d'un ulcère trophique résistant d'origine zostérienne : à propos d'un cas.

Neurotrophic keratopathy is a potential consequence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) or varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection. The treatment is based on artificial tears and the withdrawal of preserved eye drops or other types of epitheliotoxic topical medicines. Autologous serum or amniotic membrane transplantation may also be used in severe cases, but their cost and safety are still under debate. We report a case of a patient with a history of herpes zoster ophthalmicus, who developed a persistent epithelial ulcer after cataract surgery, with no improvement despite 3 weeks of artificial tears (eight drops per day). A new ophthalmologic solution based on a regenerating agent (RGTA, Cacicol20(®)) was then used, with a dosage of two eye drops per week for 6 weeks. Improvement was observed 1 week later, and complete healing was obtained in less than 3 weeks, with no side effects. This heparin mimetic, which may stimulate extracellular matrix healing, may be a possible alternative therapy to autologous serum or amniotic membrane transplantation in severe neurotrophic ulcer. However, randomized studies are necessary to validate this observation.

[Hypertony and uveitis: 103 cases of uveitis]. / Uvéite et hypertonie : à propos de 103 patients.

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of high intraocular pressure (HIOP) in 103 patients. METHODS: One hundred and three consecutive patients referred to our department for uveitis were included. Files were retrospectively analyzed for age at time of presentation, gender, type of uveitis (as defined by International Uveitis Study Group) and etiology, time of HIOP (primary or secondary to treatment), and associated filtering surgical procedure. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured using Goldmann applanation tonometry and HIOP was defined as intraocular pressure 21 mm Hg or higher. RESULTS: Among these patients, 36% of uveitis cases were related to a concomitant infectious disease (herpetic disease in 20% of cases and herpes zoster in 4%). No significant difference in age or gender was found between groups. At least one episode of HIOP was found during the acute phase of the disease in 27 patients (26.2%): anterior uveitis accounted for 74% of patients. Most hypertensive cases were associated with herpetic disease (37%), whereas steroid-induced HIOP was suspected in only two patients (7.4%). HIOP was controlled by topical hypotensive treatment in 74.1% of patients, and a filtering surgical procedure was found necessary in seven patients (25.9%). CONCLUSION: This retrospective study confirms that HIOP is a major complication of uveitis, especially in those involving the anterior chamber of the eye and/or related to viruses. Most cases responded rapidly to combined topical steroids/antiglaucomatous therapy.

[Study and prevention of contact lens-related microbial keratitis with a standardized questionnaire]. / Utilité d'un questionnaire standardisé dans la prise en charge et l'étude épidémiologique des kératites infectieuses sous lentilles de contact.

INTRODUCTION: microbial keratitis is a significant health concern for the one million wearers of contact lenses and their ophthalmologists, with some potentially modifiable risk factors. The number of risk factors for contact lens-related microbial keratitis has been described, but many of them still remain assumed or unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: a multicenter prospective case-control study was conducted in 12 French university hospitals (Besançon, Bordeaux, Dijon, Fort-de-France, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Nancy, Nantes, Paris, Marseille and Strasbourg) beginning in July 2007 on contact lens wearers presenting with microbial keratitis and on healthy contact lens wearers. Patients and healthy wearers were interviewed using a 51-item anonymous standardized questionnaire to determine subject demographics and contact lens wear history. RESULTS: two hundred and fifty-six patients with microbial keratitis were included. One hundred and thirteen healthy contact lenses wearers were surveyed. Cosmetic contact lens wear highly increased the relative risk (RR) of microbial keratitis (RR, 16.5). Time since the last visit to an ophthalmologist longer than 1 year (RR, 3.4) or prescription by someone other than an ophthalmologist (RR, 7.6) also increased the risk of microbial keratitis. Education on lens care and handling was deficient (hand washing: RR, 2.2; rub and rinse: RR, 2.7). DISCUSSION: a standardized questionnaire is a powerful tool to determine risk factors for contact lens-related microbial keratitis, but also to analyze individual mistakes in contact lenses use and care.

[Surgery of the idiopathic epimacular membrane on transconjunctival 25-gauge vitrectomy (TSV): a series of 50 cases]. / Chirurgie de membrane épimaculaire en vitrectomie transconjonctivale 25-gauge: à propos de 50 cas.

BACKGROUND: The surgery of the idiopathic epimacular membrane has gained from the advent of 25-gauge transconjunctival vitrectomy (TSV) initiated by Fujii in 2002. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we tested 50 patients operated on for epimacular membrane with 25-gauge TSV at the Quinze-Vingts National Ophthalmology Hospital in Paris from December 2004 to June 2006. RESULTS: No postoperative endophthalmitis, major hypotonia, or sclerotomy leakage were observed. However, two cases (4%) of retinal detachment and 47% postoperative cataract were noted at 3 months. After evolving 3 months later, distant and close visual acuity were significantly improved. CONCLUSION: TSV appears to be a useful method for epimacular membrane ablation.

[23-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy: a retrospective study of 164 consecutive cases]. / Vitrectomie transconjonctivale 23-gauge: étude rétrospective de 164 cas consécutifs.

PURPOSE: To describe our initial experience and to evaluate the outcomes of patients treated with 23-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy for a variety of vitreoretinal conditions. METHODS: A single-center, retrospective chart review of 164 consecutive 23-gauge vitrectomy cases done by five vitreoretinal surgeons at the CHNO des XV-XX from May 2006 through December 2007. The main outcome measures included visual acuity and intraoperative and postoperative complications. RESULTS: The mean follow-up duration was 145 days. Mean overall acuity improved from 20/410 (0.5/10) at baseline to 20/101 (2/10) (p<0.0001) and the improvement in visual acuity was statistically significant for patients with macular hole, epiretinal membranes, retinal detachment, nonclearing vitreous hemorrhage, and silicone oil removal. There was a single case of intraoperative retinal tear. There were no postoperative complications of endophthalmitis or choroidal effusion and three cases of hypotony, which resolved spontaneously. Thirty-six of 80 phakic eyes had worsening of cataract, 29 of which occurred in the 1st postoperative month. Twenty patients had cataract surgery during the follow-up. Postoperative retinal detachment occurred in two cases after surgery for nonclearing vitreous hemorrhage. Retinal re-detachment after surgery for retinal detachment occurred in nine of 66 cases (14%). CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-three-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy is an effective surgical technique for a variety of vitreoretinal surgical indications. The safety and efficacy profile compared favorably with the published literature on 20-gauge surgery.

[Eyedrops in children and pregnant or breast-feeding woman: why so many difficulties?]. / Les collyres chez l'enfant et la femme enceinte ou allaitante: quelles difficultés et pourquoi?

The use of eye drops in a child or a pregnant or a breast-feeding woman is often difficult, since clearly established license and scientific data are rare. These two difficulties are related. Indeed, clinical research programs exceptionally include children or pregnant/breastfeeding women, except when the product is directly intended for these populations, unusual in ophthalmology. As a consequence, the scientific publications give very little information on the balance between benefit and risk in these patients. Legal authorities therefore cannot base authorization decisions on robust data or on the contrary clearly mention the danger of many ophthalmic solutions. For that reason, the summaries of the characteristics of the product most often include precautionary recommendations, in practice a rejection, even when the empirical clinical practice suggests their possible use. The analysis of these difficulties underlines the importance of conducting clinical trials including this type of patient or, failing that, the necessity of consensus conferences to facilitate physicians' daily medical practice.

[Postoperative endophthalmitis: 2000-2002 results in the XV-XX National Ophthalmologic Hospital]. / Infections nosocomiales endoculaires au CHNO des XV-XX de 2000 à 2002.

PURPOSE: Prevention of nosocomial infection is a priority for the Infection Control Committee (ICC). Following their recommendations, the XV-XX National Ophthalmologic Hospital's ICC conducted a survey on cases of infection and we report these results for the 2000-2002 period. METHODS: During the 2000-2002 period, 21,384 programmed intraocular surgeries were done. Every day, a hygiene coordinator was informed of each bacterial or fungal laboratory test on intraocular samples and for all patients who were hospitalized for endophthalmitis. After data analysis with a referent ICC physician, resulting infection was declared postoperative nosocomial endophthalmitis. For these patients, prophylactic antibiotic use, the surgery report, and bacterial laboratory test results were reviewed. RESULTS: The overall 3-year incidence of suspected postoperative endophthalmitis after intraocular surgery was 2.0 per 1000 (42 cases). Confirmed microbiological growth was demonstrated in 19 cases (45%). For cataract surgery, the incidence was 1.0 per 1000 for acute-onset culture-proven postoperative endophthalmitis, 0.1 per 1000 for delayed culture-proven postoperative endophthalmitis, 2.1 per 1000 for acute-onset suspected postoperative endophthalmitis and 0.5 per 1000 for delayed suspected postoperative endophthalmitis. Gram-positive cocci were isolated in 77%. Twenty-one patients received systemic prophylactic antibiotics. Bacterial growth was positive in five of these 21 cases. For two cases, organisms were resistant to the prophylactic antibiotics used. CONCLUSION: Monitoring postoperative nosocomial infection is mandatory to detect incidence variation and evaluate infection control management. Prophylactic antibiotic efficacy remains to be evaluated.

Results of the Lecompte procedure in malposition of the great arteries and pulmonary obstruction.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of the Lecompte procedure, our repair method of choice in malposition of the great arteries with pulmonary stenosis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 42 patients (median age at operation, 1.4 years) operated on between 1986 and 1999 for various forms of great artery malposition, ventricular septal defect, and pulmonary stenosis. Relevant associated findings included the insertion of a tricuspid papillary muscle on the conal septum (nine patients), absence of conal septum (six patients), hypoplasia of a side pulmonary artery (four patients), and hypoplasia of the right ventricle (one patient). A preliminary systemico-pulmonary shunt was created in 28 patients and a cavo-pulmonary anastomosis in one patient. At operation, the conal septum (whenever present) was resected (36 patients), the pulmonary bifurcation was usually translocated over the ascending aorta (37 patients), and the main pulmonary artery was enlarged with a patch of pericardium. A monocusp valve was fashioned within the patch in 40 patients. The follow-up information was complete in 32 patients and ranged from 0.4 to 14 years (mean, 5.4+/-3.2 years). RESULTS: The survival rate at 5 years was 92+/-5%. Three patients died post-operatively (mortality, 7%) and none during follow-up. The freedom from reoperation was 86+/-8 and 51+/-22% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Six patients were reoperated, all for a pulmonary stenosis. Calcification of the monocusp patch was present in all. Pulmonary stenosis developed in three further patients: one underwent percutaneous dilatation and two are awaiting surgery. No procedural factors thought to have a potential correlation with the development of right ventricular outflow tract stenosis could be individualized on univariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The Lecompte procedure, which allows early repair of these defects, provides overall good results. The need to reoperate on the right or left ventricular outflow tract seems reduced in comparison with the Rastelli operation, the other alternative.