Incidence of Total Blindness After Central Retinal Artery Occlusion With Ocular Neovascularization.

Purpose: To determine the time-based incidence of total blindness after central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) with secondary ocular neovascularization (ONV). Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, electronic records were queried using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes to identify patients with secondary ONV post-CRAO. Patients with possible alternative ONV etiologies, previous panretinal photocoagulation (PRP), and/or previous antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy were excluded. Clinical data included demographics, medical comorbidities, ONV manifestations, medical/surgical management, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed with total blindness (defined as a BCVA of no light perception) as the outcome of interest. Results: Of 345 eyes with CRAO, 34 met the inclusion criteria with a mean (±SD) follow-up of 22.0 ± 26.2 months. ONV management included PRP (70.6%), glaucoma drainage implant surgery or transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (32.4%), and intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy (mean 2.8 ± 5.6 injections per patient). The cumulative incidence of total blindness was 49.4% (95% confidence interval, 27.2%-71.6%) at 24 months, with 53.3% of cases occurring within 4 months of ONV onset. Conclusions: Post-CRAO ONV is associated with a high risk for progression from severe vision loss to total blindness. Neovascular glaucoma can present up to 4 months after CRAO, challenging the paradigm of "30-day-glaucoma." Routine gonioscopy should extend through this period, while glaucoma surgery can delay further vision loss. These findings can be used to counsel patients on the importance of follow-up adherence.

Subretinal Abscess Complicated by Post-infectious Retinal Vasculitis Following Strabismus Surgery.

An 8-year-old girl presented with a subretinal abscess after strabismus surgery. This was treated successfully with medial rectus suture removal, pars plana vitrectomy, intravitreal antibiotics, and intravenous antibiotics. Recovery was complicated by acute post-infectious retinal vasculitis after tapering high-dose corticosteroids, requiring an extended corticosteroid regimen over 2 months until resolution. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2023;60(3):e26-e30.].

Ultrasound-guided Serratus Anterior Plane Block for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation using Multi-catheter Interstitial Brachytherapy Technique under Anesthesia in Breast Cancer Patients: A Case Series.

In early stages of breast cancer, breast conservation therapy (BCT) with lumpectomy and adjuvant irradiation is preferred. Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) is considered as an alternative to whole breast irradiation. The reasons are it requires less number of irradiation fractions, shorter treatment time, and decreased size of irradiation. The procedure includes insertion of several brachycatheters, which is associated with significant pain in the postoperative period. We report case series of 8 patients of APBI where perioperative pain management was done using ultrasound (USG)-guided serratus anterior plane (SAP) block with catheter insertion. The catheter was placed between the serratus anterior muscle and external intercostal muscle. The drug used was 0.4 mL.kg-1 of 0.375% Ropivacaine with a maximum value of 30 mL. On the day of the procedure, all patients were given two boluses of ropivacaine 20 mL each at an interval of 6 h. From the next day onward, they received ropivacaine boluses on demand basis when Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) was >4. There were no complications during the procedure. None of the patients required extra fentanyl boluses intraoperatively. One patient did not have an SAP catheter inserted during primary insertion, as she failed to give consent for block. On repositioning of catheters, she experienced severe pain with a NRS of 8/10. After obtaining proper consent, SAP catheter was inserted and she had NRS of 1/10 postoperatively. 2/8 patients received rescue analgesics in the form of diclofenac. 7/8 SAP catheters were removed on day 5. Only one SAP catheter was removed accidentally on day 3. It was concluded that USG-guided SAP catheters are a novel, safe, and effective regional anesthesia technique for perioperative pain management in breast cancer surgeries undergoing APBI.

Intraoperative Change in Urine Color: Be Cautious for a Clinical Entity!

A change in urine color is an unusual intraoperative occurrence, which can be distressing for the anesthesia provider. Abnormal changes in color are generally benign effects of medications and foods; however, a change in urine color may be a sign of an underlying pathologic condition. Methylene blue, a nonpathogenic, water-soluble, commonly used dye for diagnostic tests, has on rare occasions, been reported to discolor urine green intraoperatively or postoperatively. We report on a patient who produced green discoloration of urine intraoperatively after methylene blue administration, which was benign and resolved spontaneously.

Hairpulling causing vision loss: a case report.

Subperiosteal extension of a subgaleal hematoma (SGH) to the orbit is a reported, but rare complication of trauma. This report details a 13-year-old African-American male who originally presented to the emergency department after trauma with headache and was found on CT imaging to have a contained subgaleal hemorrhage. He presented 2 days later with increased pain and proptosis of the left eye with findings of decreased visual acuity, elevated intraocular pressure, proptosis, and complete external ophthalmoplegia. Repeat imaging revealed enlargement of the SGH with subperiosteal extension into the left orbit. He required an emergent lateral canthotomy with inferior and superior cantholysis, followed by surgical drainage of the subperiosteal and SGH. Hematologic workup for coagulopathy was negative. The authors urge point-of-care providers to consider ophthalmic evaluation for patients with large SGHs where orbital extension and vision loss may occur. Furthermore, SGH causing orbital compartment syndrome may develop in patients who have normal blood work and clotting factors.

Olanzapine in the Treatment of Refractory Nausea and Vomiting in Palliative Care Settings.

The patients often present to palliative care with intractable nausea and vomiting. This may reduce the effectiveness of oral drugs and significantly affects the quality of life of these patients. Despite multiple drugs available for treatment, it is often difficult to control the symptoms. Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic and acts on multiple receptors and may help in treating vomiting in a patient with advanced malignancy. We report a case of gallbladder carcinoma who presented to us with intractable vomiting which was not relieved with a combination of traditional antiemetics but showed marked improvement with olanzapine.

Disseminated Nocardiosis with retinal abscess in a patient treated for bullous pemphigoid.

PURPOSE: To report a case of disseminated Nocardiosis with retinal and intracranial lesions. OBSERVATIONS: A 49-year-old woman immunosuppressed because of treatment given for bullous pemphigoid presented with altered mental status and multiple intracranial lesions on imaging. The patient was found to have multiple retinal lesions in both eyes, including a subretinal abscess in the right eye. The patient underwent brain biopsy, confirming Nocardia farcinica histopathologically and in culture. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Ocular Nocardiosis is a rare disease with varying prognosis that requires prompt diagnosis to ensure appropriate medical therapy.

Assessment of resident training and preparedness for cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To assess which surgical teaching methods are used for residency surgical training and which methods residents find most useful. SETTING: Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. DESIGN: Retrospective observational cross-sectional study. METHODS: A survey was developed and sent to residents at accredited ophthalmology training programs in the United States. The survey asked about demographics, program characteristics, surgical training methods, perceived initial preparedness, eventual competence, and difficulty with the steps of cataract surgery. The correlation between surgical training methods was compared with perceived preparedness, competence, and difficulty. RESULTS: One hundred sixteen residents completed the survey. Discussing surgical procedures with senior surgeons or using surgical simulators preoperatively improved resident-perceived surgical competency in several areas, such as paracentesis. Residents who had preoperative discussions with senior surgeons were statistically less likely to report difficulty with surgical procedures, such as performing a clear corneal incision. The presence of a supervised wet lab or surgical simulator in a residency was also associated with improved resident-perceived surgical competency. CONCLUSION: Educational resources, such as surgical simulators and supervised wet labs, tended to be associated with greater resident-perceived competency for steps in cataract surgery.

Impact of surgeon subspecialty training on surgical outcomes in open globe injuries.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether subspecialty training of the initial treating surgeon affects visual acuity and surgical outcomes in patients with open globe injuries. DESIGN: This study is a single-institution, retrospective case series. METHODS: The charts of adult patients with open globe injuries requiring surgical repair at the Wilmer Eye Institute between July 1, 2007 and July 1, 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical findings at presentation were recorded, and details of initial repair and follow-up surgeries were analyzed. Differences in visual acuity and surgical outcomes were compared based on subspecialty training of the initial surgeon. RESULTS: The charts of 282 adult patients were analyzed, and 193 eyes had at least 6 months of follow-up for analysis. Eighty-six eyes (44.6%) required follow-up surgery within the first year, and 39 eyes (20.2%) were enucleated. Eyes initially treated by a vitreoretinal (VR) surgeon were 2.3 times (P=0.003) more likely to improve by one Ocular Trauma Score (OTS) visual acuity category and 1.9 times (P=0.027) more likely to have at least one more follow-up surgery at 6 months compared to eyes treated by non-VR surgeons. Patients with more anterior injuries treated by a VR surgeon were more likely to improve by one OTS visual acuity category compared to those treated by non-VR surgeons (P=0.004 and 0.016 for Zones I and II, respectively). There was no difference in visual acuity outcomes for eyes with posterior injuries (P=0.515 for Zone III). CONCLUSION: Eyes initially treated by a VR surgeon are more likely to improve by one OTS visual acuity category than those initially treated by a non-VR surgeon. However, patients initially treated by a VR surgeon also undergo more follow-up surgical rehabilitation, and improvement in visual acuity is more likely for anterior (Zone I and II injuries) than posterior (Zone III) injuries.

Comparing resident cataract surgery outcomes under novice versus experienced attending supervision.

PURPOSE: To determine whether supervision by an attending who is new to surgical teaching, or an experienced attending measurably influences intraoperative complications rates or outcomes in phacoemulsification performed by ophthalmology residents. SETTING: Single tertiary hospital. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Resident-performed phacoemulsification cases supervised by one novice attending (N=189) and experienced attending (N=172) over 1 year were included. Data included: resident year, patient age, sex, preoperative risk factors (4+ on the four point scale for dense/white/brunescent cataracts, Flomax, zonular dialysis, pseudoexfoliation, glaucoma risk, post-vitrectomy), intraoperative risk factors (Trypan blue, iris hooks), and intraoperative complications (capsule tears, vitreous loss, zonular dialysis, zonular dehiscence, burns, nuclear fragment loss, Descemet's tear). Experienced attending data were compared against those of the novice attending. RESULTS: Regarding preoperative risks, experienced attending cases more likely involved 4+ cataract (P=0.005), Flomax (P<0.001), or glaucoma risk (P=0.001). For intraoperative risks, novice attending cases more likely involved Trypan blue (P<0.001). Regarding complications, novice attending cases were associated with vitreous loss (P=0.002) and anterior capsule tears (P<0.001). When comparing total complications, the novice attending was more likely to have both increased number of cases with complications and total complications than the experienced attending. The novice attending's overall complication rate trended downward (rate from 28% in first 25 cases to 6.67% in last 15). CONCLUSION: Early cases for the novice attending were accompanied by greater complications (vitreous loss and anterior capsule tear), likely due to a learning curve. Surgical judgment in the operating room likely develops with experience. Training programs may focus on these specific areas to aid new instructors.

Cataract surgical skill assessment tools.

UNLABELLED: After publication of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's required competencies for residency training programs, ophthalmology training programs began developing objective assessments to measure resident surgical skill. The application of these evaluation tools represents a move toward standardization in the resident educational process. This review of the assessment tools found that the evaluation rubrics for cataract surgery vary in their level of reliability and validity. Currently, variations in reliability and validity are the only measure of true differences in the evaluation rubrics. Future studies will determine which of the assessment tools is the most practical and efficient for resident training. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: Neither author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.

Vision-related impact on quality of life in an elderly patient population after corneal transplantation.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the vision-related quality of life (QOL) and satisfaction of elderly patients who underwent corneal transplantations. METHODS: Survey data using a modified version of the Visual Function Index were collected in February-March 2013 from 175 patients (age ≥65 years) of 414 eligible patients who underwent corneal transplantation between 2008 and 2010 at the Wilmer Eye Institute. The survey assessed visual functionality, independence, and satisfaction. Transplant surgeries were limited to penetrating keratoplasty, Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK), and keratoprosthesis. Sociodemographic and clinical data, including age, sex, initial and follow-up visual acuities, were collected. QOL survey measures were compared with patients' clinical findings to assess the differences between objective and subjective visual functioning. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-two patients were reviewed for surgery type. Eighty-six of 172 (50%) patients had follow-up data. Controlling for age, procedure, and baseline logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity, patients treated by penetrating keratoplasty (P = 0.002) or keratoprosthesis (P = 0.019) were found to have poorer QOL scores than those treated with DSAEK. Age was positively associated with QOL improvement (P = 0.005). A relatively lower baseline vision (higher logMAR) was associated with a worse QOL (P < 0.001). When asked directly about their QOL, patients with relatively higher baseline vision (lower logMAR) reported no change in their QOL (P = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: Type of surgery (DSAEK), older recipient age, and better baseline vision seem to be associated with an improved QOL in this study. Vision at follow-up is not associated with a QOL decline. Based on these findings, it is suggested that transplant surgery should be considered for elderly patients.