A Look Forward and a Look Back: The Growing Role of ERAS Protocols in Orthopedic Surgery.

The success of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols in improving patient outcomes and reducing costs in general surgery are widely recognized. ERAS guidelines have now been developed in orthopedics with the following recommendations. Preoperatively, patients should be medically optimized with a focus on smoking cessation, education, and anxiety reduction. Intraoperatively, using multimodal and regional therapies like neuraxial anesthesia and peripheral nerve blocks facilitates same-day discharge. Postoperatively, early nutrition with appropriate thromboprophylaxis and early mobilization are essential. As the evidence of their improvement in patient outcomes and satisfaction continues, these pathways will prove invaluable in optimizing patient care in orthopedics.

A Look Forward and a Look Back: The Growing Role of ERAS Protocols in Orthopedic Surgery.

The success of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols in improving patient outcomes and reducing costs in general surgery are widely recognized. ERAS guidelines have now been developed in orthopedics with the following recommendations. Preoperatively, patients should be medically optimized with a focus on smoking cessation, education, and anxiety reduction. Intraoperatively, using multimodal and regional therapies like neuraxial anesthesia and peripheral nerve blocks facilitates same-day discharge. Postoperatively, early nutrition with appropriate thromboprophylaxis and early mobilization are essential. As the evidence of their improvement in patient outcomes and satisfaction continues, these pathways will prove invaluable in optimizing patient care in orthopedics.

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease presenting secondary to a post-infectious Mycoplasma pneumoniae autoimmune response.

PURPOSE: To report a rare case of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease likely secondary to post-infectious Mycoplasma pneumoniae autoimmune response in a 14-year-old Hispanic female. OBSERVATIONS: On presentation, visual acuity was 20/400 in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye. The patient also had bilateral hyperemia, subretinal fluid, and vitreous cell graded at 1+. Fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green chorioangiography showed bilateral peripapillary hypofluorescence consistent with blocking and hyperflourescence consistent with staining. Laboratory testing showed elevated M. pneumoniae IgM and rising IgG antibodies. Topical steroids and oral steroids helped mitigate the systemic disease process and fully restore visual acuity through the 7-week mark. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: The patient had elevated M. pneumoniae IgM and rising IgG antibodies resulting in ocular inflammation likely secondary to an autoimmune response. In this case of post-infectious M. pneumoniae, topical corticosteroids were beneficial in mitigating ocular manifestations initially, although oral steroids were needed and tapered over 6 weeks.

Choroidal Morphology and Vascular Analysis in Eyes With Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To describe morphology and vascular layer thickness of the choroid in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional, retrospective analysis of 15 eyes with neovascular AMD and 11 healthy age-matched eyes that underwent single horizontal, high-definition raster line imaging using high-definition SD-OCT. Two independent graders assessed choroid morphology and measured the thickness of individual vascular layers of the choroid beneath the fovea. RESULTS: Normal concave choroidal contour was found in 13.3% of eyes with neovascular AMD and 100% of healthy eyes. The thickest point of the choroid was located beneath the foveal center in 20% of eyes and focal thinning was observed in 40% of eyes with neovascular AMD, compared to 91% and 0% of healthy eyes, respectively. Subfoveal total choroidal thickness, large choroidal vessel layer thickness, and the medium choroidal vessel/choriocapillaris layer thickness were reduced in eyes with neovascular AMD compared to healthy eyes (205.7 µm ± 17.08 µm versus 281.3 µm ± 19.29 µm, P = .007; 174.1 µm ± 16.34 µm versus 244.5 µm ± 19.51 µm, P = .01; and 31.53 µm ± 3.67 µm verus 51.9 µm ± 1.94 µm, P = .0002, respectively). CONCLUSION: Choroidal morphology is altered in eyes with neovascular AMD as assessed on SDOCT. Choroidal thinning in neovascular AMD involves all its vascular layers. These morphological and vascular changes may have clinical implications in the diagnosis and monitoring of eyes with neovascular AMD. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2016;47:618-625.].

Subretinal Fluid Associated With MEK Inhibitor Use in the Treatment of Systemic Cancer.

IMPORTANCE: The use of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK) inhibitors has become more common in the treatment of systemic cancer. These agents have been associated with a central serous-like retinopathy in some patients. Recognition of such retinal findings and the relatively benign nature of these events is important to avoid unnecessary intervention, including the cessation of a potentially life-prolonging medication. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the presence and characteristics of subretinal fluid (SRF) associated with the use of MEK inhibitors in the treatment of systemic cancer and to correlate the presence of SRF with visual acuity and symptoms over time. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Post hoc analysis was conducted of prospectively collected data from 51 patients with locally advanced or metastatic cancer undergoing treatment with the MEK inhibitor binimetinib in 1 of 4 clinical trials. All clinical trial participants underwent complete ophthalmic examination by retina specialists at a private practice in Boston, Massachusetts, and were monitored between February 29, 2012, and January 8, 2014. The examination included Snellen-measured visual acuity, dilated fundus examination, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography at baseline, biweekly for 2 months, then monthly for the remainder of their trial participation. Post hoc design and data analysis were performed between December 1, 2013, and June 20, 2014. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Visual symptoms, visual acuity, fundus appearance, and the presence and characteristics of SRF noted on optical coherence tomography. The characteristics of angiograms performed at the discretion of the treating physician were reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 51 participants, 18 (35%) were men; the mean (SD) age was 60 (13) years (range, 32-87 years). Forty-six (90%) study participants developed SRF during the study period, with 9 (20%) experiencing symptoms at any point. The mean (SD) central retinal thickness of 39 study participants who developed SRF at the first visit increased from 280 (26) µm at baseline to 316 (43) µm at the first visit after starting binimetinib treatment (paired t test, P < .001). On examination, SRF appeared as elevated, yellow-orange pockets in the fovea and/or along the arcades. Corresponding optical coherence tomographic imaging revealed SRF beneath the interdigitation zone. The fovea was affected in 37 of 46 (80%) individuals; the location of SRF accumulation varied. Visual symptoms were mild and mainly transient, occurring in 9 participants with SRF (20%; 95% CI, 10%-33%). Only 2 participants (4%) were found to have SRF at the last study visit after discontinuation of treatment with binimetinib. Both had Snellen-measured visual acuity of 20/25 or better. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The presence of SRF was common in study participants undergoing treatment with the MEK inhibitor binimetinib. Visual symptoms were mild and mainly transient. The presence of SRF did not lead to permanent ocular sequelae. Cessation of life-extending treatment with MEK inhibitors is not indicated when SRF is present.

Choroidal Neovascularization Secondary to Myopia, Infection and Inflammation.

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a significant cause of vision loss in all age groups. The most common cause of CNV is age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, CNV can also occur as a secondary manifestation of various inherited and acquired conditions, including pathologic myopia, presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, angioid streaks, and various hereditary, traumatic or inflammatory disorders. Fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography are useful tools in the diagnosis and evaluation of CNV. Treatment options are similar to those for CNV secondary to AMD, specifically anti-angiogenic therapy, but including laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy and surgery. Anti-angiogenic therapy has been associated with better visual outcomes than other treatment modalities and is now advocated as the first-line therapy for CNV secondary to myopia, infection and inflammation.

Morphology and Vascular Layers of the Choroid in Stargardt Disease Analyzed Using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

PURPOSE: To analyze total thickness, morphology and individual vascular layers of the choroid in eyes with Stargardt disease using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT). DESIGN: Cross-sectional retrospective review. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with Stargardt disease (53 eyes) with a mean age of 46 (15-79) years and 30 healthy subjects (30 eyes) with a mean age of 49 (22-79) years who underwent 1-line raster scanning with SD OCT were identified. Diagnosis of Stargardt disease was based on ophthalmic history and complete ophthalmic evaluation. The healthy subjects had best-corrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better with no chorioretinal pathology. Two independent raters assessed the total thickness, morphology, and the individual vascular layers of the choroid. RESULTS: The choroid was irregularly shaped in 26 of 41 eyes (64%) with Stargardt disease when compared to 0 of 30 healthy eyes (0%). Mean subfoveal total choroidal thickness and mean subfoveal large choroidal vessel layer thickness were significantly reduced in eyes with Stargardt disease when compared to healthy eyes (272.8 ± 32.8 µm vs 225.4 ± 69.9 µm; P = .03 and 219.5 ± 30.6 vs169.2 ± 70.1; P = .04, respectively). The maximal choroidal thickness was subfoveal in 9 of 41 eyes (22%), focal choroidal thinning was observed in 21 of 41 eyes (51%), and attenuation of large choroidal vessel layer was observed in 8 of 41 eyes (20%) with Stargardt disease. There was no association of the best-corrected visual acuity with any choroidal morphologic feature, except that it was better by a mean of 0.61 ± 0.21 in eyes that had preservation of large choroidal vessel layer (33 of 41, 80%) when compared to those that had attenuation of large choroidal vessel layer (P = .007). CONCLUSION: This study shows alterations in the total thickness, morphology, and the individual vascular layers of the choroid in eyes with Stargardt disease on SD OCT. These findings may potentially contribute to the clinical staging and monitoring of Stargardt disease.

Diabetic Macular Edema: Is Your Patient Going Blind?

Screening for diabetic macular edema and controlling systemic risk factors are critical steps for optimizing vision and quality of life in patients with diabetes.

Initial utilization of aflibercept in exudative age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: Intravitreal aflibercept, a fusion protein with high affinity for vascular endothelial growth factor, offers an alternative treatment for exudative age-related macular degeneration. Preclinical studies and early and late phase clinical trials suggest that aflibercept's high binding affinity may impart greater durability of activity and increased efficacy compared to ranibizumab or bevacizumab. METHODS: A total of 266 eyes of 249 patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration who received aflibercept after treatment with bevacizumab and/or ranibizumab were included in a retrospective review. Mean central subfoveal thickness on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and mean logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity were calculated at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the first aflibercept injection. Subgroup analyses were performed in eyes receiving at least 5 bevacizumab and/or ranibizumab injections in the 6 months prior to aflibercept and in eyes receiving at least 10 injections in the 12 months prior to aflibercept. RESULTS: Eyes received an average of 14.7 (range 1-43) ranibizumab and/or bevacizumab treatments prior to initiation of aflibercept therapy. The mean central subfoveal thickness decreased from 300 to 275 µm at 1 month (p<0.001) and was maintained at 6 months. Mean logMAR visual acuity improved from 0.60 (Snellen equivalent 20/80) to 0.54 (20/70, p = 0.01) at 1 month and was stable at 0.55 at 6 months (Snellen equivalent 20/70, p = 0.11, n = 251). In 82 eyes receiving at least 5 injections in the 6 months prior to aflibercept treatment (average of 18.1 injections total), the central subfoveal thickness improved from 296 to 279 µm at 1 month (p<0.0001) and was maintained at 6 months (p<0.0001). Visual acuity did not change (0.48 [20/61] at 1 month compared to baseline, 0.49 [20/62], p = 0.634, and at 6 months 0.51 [20/65], p = 0.601). In 50 eyes receiving at least 10 injections in the 12 months prior to aflibercept treatment (average of 21.8 injections total), the mean central subfoveal thickness decreased by 17 µm at 1 month (p = 0.0007) and was maintained at 6 months (p = 0.013). Again, visual acuity did not change (0.46 [20/56] at 1 month, baseline 0.44 [20/56], p = 0.547, and 0.50 [20/63] at 6 months, p = 0.2445). CONCLUSIONS: Aflibercept is a valuable treatment alternative in patients previously treated with bevacizumab and/or ranibizumab injections. Stability of visual acuity and anatomic improvement on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography were observed after initiation of aflibercept treatment in those preciously treated with ranibizumab and/or bevacizumab injections every 4-6 weeks.

Effect of the degree of reverse Trendelenburg position on intraocular pressure during prone spine surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Postoperative vision loss complicates an estimated 1 in 1,100 prone spine surgical cases. This complication has been attributed to ischemic optic neuropathy, with one proposed reason being perioperative elevations in intraocular pressure (IOP). Previous research has studied the effects of table inclination on IOP in awake volunteers; however, the effects in spine surgery patients have not been investigated for reverse Trendelenburg positioning using a prospective, randomized controlled study design. PURPOSE: To assess the effect of table inclination on IOP in patients undergoing prone spine surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Single-center, prospective randomized controlled study. PATIENT SAMPLE: Nineteen patients with no history of eye pathology, undergoing prone spine surgery at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center, were randomly assigned to a table position: neutral, 5°, or 10° of reverse Trendelenburg. OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraocular pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), estimated blood loss, fluid resuscitation, and ophthalmologic complication were assessed before and after induction and at incremental times during surgery, beginning at 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 60-minute increments thereafter. METHODS: Multivariate analyses evaluated surgical time, IOP, MAP, estimated blood loss, and fluid resuscitation as a function of table inclination to determine the effect of patient positioning on identified risk factors for postoperative vision loss. RESULTS: Surgical times ranged from 33 to 325 minutes. A rapid increase in IOP was noted after prone positioning, with continued increases as time elapsed. The neutral group exhibited statistically higher IOP compared with the 5° reverse Trendelenburg group after 60 minutes and the 10° group through 60 minutes of surgery. The trend continued through 120 minutes; however, because of a lack of power, we were unable to determine the statistical significance. There were no statistically significant differences between the 5° and 10° reverse Trendelenburg groups. CONCLUSIONS: Reverse Trendelenburg positioning elicits decreased IOP compared with prone positioning for surgery times less than 120 minutes. Ten degrees of reverse Trendelenburg attenuate the rise in IOP during prone spine surgery superiorly in comparison with 5°. No significant complications were associated with reverse Trendelenburg positioning.

Aflibercept for exudative AMD with persistent fluid on ranibizumab and/or bevacizumab.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of aflibercept 2.0 mg in cases resistant to ranibizumab 0.5 mg and/or bevacizumab 1.25 mg treatment. PURPOSE: To evaluate the anatomic and visual effect of intravitreal aflibercept 2.0 mg in cases of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with persistent fluid on optical coherence tomography (OCT) despite regular ranibizumab 0.5 mg and/or bevacizumab 1.25 mg treatment at 1 and 6 months. METHODS: Retrospective review at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA of exudative AMD cases with persistent fluid on regular ranibizumab 0.5 mg and/or bevacizumab 1.25 mg treatment switched to intravitreal aflibercept 2.0 mg treatment and followed for 6 months. Tabulated data included details of prior treatments, best available visual acuity, central subfoveal thickness on registered spectral domain OCT before and after aflibercept injection centred on the anatomic fovea and macular description before and after aflibercept injection. RESULTS: A total of 353 eyes with exudative AMD were switched to aflibercept during the study period. Of these, 28 eyes in 28 patients had persistent fluid after an average of 20 regular ranibizumab/bevacizumab injections (range 7-37). At 1 month, 89% (25 eyes) showed anatomic improvement and 18% (five eyes) were dry after a single aflibercept injection. Central subfoveal thickness improved from 295 to 272 microns (p<0.001) after one aflibercept injection. After an average of 4.4 aflibercept injections (range 3-6) over 6 months, the central subfoveal thickness remained improved (274 microns, p=0.008); 64% (18 eyes) showed anatomic improvement and a quarter of eyes (25%, seven eyes) were dry. Visual acuity did not improve at 1 month (logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) 0.54, Snellen 20/69, p=0.64) or 6 months (logMAR 0.57, Snellen 20/76, p=0.49). Treatment was well tolerated with no adverse events reported. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of exudative AMD cases with persistent fluid on OCT despite regular ranibizumab 0.5 mg and/or bevacizumab 1.25 mg treatment respond anatomically to aflibercept 2.0 mg. Visual acuity did not improve. Aflibercept may be beneficial anatomically in cases of exudative AMD treated with persistent fluid on ranibizumab and/or bevacizumab.

Residency training in refractive surgery.

PURPOSE: To evaluate resident refractive surgery caseload and surgical outcomes in an academic medical center. SETTING: Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA. DESIGN: Comparative case study. METHODS: Keratorefractive procedures performed by residents at the Walter Reed Center for Refractive Surgery between 2002 and 2010 were reviewed. Outcomes of surgeries performed by the graduating classes of 2008 to 2010 were compared with those of cases performed by staff. The uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), manifest refraction spherical equivalent, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), and complications were analyzed. RESULTS: Between 2002 and June 2010, residents performed 1566 procedures (1414 photorefractive keratectomy [PRK], 152 laser in situ keratomileusis), for a mean of 20.2 procedures from 2002 to 2004, 51.6 from 2005 to 2007, and 99.9 from 2008 to 2010. Outcomes analysis was performed on 333 resident eyes and 977 staff eyes treated between 2008 and June 2010. Six months postoperatively, 96.1% of resident-treated eyes and 94.6% of staff-treated eyes had a UDVA 20/20 or better (P=.312) and 61.3% and 64.3%, respectively, had a UDVA 20/15 or better (P=.324). The percentage of eyes within ±0.50 diopter of emmetropia at 6 months was 94.0% for residents and 91.1% for staff (P=.105). The postoperative CDVA was within 2 lines of preoperative baseline in all resident cases and 99.8% of staff cases (P=.999). CONCLUSIONS: Resident experience grew steadily over the period studied. Overall safety and efficacy of resident-performed surgery, albeit mainly PRK based, matched that of fellowship-trained refractive surgeons. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.