ABSTRACT
Long-term prognosis of post-traumatic vegetative state (VS) remains poorly defined. Three kinds of data have been collected for 522 patients in VS 1 month after head injury: pre-traumatic data; early data, collected during the first two weeks after trauma; late data, collected one month or more after trauma. Statistical relationships have been searched for, between these data and outcome one year after trauma, according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale. Some late data appear as essential prognostic factors of VS: threat blink; complications; ventricular dilatation; motor score (Glasgow Coma Score); spontaneous eye movements. Pretraumatic data then take place: age; previous deficiencies. Other data (especially early data) seem to have a weaker influence or outcome.
Subject(s)
Craniocerebral Trauma/complications , Persistent Vegetative State/physiopathology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Glasgow Coma Scale , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Persistent Vegetative State/etiology , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Thirty one intraocular lenses removed from human eyes 2 months to 30 years after implantation were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Binkhorst 4 loop lenses (12) and 2 loop lenses (6), and Choyce lenses (6) were the most prevalent styles examined. Most of the lenses produced before 1978 were found to have manufacturing defects (mold disalignment, unfinished gate areas, etc.). More recent lenses showed an improvement in the quality of the surface. The lenticular, nonimpinging portion of the lenses made with polymethylmethacrylate did not demonstrate signs of degradation. However the holes in the edges of the lenses were rough and poorly finished with obvious irregularities. On the other hand, the lens foot of a Choyce lens revealed severe unusual abnormalities: the plastic surface changes may be consistent with degradation. Examination of explanted iris clip lenses showed degradation of the polypropylene loops in two cases: the loops were found to have fractured surfaces.
