Pars plana vitrectomy combined with hyaloido-zonula-iridectomy in treatment of patients with chronic aqueous misdirection: A systematic literature review and case series.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of vitrectomy combined with hyaloido-zonula-iridectomy from an anterior or a posterior approach in patients with treatment-resistant aqueous misdirection (chronic aqueous misdirection) by systematically reviewing existing literature in combination with presentation of a case series. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed in PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases using search terms: malignant glaucoma, ciliary block, ciliolenticular block and aqueous misdirection. A consecutive series of three pseudophakic patients (5 eyes) diagnosed with chronic aqueous misdirection after cataract surgery is presented. RESULTS: A literature search identified 31 articles describing treatment of chronic aqueous misdirection with vitrectomy and a hyaloido-zonula-iridectomy. Studies, where patients were treated with a complete vitrectomy from pars plana in combination with a hyaloido-zonula-iridectomy, reported low relapse rates. Studies describing a surgical approach with vitrectomy performed from the anterior chamber, followed by a hyaloido-zonula-iridectomy, also reported low relapse rates except for one reporting relapse in nearly half of the patients. In our case series, a complete vitrectomy combined with a hyaloido-zonula-iridectomy resolved the chronic aqueous misdirection in all five eyes after one procedure except one eye where the hyaloido-zonula-iridectomy was repeated due to an insufficient opening. Some of the eyes still needed antiglaucomatous treatment due to chronic angle closure. CONCLUSION: In treatment-resistant malignant glaucoma, vitrectomy combined with a hyaloido-zonula-iridectomy should be considered performed to ensure communication between the anterior chamber and the vitreous cavity. If the condition has been unresolved for a long time, extensive synechiae of the angle may decrease the success rate due to chronic angle closure.

Safety study of 38,503 intravitreal ranibizumab injections performed mainly by physicians in training and nurses in a hospital setting.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and to compare the safety of intravitreal ranibizumab injections performed by physicians and nurses at a single large hospital clinic in Denmark during 5 years. DESIGN: Retrospective, interventional, non-comparative study. SETTING: All eyes that underwent a protocolized ranibizumab injection procedure performed in an operating room mainly by nurses and physicians in their first year of ophthalmology training. STUDY POPULATION: A total of 4623 eyes in 3679 patients with subretinal neovascularization secondary to a variety of retinal diseases, mainly neovascular AMD treated with intravitreal therapy (IVT) at the Glostrup Hospital from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2011 with a mean follow-up of 12.2 months (95% confidence interval: 11.9-12.6). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frequency of endophthalmitis, traumatic cataract, intraocular haemorrhage and retinal detachment from 2007 to 2012. RESULTS: Overall, 38,503 intravitreal ranibizumab injections were performed in 4623 eyes. Injections were performed by nurses (32.5%), ophthalmology residents (61.3%) and vitreoretinal surgeons (6.2%). Severe complications to treatment were observed in 17 eyes: Endophthalmitis (14 eyes, 0.36 ‰ of injections whereof seven cases were culture-positive), anterior uveitis (one eye, 0.026 ‰), traumatic cataract (one eye, 0.026 ‰) and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (one eye, 0.026 ‰). Retinal pigment epithelial tears were registered in 14 eyes in 14 subjects within the first year of treatment with ranibizumab. Of the 14 cases of endophthalmitis, seven occurred within a period of 5 weeks in 2010 when occasionally abnormal needle outflow resistance prompted the needle replacement in the operating room. No drug-related adverse events were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal ranibizumab injection performed by nurses and physicians without preinjection topical antibiotics was associated with a rate of injection-related adverse events of 0.44 ‰.

Retinal thickening after successful surgery for macula-off retinal detachment.

PURPOSE: To study changes in retinal thickness after reattachment of the retina after scleral buckling surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. METHODS: In this retrospective study, patients were classified into three subgroups according to preoperative macular status. Retinal thickness within 3 mm of the center was measured with optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: Foveal retinal thickness at a mean of 2 years postoperatively was significantly increased in patients with preoperatively detached macula. Additionally retinal thickness in the fovea and postoperative visual acuity was positively correlated. CONCLUSIONS: Successful surgery for macula-off retinal detachment is associated with significant thickening of the neurosensory retina when examined with optical coherence tomography 6 months postoperatively.

Longterm incidence of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and survival in a defined population undergoing standardized phacoemulsification surgery.

PURPOSE: To determine the longterm risk of pseudophakic retinal detachment (PRD) in a defined population undergoing standardized phacoemulsification surgery at a single centre. DESIGN: We carried out a register-based, retrospective, consecutive, uncontrolled study. All 6352 eyes that underwent cataract surgery at our institution during the years 1996-1998 were included in the study. The main outcome measure was the incidence of surgery for PRD. METHODS: Cataract-operated eyes were identified by a search in the local hospital registry. Eyes that subsequently underwent surgery for PRD were identified by a search in the Danish Patients Registry (LPR). Follow-up ended by 31 December 2003. Eyes in patients who died before that date were censored. RESULTS: The 8-year cumulated incidence of PRD after phacoemulsification was 0.93 per eye (95% CI 0.65-1.33). This is 8.77 (95% CI 7.12-10.72) times higher than expected in eyes that do not undergo cataract surgery. The incidence rate for retinal detachment was significantly higher in pseudophakic eyes than in the background population for at least 6 years after surgery. Patient mortality was slightly increased for men, but no different for women from that of the background population. CONCLUSION: For eyes undergoing phacoemulsification surgery, the cumulated incidence of PRD continues to increase for at least 8 years after surgery. Comparison of the cumulated incidence of PRD between different studies requires equal lengths of follow-up.

[Treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration with intravitreal vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor--secondary publication]. / Behandling af neovaskulaer aldersrelateret maculadegeneration med intravitreal vaskulaer endotelial vaekstfaktor-haemmer--sekundaerpublikation.

Subfoveal neovascularization is the most frequent cause of severe visual loss in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Pharmacologic inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a new principle of treatment of this condition. The effects of intravitreal pegaptanib administered every sixth week for 48 weeks in three different dosages were examined in a prospective, double-masked, randomised trial against subconjunctival sham injection with change in visual acuity as the outcome parameter in 1,186 patients with subfoveal neovacularization in AMD. 70% of the patients treated with pegaptanib avoided moderate visual loss, compared to only 55% of the control group (p < 0.001 for 0.3 mg pegaptanib versus the control group, p < 0.001 for 1.0 mg and p = 0,03 for 3.0 mg). The improved visual prognosis was detectable beginning six weeks after the first injection (p < 0.002). Adverse events included endophthalmitis (1.3% of patients), traumatic lens damage (0.7%), retinal detachment (0.6%) and severe visual loss in one patient (0.1%). Intravitreal pegaptanib improves the visual prognosis in neovascular AMD. The long-term effect and safety of the treatment are not known.

Prognosis of pseudophakic retinal detachment.

PURPOSE: To compare preoperative and postoperative findings in phakic and pseudophakic patients operated on for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD). SETTING: Herlev University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. METHODS: This retrospective review comprised 120 pseudophakic patients and 280 phakic patients who had RD surgery during a 4-year period. An identical scleral buckling procedure was used for primary surgery in both groups. Cataract surgery had been performed using extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) in most eyes; phacoemulsification was used in 67.5% of the pseudophakic eyes. The mean follow-up was 13.5 months. RESULTS: Pseudophakic patients with RDs presented with significantly worse preoperative visual acuity than phakic patients due to a higher frequency of total RDs and macula-off RDs. Retinal breaks were found significantly less frequently and reoperations were performed with a higher frequency in pseudophakic patients than in phakic patients. At 6 months, no differences between pseudophakic and phakic patients were found. The overall anatomic reattachment rate was 94% and 96% in the 2 groups, and the visual outcome was also identical, with a visual acuity better than 0.4 in about 60% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Pseudophakic patients presented with more extended RDs and with the macula detached more frequently. Retinal breaks were found less frequently. Despite these findings, the anatomic and visual prognosis of pseudophakic detachments was identical to that of phakic detachments.

Intravitreal triamcinolone for macular oedema: efficacy in relation to aetiology.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal triamcinolone in patients with macular oedema of varying aetiology. METHODS: Two milligrams of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide was injected into 34 eyes with persistent macular oedema (17 eyes with macula oedema secondary to posterior uveitis, 13 eyes with diabetic retinopathy, and four with pseudophakic macular oedema). Best corrected visual acuity was determined and transfoveal optical coherence tomography performed after 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. RESULTS: Treatment improved visual acuity and subjective visual quality, and reduced foveal thickness in eyes with posterior uveitis and eyes with macular oedema secondary to diabetic retinopathy. Eyes treated for pseudophakic cystoid macular oedema demonstrated no improvement. A total of 32% of patients experienced a significant post-injection increase in intraocular pressure. Endophthalmitis, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and cataract were absent. CONCLUSION: Intravitreal triamcinolone appears to induce marked a improvement in macular oedema secondary to non-infectious uveitis and diabetic retinopathy.

Retinal detachment after phacoemulsification cataract extraction.

PURPOSE: To estimate the incidence of retinal detachment (RD) after phacoemulsification cataract extraction in an unselected group of patients. SETTING: Herlev University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. METHODS: This retrospective review comprised 6521 cataract patients who had phacoemulsification over a 3-year period. The incidence of postoperative RD and the risk factors were assessed. RESULTS: During the 15- to 52-month observation period, 22 cases of RD in 21 patients were observed, with an estimated risk (Kaplan-Meier) of 0.41% (95% confidence limit, 0.25%-0.57%) at 52 months. The results confirmed recognized preoperative risk factors for RD such as an axial length greater than 25.0 mm (P<.001), age younger than 65 years (P<.001), and male sex (P<.02). In 18 eyes, the retina was reattached after 1 operation. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of RD after phacoemulsification cataract extraction in an unselected group of patients was low. A long axial length, young age, and male sex were confirmed as risk factors.