Neuro-Ophthalmic Injuries With Systemic Neurologic Injury or Traumatic Brain Injury in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

BACKGROUND: To analyze the final visual acuity (VA) of neuro-ophthalmologic injuries (NOI) in combat ocular trauma and to study the association of NOI with systemic neurologic injury (SNI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: The Walter Reed Ocular Trauma Database was reviewed. Inclusion criteria were any US service member and Department of Defense civilians who suffered NOI, SNI, or TBI in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. The primary outcome measure was the rate of poor final VA in patients with an NOI with secondary outcome measures the rate of SNI and TBI. in patients with NOI. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-eight (20.00%) of 890 eyes had an NOI. Optic nerve injury was observed in 79 (44.38%) eyes, other cranial nerve injury in 68 (38.20%), Horner syndrome in 4 (2.25%), diplopia in 45 (25.28%), and ptosis in 13 (7.30%). In patients with NOI, 76 (42.69%) eyes had a final VA less than 20/200. In injured eyes (n = 359) of patients (n = 251) with TBI, 154 eyes (34.26%) had a final VA less than 20/200. In multivariate analysis, optic nerve injury (P < 0.001), unlike TBI (P = 0.47), was associated with final VA less than 20/200. SNI (n = 229) had a statistically significant association (odds ratio 29.8, 95% confidence interval 19.2-47.8, P < 0.001) with NOI. Optic nerve injury and cranial nerve injury were associated with TBI and SNI (all, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Optic nerve injury and cranial nerve injury are associated with TBI and SNI. Optic nerve injury, but not TBI or cranial nerve injury, is associated with a poor final VA.

Enucleations and Eviscerations for Combat Ocular Trauma Performed During Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom: 2001 to 2011.

PURPOSE: To describe the demographics and clinical outcomes of patients who underwent posttraumatic enucleation or evisceration during Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF) from 2001 to 2011. METHODS: The Walter Reed Ocular Trauma Database is a retrospective case series of US Servicemembers and Department of Defense civilians who had combat ocular injuries in OIF and OEF. Data regarding posttraumatic enucleations and eviscerations performed during OIF and OEF were extracted. The main outcomes analyzed were the number of enucleations and eviscerations performed, location of the surgery, laterality, and graft type. The secondary outcome measures included: mechanism of injury and Ocular Trauma Score classification. RESULTS: One hundred nine enucleations and eviscerations were performed on the 890 eyes (12.24%). Sixty-three (57.80%) primary enucleations, 36 (33.03%) secondary enucleations, 5 (4.59%) postretinal detachment repair enucleations, and 5 (4.59%) primary eviscerations were completed. The surgeries were completed at a combat support hospital (57; 52.3%), or Walter Reed Army Medical Center (49; 45.0%). All surgeries were unilateral except in 2 patients. The most common graft type used was silicone (n = 56; 51.38%). Improvised explosive devices caused 76 (69.72%) eye injuries. Ocular Trauma Score were recorded as 56 (51.38%) between 0 and 44, 44 (40.37%) between 45 and 65, and unknown in 9 (8.26%). CONCLUSION: Posttraumatic enucleation or evisceration due to devastating ocular trauma is required in about 15% of ophthalmic patients in modern combat trauma. The psychosocial impact on veterans who have required an enucleation or evisceration from combat trauma has been poorly studied and requires further review.

Lateral Canthotomy and Cantholysis in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom: 2001-2011.

PURPOSE: To describe outcomes and associated ocular injuries of lateral canthotomy and cantholysis (LCC) as performed in combat ocular trauma. METHODS: Data from the Walter Reed Ocular Trauma Database of patients requiring LCC during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom was reviewed as a retrospective cohort. Primary outcome measures included final visual acuity (VA) and Ocular Trauma Score. Secondary outcome measures were associated injuries and timing of surgery. RESULTS: Thirty-six LCCs were recorded on a total of 890 eyes (4.04 %) in the Walter Reed Ocular Trauma Database. Eighteen out of 36 eyes (50.00%) had a final VA of the affected eye of 20/200 or worse vision. From the initial available VA measured either at the time of injury or at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 13 eyes (40.63%) had no change in VA, 15 eyes (46.88%) had improvement, and 4 (12.5%) had a decrease in VA (n = 32, data unavailable for 4 eyes). Ocular Trauma score 0-65 was noted in 14 (38.9%) and 66-100 (61.1%). Retinal detachment (6, 16.67%), optic nerve injuries (7, 19.44%), orbital fractures (20, 55.56%), and retrobulbar hematoma (25, 69.44%) were commonly associated injuries. Of the 36 LCC, 18 (50.00%) were performed as the first surgery performed at the combat support hospital, 13 (36.11%) as the second, 4 (11.11%) as the third, and 1 (2.78%) as the fourth. CONCLUSIONS: The largest subgroup of patients had an improvement in VA associated with performance of LCC; however, half of patients remained with a final VA of equal to or worse than 20/200 due to severe ocular trauma.

Recent advances in the surgical management of rhinosinusitis.

Rhinosinusitis affects a significant portion of the US population, and its management imposes a substantial burden on the healthcare system. The treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis includes initial medical management prior to consideration of surgical intervention. However, if surgery does become necessary, several factors must be considered in order to optimize outcomes. This review evaluates surgical patient selection, perioperative medical management, and the extent of operative intervention, with the goal of improving surgical results, decreasing the need for revision surgery, and enhancing the patient's quality of life. Specific variations in patient genotypes and phenotypes will be further explored with regard to their implications on surgical outcomes. Additionally, the evidence behind pre- and post-operative antibiotic and steroid use will be evaluated. Finally, we will review evolving surgical tools and techniques that are currently being utilized for the treatment of specific subsets of rhinosinusitis.