Cell Death of Corneal Fibroblasts Induced by Tumor Necrosis Factor-alphaand Interferon-gamma

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect in the cell death of corneal fibroblasts when TNF-alphaand INF-gamma were given together. METHODS: Fibroblasts harvested from the human cornea were cultured in DMEM, then, nothing(control: Group 1), TNF-alphaonly(50 ng/ml : Group 2), INF-gammaonly(1.0 x 10(3)u/ml : Group 3), and a combination of both(Group 4) were added. We assessed the cell viability of the each group by the trypan blue exclusion assay at 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 hours after addition of cytokines. RESULTS: The cell viability at 48 hour after treatment was 94.27% in group 1, 90.68%(p=0.09) in group 2, 93.31%(p=0.45) in group3, and there was no statistical difference among the groups. Statistically signi-ficant decrease of the cell viability was achieved in group 4(82.86%, p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Cell death of human corneal fibroblasts had been increased after treatment with a combination of TNF-alphaand INF-gamma. These findings suggest that there could be some kind of interaction among the cytokines.

Hard Palate Mucosa Grafts for Lower Lid Retraction

Lower eyelid retraction is usually managed by recession of the lower lid retractors and interposition of a spacer graft including ear cartilage, nasal septal cartilage, donor sclera or autogenous tarsoconjunctiva.We have used hard palate mucosa as a spacer in 10 patients (11 eyelids)with lower lid retraction.Average age at operation was 36 years with the range of 10 years to 59 years.Causes of the lower lid retraction were thyroid ophthal-mopathy (4 eyelids), strabismus surgery (2 eyelids), entropion repair (2 eye-lids), eyelid infection (2 eyelids), and trauma (1 eyelid).Of 11 eyelids, 7 eye-lids were combined with entropion due to the shortage of posterior lamella. The follow-up period ranged from 3 to 45 months (mean 17 months).Surgi-cal results in all 11 eyelids were satisfactory.There was no complication in donor site.Hard palate closely approximates lower lid tarsus in terms of contour, thickness, and stiffness, provides a mucosal surface and shows only minimal shrinkage. We suggest hard palate mucosal grafts as one of the best available spacer material for the treatment of lower lid retraction.

A Case of Grant`s Syndrome

Grant`s syndrome is an uncommon form of secondary open angle glaucoma in which trabecular precipitates without significant anterior chamber inflammation is characteristic and gonioscopy may often reveal irregular peripheral anterior synechiae which often attach to the trabecular precipitates. Grant`s syndrome may be confused with primary open angle glaucoma and glaucomacyclitic crisis. However primary open angle glaucoma has no trabecular precipitates and glaucomacyclitic crisis has no trabecular precipitates and peripheral anterior synechia. We have experienced one case of Grant`s syndrome in which elevated intraocular pressure was present associated with inflammatory precipitates on the trabecular meshwork and peripheral anterior synechia without significant anterior chamber inflammation. We report this case with review of available literature.

A Case of Grant`s Syndrome

Grant`s syndrome is an uncommon form of secondary open angle glaucoma in which trabecular precipitates without significant anterior chamber inflammation is characteristic and gonioscopy may often reveal irregular peripheral anterior synechiae which often attach to the trabecular precipitates. Grant`s syndrome may be confused with primary open angle glaucoma and glaucomacyclitic crisis. However primary open angle glaucoma has no trabecular precipitates and glaucomacyclitic crisis has no trabecular precipitates and peripheral anterior synechia. We have experienced one case of Grant`s syndrome in which elevated intraocular pressure was present associated with inflammatory precipitates on the trabecular meshwork and peripheral anterior synechia without significant anterior chamber inflammation. We report this case with review of available literature.