Intrastromal corneal ring segments delay corneal grafting in patients with keratoconus.

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of intrastromal corneal ring segments (ICRS) as a surgical alternative to corneal grafting in patients with keratoconus who were scheduled for a corneal transplant. METHODS: This single-surgeon, single-center, retrospective, observational case series study included 19 eyes of 18 patients (mean age, 23.36 ± 6.22 years) with a confirmed diagnosis of keratoconus. These patients were enrolled from the State of Goiás, Brazil corneal graft waiting list. Following extensive pre-operative testing, including the measurement of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), applanation tonometry, biomicroscopy, funduscopy, pachymetry, and corneal topography, patients were implanted with Keraring® ICRS. Patients underwent clinical examination at postoperative days 1, 7, 30, 90, and 180 and were examined again 2 years following surgery. RESULTS: At the 2-year cut-off following ICRS implantation (mean follow-up, 28.72 ± 4.71 months), there was a statistically significant improvement in BCVA (logMAR) from 0.59 ± 0.35 preoperatively to 0.35 ± 0.45 postoperatively ( p <0.01). Three of 19 eyes (15.8%) still required keratoplasty. In the remaining patients (84.2%), BCVA was managed with spectacles (52.6%) or contact lenses (31.6%). One patient developed infectious keratitis, requiring removal of ICR at the first postoperative visit. CONCLUSION: ICRS implantation may be a surgical alternative to keratoplasty in patients with keratoconus. This procedure may delay or even eliminate the need for keratoplasty in such patients.

Intrastromal corneal ring segments delay corneal grafting in patients with keratoconus / Segmentos de anéis intracorneanos protelam o transplante de córnea em pacientes com ceratocone

ABSTRACT Purpose: To assess the impact of intrastromal corneal ring segments (ICRS) as a surgical alternative to corneal grafting in patients with keratoconus who were scheduled for a corneal transplant. Methods: This single-surgeon, single-center, retrospective, observational case series study included 19 eyes of 18 patients (mean age, 23.36 ± 6.22 years) with a confirmed diagnosis of keratoconus. These patients were enrolled from the State of Goiás, Brazil corneal graft waiting list. Following extensive pre-operative testing, including the measurement of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), applanation tonometry, biomicroscopy, funduscopy, pachymetry, and corneal topography, patients were implanted with Keraring® ICRS. Patients underwent clinical examination at postoperative days 1, 7, 30, 90, and 180 and were examined again 2 years following surgery. Results: At the 2-year cut-off following ICRS implantation (mean follow-up, 28.72 ± 4.71 months), there was a statistically significant improvement in BCVA (logMAR) from 0.59 ± 0.35 preoperatively to 0.35 ± 0.45 postoperatively ( p <0.01). Three of 19 eyes (15.8%) still required keratoplasty. In the remaining patients (84.2%), BCVA was managed with spectacles (52.6%) or contact lenses (31.6%). One patient developed infectious keratitis, requiring removal of ICR at the first postoperative visit. Conclusion: ICRS implantation may be a surgical alternative to keratoplasty in patients with keratoconus. This procedure may delay or even eliminate the need for keratoplasty in such patients.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto do implante de anéis corneanos intraestromais como alternativa cirúrgica à ceratoplastia, em pacientes com ceratocone previamente inscritos na fila de espera para transplante de córnea. Métodos: Este estudo unicêntrico, retrospectivo, observacional analisou prontuários de 19 olhos de 18 pacientes (idade média de 23,36 ± 6,22) com diagnóstico de ceratocone, incluídos na lista de espera para transplante de córnea do estado de Goiás, Brasil. Após realização de exame oftalmológico completo pré-operatório, incluindo acuidade visual (AV) corrigida, tonometria de aplanação, biomicroscopia, fundoscopia, paquimetria e topografia corneana, os pacientes foram submetidos a cirurgia para implante de anel intracorneano Keraring®. Os mesmos foram submetidos a exame oftalmológico no 1o, 7o, 30o, 90o, 180o dias de pós-operatório, e também após 2 anos da cirurgia. Resultado: Após a visita final de 2 anos de acompanhamento (média de seguimento de 28,72 ± 4,71 meses), houve melhora estatisticamente significativa da AV corrigida (logMAR): 0,59 ± 0,35 no pré-operatório para 0,35 ± 0,45 do pós-operatório ( p <0,01). Três dos 19 olhos (15,8%) permaneceram com a indicação de ceratoplastia. A conduta para os demais (84,2%) foi correção óptica com óculos (52,6%) ou lente de contato (31,6%). Um paciente evoluiu com ceratite infecciosa no pós-operatório, tendo seus anéis removidos. Conclusão: O implante de anéis intraestromais mostrou ser uma alternativa eficaz ao transplante de córnea nesta série de casos. Esse procedimento pode ajudar a retardar ou eliminar a necessidade de indicação de ceratoplastia em pacientes com ceratocone.

A randomized, investigator-masked, 4-week study comparing timolol maleate 0.5%, brinzolamide 1%, and brimonidine tartrate 0.2% as adjunctive therapies to travoprost 0.004% in adults with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the hypotensive efficacy of timolol maleate 0.5%, brinzolamide 1%, or brimonidine tartrate 0.2% ophthalmic solution, administered in conjunction with travoprost 0.004%, in patients with primary open-angle laucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension (OHT) whose intraocular pressure (IOP) did not meet the treatment target using travoprost 0.004% monotherapy. METHODS: This was a randomized, comparative, investigator-masked study. Patients with OAG or OHT treated with travoprost 0.004% monotherapy were randomized to receive 1 of the 3 adjunctive therapies (timolol maleate 0.5%, brinzolamide 1%, or brimonidine tartrate 0.2%), 1 drop BID in each randomized eye, in addition to 1 drop QD of travoprost for a period of 4 weeks. IOP was measured on days 0 (travoprost 0.004%) and 28 (travoprost 0.004% and adjunctive treatment). Adverse events were monitored on days 0 and 28 by patient interview. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients with OAG (46 eyes) and 3 patients with OHT (6 eyes), with a total of 52 eligible eyes, completed the study; 28 eyes were from male patients and 24 were from female patients. In addition to continuing travoprost treatment, 20 eyes received timolol, 16 eyes received brinzolamide, and 16 eyes were treated with brimonidine. There were no significant differences among the groups in the mean (SD) IOP at baseline on day 0 (19.0 [4.1], 17.2 [3.5], and 17.0 [3.1] mm Hg, respectively; P=NS). On day 28, the reduction in mean (SD) IOP in eyes treated with brimonidine tartrate 0.2% was significantly smaller (2.3 [1.8] mm Hg vs 3.9 [1.8] mm Hg [P=0.01]) and the mean (SD) percentage reduction in IOP was significantly smaller (13.4% [9.1%] vs 20.2% [7.5%] [P=0.01]) when compared with timolol maleate 0.5%, and likewise when compared with brinzolamide 1% (4.0 [2.1] mm Hg [P=0.02] and 22.7% [8.6%] [P=0.006], respectively). The group treated with brinzolamide was associated with a similar reduction in IOP to timolol (P=NS for both mean [SD] IOP and percentage reduction in IOP compared with timolol monotherapy). Barring the occasional conjunctival hyperemia, which was excluded as an adverse event for the purposes of this study, no adverse events were recorded. CONCLUSION: Brinzolamide 1% and timolol maleate 0.5% treatment were both associated with a significantly greater reduction in IOP compared with brimonidine 0.2% when administered as a nonfixed adjuvant to travoprost 0.004% in the treatment of patients with OAG and OHT whose IOP was inadequately controlled with travoprost monotherapy. All treatments were well tolerated.

Influência do diâmetro pupilar na perimetria de frequência dupla em indivíduos normais / The influence of pupillary diameter on frequency doubling perimetry in normal subjects

Objetivo: Verificar a influência do diâmetro pupilar na Perimetria de Frequência Dupla (FDT) em indivíduos normais. Local: Centro de Referência em Oftalmologia (CEROF) da Universidade Federal de Goiás. Métodos: Vinte pacientes normais foram submetidos à FDT, estratégia de screening C-20-5, inicialmente com a pupila sem alterações, e em seguida em miose ou midríase, aleatóriamente. Os exames foram realizados com intervalo máximo de 15 dias. O número de pontos alterados, índices de confiabilidade e tempo de exame foi comparado entre os exames. Resultados: Os voluntários apresentaram menor tempo de exame em midríase (p=0,006) comparado com a pupila sem alterações. Não houve diferença estatísticamente significante com relação ao exame de pupila em miose (p=0,7). Não observamos alterações estatisticamente significantes no número total de pontos alterados entre o exame com a pupila sem alterações (0,8 +- 1,76 pontos) e miose (2,0 +- 4,3 pontos) (p=0,3). entretanto, observamos melhora considerável nos pacientes após midríase (0,1 +- 0,30 pontos alterados) (p=0,04). Conclusão: Apesar de não apresentar diferença estatisticamente significante no número total de pontos alterados, os olhos em miose demonstraram maior número de áreas acometidas, podendo refletir em diferenças clínicas. Entretanto, os pacientes em midríase apresentaram menor número de pontos alterados com um menor tempo de exame.

A autocaptura ventricular e o aumento da longevidade da bateria do marcapasso / Ventricular autocapture and the increase of pacemaker longevity

Uma das grandes restriçöes para o aumento da longevidade dos marcapassos é a necessidade de grandes quantidades de energia (acima do limiar de estimulaçäo) para garantir uma estimulaçäo segura. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a performance de um algoritmo baseado na presença ou ausência do potencial evocado pós-estimulaçäo ventricular, que permite reduzir com segurança a energia do pulso do marcapasso a valores próximos do limiar crônico de estimulaçäo. Entre Janeiro e Agosto de 1997 um marcapasso Logos DDD (Biotronik), que apresenta este algoritmo foi instalado, em 10 pacientes, sendo 7 do sexo masculino e 3 do sexo feminino. Pela análise do algoritmo constatou-se a efetividade do auto-teste no controle da captura ventricular, bem como a confiabilidade e a segurança na estimulaçäo através da análise do Holter 24 horas. Verificou-se assim que é posssível aumentar com segurança a longevidade do marcapasso através da diminuiçäo da energia do pulso.