Correction: Mazzini et al. Anatomical and Functional Outcomes after Endoresection and Adjuvant Ruthenium Brachytherapy for Uveal Melanoma: A Single-Center Experience. Life 2023, 13, 902.

There was an error in the original publication [...].

Anatomical and Functional Outcomes after Endoresection and Adjuvant Ruthenium Brachytherapy for Uveal Melanoma: A Single-Center Experience.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the anatomical and functional outcomes of endoresection and adjuvant ruthenium (Ru)-106 brachytherapy for uveal melanoma (UM). METHODS: Retrospective case series of 15 UM patients (15 eyes) treated at our center (Careggi University Hospital, Florence). RESULTS: Six patients (40%) were male and nine were female (60%). The mean age of patients at the time of treatment was 61.6 years (±19.41). The mean BCVA at baseline was 20/50. In all cases UM originated from the choroid. The mean tumor thickness at baseline was 7.14 mm (±2.05), and the mean largest basal diameter was 11.2 mm (±1.92). A concurrent retinal detachment was diagnosed in 11 patients (73.3%). Two patients (13.3%) showed vitreous seeding at baseline. Eleven patients (73.3%) were treated with primary endoresection, while four patients (26.7%) were treated with a "salvage endoresection" after primary treatment failure (previous radiation treatment). The mean follow-up time was 28.9 months (±10.6). Thirteen out of fifteen patients were alive and showed no evidence of local recurrence or distance metastasis at the last follow-up visit. The treatment achieved local control of the disease in 14 out of 15 cases (93.3%). In one case, the patient underwent enucleation for disease recurrence. The overall survival rate at the end of the follow-up was 93.3%. The mean BCVA at last follow-up visit was 20/40. Treatment was well tolerated, without significant complications. CONCLUSIONS: Endoresection and adjuvant Ru-106 brachytherapy is a valuable conservative option for selected UM patients and can be used both as a primary treatment and as a salvage therapy. It can control melanoma and avoid enucleation, reduce radiation-related complications, and provide tumor tissue for chromosomal analysis and prognostic testing.

Trans-scleral plugs scleral fixation IOL and penetrating keratoplasty to restore vision in vitrectomized eyes.

PURPOSE: To report the surgical outcomes of penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) and sutureless scleral fixation (SSF) using Carlevale Lens (Soleko) combined procedure to solve corneal failure and aphakia in vitrectomized eyes and discuss eventual advantages of this new approach. METHODS: Two patients underwent primary wound repair and pars plana vitrectomy after a penetrating ocular trauma and were referred to the author's clinic. The PKP and SSF-Carlevale lens implantation were performed under retrobulbar anesthesia. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded, intraocular lens positioning was evaluated using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) and endothelial cell density was determined using an endothelial microscope. Both patients completed 12 months follow-up. RESULTS: The surgery was performed without intraoperative complications. After 1 month, the lens was fixed well, and the graft showed no sign of rejection. At the last visit after 12 months, the corneal graft remained transparent with good endothelial cell density in both cases; conjunctival scarring or inflammation and plugs externalization did not occur during follow-ups. Best-corrected visual acuity was 4/10 Snellen in the first case, while in the second case, we witnessed a limited visual recovery of 1/20 Snellen due to retinal issues. CONCLUSION: We report the feasibility of secondary IOL implantation using Carlevale with penetrating keratoplasty. The relative of ease of Carlevale lens implantation through the transscleral plugs reduces the open globe length resulting in a safer procedure, especially for vitrectomized eyes.

Management of submacular massive haemorrhage in age-related macular degeneration: comparison between subretinal transplant of human amniotic membrane and subretinal injection of tissue plasminogen activator.

PURPOSE: Macular neovascularization (MNV) can complicate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and lead to severe visual acuity reduction. Massive submacular haemorrhage (SMH) is a sight-threatening complication of MNV and a challenge in the management of complications related to MNV in AMD since the effects of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment alone are insufficient. Here, we evaluate the different postoperative outcomes of patients affected by MNV complicated by SMH that underwent subretinal implant of human amniotic membrane (hAM) or subretinal injection of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). METHODS: This is a retrospective, consecutive, comparative, non-randomized interventional study. We included 44 eyes of 44 patients affected by AMD complicated by MNV and SMH. Twenty-two eyes underwent a pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), SMH and neovascular membrane removal, with a subretinal implant of hAM and silicone oil, and 22 eyes underwent PPV, subretinal injection of tPA, and 20% sulphur hexafluoride. The primary study outcome was visual acuity improvement. Secondary outcomes were postoperative complications, and MNV recurrence and optical coherence tomography (OCT)-Angiography parameters correlated with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). RESULTS: Mean preoperative BCVA was 1.9 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) in the amniotic membrane-group and 2 logMAR in the tPA-group. The mean final BCVA values were 1.25 and 1.4 logMAR, respectively, with a statistically significant difference. Optical coherence tomography (OCT)-Angiography scan was be used to evaluate the retinal vascularization in the treated eye. CONCLUSION: Both techniques report similar VA improvements and postoperative complications. However, transplantation of hAM seems to have a significant benefit in inhibiting MNV recurrence.

Applications of the Amniotic Membrane in Vitreoretinal Surgery.

Recently, the use of the human amniotic membrane (hAM) has been extended to treat retinal disorders, such as macular holes that failed to close and retinal tears. The hAM has demonstrated the induction of a recovery process of the external retinal layers involving the external limiting membrane (ELM) and the ellipsoid zone (EZ). After that, the application of the hAM for retinal pathologies was extended to large macular tears, high myopic retinal detachment associated with MH, paravascular tears, serous macular detachment associated with optic pit, complicated retinal detachment and advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The hAM has shown a potential in repairing retinal tissue through a regeneration process. This review aims to highlight the use of the hAM in various vitreo-retinal surgical fields, and to confront it with other cutting-edge surgical techniques used to treat challenging vitreo-retinal pathologies.

Trans-scleral plugs fixated IOL: a new paradigm for sutureless scleral fixation.

PURPOSE: To assess the surgical and refractive outcomes of a new technique of sutureless scleral fixation (SSF) using a single-piece foldable acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) (Carlevale). SETTING: Department of Translational Surgery and Medicine, Ophthalmology, University of Florence, Careggi, Florence, Italy. DESIGN: Prospective observational case series. METHODS: Thirty-two eyes of 32 patients with aphakia, dislocated IOL, or subluxated lens who underwent SSF with a novel single-piece hydrophilic acrylic IOL were studied. Preoperative and postoperative refractive status and complications during and after surgery were recorded. The IOL tilt was evaluated using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). RESULTS: Twenty-two eyes were IOL/bag luxations, 9 were aphakia, and 3 were subluxated crystalline lens. Mean preoperative corrected distance visual acuity was 0.46 ± 0.29 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) and improved to 0.13 ± 0.12 logMAR (P < .05) at the 8-month follow-up, with a predictive error spherical equivalent of -0.24 ± 0.81 diopters (D); the IOL tilt was 2.08 ± 1.19 degrees. One patient (3.1%) experienced transient cystoid macular edema, and 1 (3.1%) experienced vitreous hemorrhage; pigment dispersion with AS-OCT findings of reverse pupillary block was found in 2 (6.2%) eyes. IOL dislocation, conjunctival erosion, and plug externalization were not observed in any eye during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: SSF using the novel IOL could be a viable option for the management of aphakia, lens subluxation, and IOL-bag complex dislocation with unique characteristics of stability. The advantages of this technique were the absence of haptic manipulation, self-centration, and firm fixation of the IOL.

Predicting Acute Kidney Injury in Intensive Care Unit Patients: The Role of Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases-2 and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-Binding Protein-7 Biomarkers.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) diagnosis is based on a rise in serum creatinine and/or fall in urine output. It has been shown that there are patients that fulfill AKI definition but do not have AKI, and there are also patients with evidence of renal injury who do not meet any criteria for AKI. Recently the innovative and emerging proteomic technology has enabled the identification of novel biomarkers that allow improved risk stratification. METHODS: Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) were measured to a cohort of 719 consecutive patients admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The primary endpoint was the evaluation of clinical performances of the biomarkers focusing on the probability do develop AKI in the first 7 days. RESULTS: The Kaplan-Meier analysis considering the first 7 days of ICU stay suggested a lower risk of developing AKI (p < 0.0001) for patients with a negative (<0.3; TIMP-2*IGFBP7) test. CONCLUSION: (TIMP-2*IGFBP7) at ICU admission has a good performance in predicting AKI, especially in the first 4 days in ICU.

[Indications for apheresis in kidney transplant recipients: apheresis in the hyperimmune patient]. / Indicazioni all'aferesi nel trapianto di rene: aferesi nel paziente iperimmune.

Patients who are sensitized through pregnancy, previous blood transfusions, or organ transplantation produce donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) that can result in an important obstacle in kidney transplantation. Sensitized patients wait longer on the cadaver donor transplant list, may not receive a transplant, and may have greater morbidity and mortality. Sensitized patients may have living donor candidates but transplantation cannot be performed because of cross-match positivity. Kidney transplant recipients with DSA are at higher risk of developing early acute antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) despite negative complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) T-cell cross-match, and thus require desensitization. Desensitization protocols using the combination of apheresis (PE) or immunoadsorption to remove DSA and/or intravenous Ig (Iv-Ig) and rituximab to downregulate antibody-mediated immune responses have made kidney transplantation feasible by abrogating CDC T-cell cross-match positivity. All sensitized patients should be studied for DSA by sensitive methods and followed over time. The presence of DSA should be documented, and also the strength or titers of the alloantibodies should be determined to decide on the type of desensitization protocol. High-dosage Iv-Ig alone does not prevent AMR in patients with strong DSA, and the addition of peritransplantation PE as unselective plasma exchange, semiselective double filtration, or selective immunoadsorption significantly decreases the incidence of AMR. The effect of addition of monoclonal antibodies such as rituximab to desensitization protocols or of PE to patients with strong anti-HLA-II DSA on allograft outcomes requires further prospective studies.