Scleritis Due to Histoplasmosis.

PURPOSE: To describe the first-documented case of histoplasma scleritis in an immunocompetent patient. METHODS: Medical and pathological records of the patient described were reviewed. RESULTS: A 77-year-old immunocompetent man presented with necrotizing scleritis. Biopsy was consistent with histoplasma species, and culture results confirmed a causative agent of Histoplasma capsulatum. The patient required a long course of treatment, which included topical voriconazole and amphotericin, oral itraconazole and voriconazole, intravenous amphotericin, and periocular voriconazole and amphotericin. After 8 months of treatment, the patient's scleritis resolved, and he maintained good visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the second report of histoplasma scleritis in the literature and the first report in an immunocompetent patient.

Operative Nd:YAG laser plus postoperative hyperbaric oxygen reduces surgical morbidity after radical head and neck cancer surgery and complex reconstruction.

UNLABELLED: Complications after radical head and neck cancer surgery in irradiated patients are frequent and life-threatening. Hemorrhage, salivary fistulas, wound infections that expose the carotid sheath, among others, make these patients difficult management challenges in the ICU. We studied the effects of Nd:YAG laser surgery plus hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy on radical head and neck resections and complex reconstruction as a means of reducing postoperative morbidity and mortality. METHODS: 43 head and neck cancer patients were reviewed. Eight (STD) had standard surgery; 35 (YAG:HBO2) had Nd:YAG laser and postoperative HBO2. RESULTS: Age, staging, primary tumor site, sex, reconstruction procedure and transfusion did not differ between STD and YAG/HBO2. All STD and Nd:YAG/HBO2 patients were irradiated, median dosages 5,000 centi-Gray (cGy) and 7,000 cGy, respectively (p = 0.073). Median blood loss was 1,000 ml STD and 700 ml YAG/HBO2 (p = 0.046). There were no postoperative deaths. Major surgical site complications developed in 63% of the STD and 17% of the YAG/HBO2 patients (p = 0.017). All STD and 62% of YAG/HBO2 cancers recurred within 28 months of surgery (p = 0.152). Within the STD and YAG/HBO2 groups, 100% and 77% of deaths, respectively, were due to cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Combined Nd:YAG laser surgery and HBO2 reduces morbidity in radical head and neck cancer surgery. Recurrent disease and poor cancer survival remain common in this high-risk population.