Photocoagulation treatment for clinically significant radiation macular oedema.

Macular oedema is a leading cause of vision loss in patients with radiation retinopathy. In an effort to find an effective treatment for this vision threatening complication, 12 eyes (eight patients) were treated with photocoagulation for clinically significant radiation macular oedema (CSRMO) defined as central macular thickening, exudates threatening the macular centre, or one disc area of thickening in the macula. Median visual acuity improved from 20/100 preoperatively to 20/90 at the initial postoperative examination (mean follow up 5 months) and to 20/75 at the final postoperative examination (mean follow up 39 months). At the final postoperative examination, visual acuity had improved in eight (67%) eyes and six (50%) eyes had complete resolution of the CSRMO; two (17%) other eyes had improved anatomically in that fewer CSRMO criteria were present. These results suggest that macular photocoagulation is effective in decreasing macular oedema and improving vision in eyes with CSRMO.

Radiation retinopathy.

Radiation therapy is effective against many cancerous and noncancerous disease processes. As with other therapeutics, side effects must be anticipated, recognized, and managed appropriately. Radiation retinopathy is a vision-threatening complication of ocular, orbital, periorbital, facial, nasopharyngeal, and cranial irradiation. Factors that appear important in the pathogenesis of radiation retinopathy include total radiation dosage, fraction size, concomitant chemotherapy, and preexisting vascular disorders. Clinical manifestations of the disorder include macular edema and nonproliferative and proliferative retinopathy, similar to changes seen in diabetic retinopathy. Argon laser photocoagulation has proved efficacious for managing macular edema and fibrovascular proliferation in some of these patients. Ongoing basic laboratory and clinical research efforts have led to a better understanding of the pathogenesis, natural history, and treatment response of radiation retinopathy. The ultimate goal of this knowledge is to improve the prevention, recognition, and management of this vision-threatening complication.

Drug induced systemic lupus erythematosus due to ophthalmic timolol.

We report a case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) apparently induced by topical use of ophthalmic timolol maleate, a beta adrenergic blocking agent. The patient developed fever, malaise, pleurisy and recurrent sterile pleural effusions while taking no medication other than timolol. Antinuclear antibodies in a homogenous pattern, and markedly elevated histone antibodies (IgG anti-(H2A-H2B)-DNA) were present while antibodies to native DNA were absent. After discontinuation of the timolol, his symptoms improved promptly and the pleural effusions resolved. To our knowledge, this is the first report of timolol induced SLE.

Articular cartilage lesions of the knee.

The pathogenesis and clinical significance of articular cartilage lesions of the knee persist as topics of considerable interest among orthopedic surgeons. This study was designed to assess the association of articular cartilage degeneration with concomitant intraarticular abnormalities and to correlate the prevalence and severity of articular cartilage damage with preoperative historical and physical exam findings in patients presenting with knee pain. Twenty-six history and physical exam data points were prospectively collected from 192 patients (200 knees), consecutively undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. During surgery, all articular cartilage lesions were recorded with respect to size, location, and character and were graded according to Oglivie-Harris et al. All concomitant knee joint abnormalities were simultaneously recorded. Of 200 knees examined arthroscopically, 12 knees revealed no demonstrable etiology for the presenting symptoms, 65 knees revealed assorted intraarticular pathology but no articular cartilage degeneration, and the remaining 123 knees revealed a total of 211 articular cartilage lesions (103 femoral, 72 patellar, 36 tibial); 7 femoral, 6 patellar and 0 tibial lesions were completely isolated (no concomitant knee joint pathology). The concomitance of femoral defects with tibial lesions was highly significant (p = 0.01). Femoral and tibial articular cartilage lesions were strikingly correlated with the presence of an unstable torn meniscus (p less than 0.001). Medial compartment articular cartilage lesions were significantly more common (p = 0.001), more closely associated with meniscal derangement, and appreciably more severe than lateral compartment lesions. In 75% of anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knees with concomitant articular cartilage degeneration, the duration from injury to surgery was greater than 9 months, and in each of these cases, a history of reinjury to the knee was elicited. From these data one can conclude that: (a) in some patients with painful knees, isolated articular cartilage lesions may be the only abnormality noted at arthroscopy; (b) unstable meniscal tears are significantly associated with destruction of articular cartilage; (c) the medial compartment is particularly susceptible to articular cartilage degeneration; and (d) in our series, anterior cruciate ligament tears were increasingly associated with articular cartilage destruction as the elapsed time from injury to arthroscopy increased.