[Phacoemulsification in infants]. / Phakoemulsifikation bei Säuglingen.

In the light of findings associated with "deprivation amblyopia" early surgery for total congenital cataract appears desirable, if possible in the first months of life. Surgery was performed on a total of seven eyes of infants - with phacoemulsification via the pars plana - before the patients were six months old. The special features of the surgical method employed and the experience gained in using it are discussed.

[Incorporation of radioactively labelled phosphoglycerides into the retina after subcutaneous application (author's transl)]. / Einbau von radioaktiven Phospholipiden in die Retina nach parenteraler Verabreichung.

Radioactively labelled phosphoglycerides were given subcutaneously to rabbits and the incorporation of these substances into the retina and other organs has been studied. In a first examination the phospholipids were labelled with 3H-oleic acid, in a second examination we used 32P for labelling. We could show, that both the fatty acids and the polar head group of the phosphoglycerides were incorporated into the retina lipids. The specific radioactivity of the retina phosphoglycerides was always higher than that of lipids extracted from other organs.

[Penetration of gentamycin into the aqueous humor of non-inflamed and inflamed human eyes (author's transl)]. / Die Kammerwassergängigkeit von Gentamycin bei reizfreien und entzündeten Augen.

The penetration of gentamycin into aqueous humor after parenteral application (i. m., i. v., s. c.) of non-inflamed and inflamed human eyes was investigated. The dose of gentamycin was 80 mg i.m. and i. v. respectively. A doses of 40 mg gentamycin was used by s. c. injection. With Agar-diffusions test it could be demonstrated that the level of gentamycin was higher in inflamed than in non-inflamed eyes.

[The diagnostic and prognostic value of alpha-1-antitrypsin measurement in tear fluid (author's transl)]. / Der diagnostische und prognostische Wert einer Alpha-1-Antitrypsinbestimmung in der Träneflüssigkeit.

Bacterial infections of conjunctiva and cornea cause an increase of alpha-1-antitrypsin in tears. In 77 cases detections of this antiproteases were performed by immuno-chemical methods. We believed that the estimation of alpha-1-antitrypsin in tears may be an effective help in diagnosis of ocular inflamations.

[Enucleation: causes of extrusion of orbital implants (author's transl)]. / Enukleation: Ursachen des Verlustes von Orbitaimplantaten.

The frequency and the causes of extrusion of orbital implants have been investigated. Of the 294 patients in which enucleation was done, in 17 cases (5.8%) extrusion of the first implant developed; in 9 cases with second or third implantations another 5 implants have been extruded. The extrusion of implants is caused mainly by the operative technique and only rarely by intolerance reactions. For a reliable healing exact sutures of the muscles and also exact closure of the implant with plenty of covering tissue is important.

Leukemic nodules in the eye in immature-cellular infantile leukoses.

Two boys, aged 5 1/4 and 10 1/4, respectively, with acute immature-cell leukosis, died of massive cerebral haemorrhage. Their eyes showed extensive leukaemic involvement of the retina with development of numerous miliary leukaemic nodules; the vitreous of case 2 was also involved. The lesions were considered to have developed because of high circulating white cell counts, a tendency of blast cells to produce nodules, an oxygen poor avascular matrix in which to grow, and a physical environment which permitted growth without haemorrhage or distortion due to tissue pressures etc. Using histological methods, an attempt is made to trace the pattern of formation of the nodule, from an initial growing focus through "colonial" form resembling a bacterial colony to lysis. Necrotic blast cells are apparently a metabolic source for viable tumour cells. Their localization in the eye makes access by cytotoxic drugs difficult; thus they should be considered as blast cell pools.

[Experiences of ear skin-cartilage transplants in tumors of the lid margin (author's transl)]. / Ergebnisse der Ohr-Haut-Knorpel-Plastik bei Tumoren des Lidrandes.

In cases of lid margin tumors operative procedures are preferred. If the defect after tumor excision is not more than 1/3 of the lid margin, plastic reconstruction is not done; in larger defects a free transplant is preferred to any kind of rotating plastic operation. An exception to this is the case in which the tumor is located on the whole lid margin or its surrounding area. The skin cartilage material taken from the ear or plastic reconstruction has proved satisfactory and in most of the operated 63 eyes satisfactory cosmetic and functional results have been obtained.

[Drainage of the vitreous body space in cases of intra-ocular infection (author's transl)]. / Drainage des Glaskörperraumes bei intraokularen Infektionen

In the last 2 years we saw eight cases with massive i.o.infection (panopht-almitis) following perforating injuries. We took measures as follows: After trepanation of the sclera we washed out the space of the vitreous body with diluted solution of Gentamycin and simultaneously we used massive systemic therapy of Gentamycin and of Penicillin. In this way we stopped the infection in four eyes and we were successful in maintaining in various degree the function of these eyes.