Intraoperative usefulness and postoperative results of the endoilluminator for performing primary posterior capsulectomy and anterior vitrectomy during pediatric cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To analyze the intraoperative usefulness and postoperative results of endoilluminator use during pediatric cataract surgery. METHODS: Medical records of children <8 years of age who underwent lens aspiration with primary posterior capsulectomy (PPC) and anterior vitrectomy (AV) with or without intraocular lens implantation (IOL) were studied. An endoilluminator was used intraoperatively as an external light source in all cases to ensure the completeness of PPC and adequacy of AV. All children were divided into three groups depending upon the age at surgery and presence of IOL. We included only the first operated eye in bilateral cases. We studied the intraoperative performance for all and postoperative complications for those with >6 months follow-up. RESULTS: The charts of 79 eyes of 46 children (26 boys, 20 girls: 33 bilateral, 13 unilateral) were reviewed, of which we analyzed 46 eyes of 46 children for intraoperative performance and 42 eyes of 42 children for postoperative complications. The intraoperatively adequate size of PPC was obtained in all cases with no vitreous in the anterior chamber. Two cases in the first group developed peaking of the pupil, and one case developed visual axis contraction requiring membranectomy. None of the cases in the other groups developed any complication. CONCLUSION: An endoilluminator is a simple, safe, and powerful tool for better visualization of the posterior capsule and anterior vitreous during pediatric cataract surgery. It helps in confirming a good vitrectomy, ensuring its completeness and thereby reducing the chances of any complication due to inadequate AV.

Technique of cultivating limbal derived corneal epithelium on human amniotic membrane for clinical transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The technique of transplantation of cultivated limbal epithelium rather than direct limbal tissue isa novel method of "cell therapy" involved in reconstructing the ocular surface in severe limbal stem cell deficiency [LSCD], caused by chemical burns. AIM: To describe a simple feeder-cell free technique of cultivating limbal epithelium on human amniotic membrane[HAM]. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The limbal tissues (2 mm) were harvested from patients with LSCD. These tissues were proliferated in vitro on HAM supplemented by human corneal epithelial cell medium and autologous serum. Cultures covering more > or = 50% area of 2.5 x 5 cm HAM were considered adequate for clinical use. The cultured epithelium was characterized by histopathology and immunophenotyping. RESULTS: A total of 542 cultures out of 250 limbal tissues were cultivated in the laboratory from January 2001 through July 2005. The culture explants showed that clusters of cells emerging from the edge of the explants in one-three days formed a complete monolayer within 10-14 days. In 86% of cultures (464 of 542), the growth was observed within one-two days. Successful explant cultures were observed in 98.5% (534 of 542 cultures) with 91% explant cultures showing an area of > or = 6.25 cm2 (6.25 - 12.5 cm2 range). The cultivated epithelium was terminated between 10-14 days for clinical transplantation. The problems encountered were inadequate growth (2 of 542) and contamination (2 of 542). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate a simple technique of generating a sheet of corneal epithelium from a limbal biopsy. This new technique could pave the way for a novel form of cell therapy.

Spontaneous onset corneoscleral hematic cyst.

Corneoscleral cysts are a rare entity. We report a case of spontaneous corneoscleral hematic cyst, which was treated by cyst excision and lamellar corneal patch graft. No recurrence of cyst was noticed during the 6 years of followup.