Alterações oculares decorrentes de picada de abelha na córnea / Ocular changes due to corneal bee sting

RESUMO O propósito deste estudo foi reportar as alterações oculares observadas após picada de abelha com ferrão retido na córnea. Destacamos o tratamento e o desfecho de uma lesão de córnea incomum e sua patogênese. Trata-se de relato de caso e revisão da literatura de lesões oculares por picada de abelha. Paciente do sexo feminino, 63 anos, procurou atendimento oftalmológico de urgência devido à picada de abelha na córnea do olho direito há 6 dias. Queixava-se de embaçamento visual, dor e hiperemia ocular. Apresentou acuidade visual de vultos no olho afetado. Ao exame, notaram-se hiperemia moderada de conjuntiva bulbar, edema corneano com dobras de Descemet e presença do ferrão alojado na região temporal, no estroma profundo da córnea. A paciente foi internada para ser abordada no centro cirúrgico sob anestesia geral. Durante a cirurgia, o ferrão teve que ser retirado via câmara anterior, mediante a realização de uma paracentese e uma lavagem da câmara anterior, com dupla via e solução salina balanceada. Ainda não existe na literatura um tratamento padrão na abordagem de pacientes com lesões oculares por picada de abelha, sendo importantes a identificação e o reconhecimento precoce de possíveis complicações que ameacem a visão.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to report the ocular changes observed after a bee sting with a stinger retained in the cornea. We show the treatment and outcome of an unusual corneal injury and its pathogenesis. This is a case report and literature review of ocular injuries caused by bee stings. A 63-year-old female patient sought emergency ophthalmic care because of a bee sting on the cornea of her right eye six days before. She complained of blurred vision, pain, and ocular hyperemia. She had glare sensitivity on visual acuity in the affected eye. Examination revealed moderate hyperemia of the bulbar conjunctiva, corneal edema with Descemet's folds and a stinger lodged in the temporal region, in the deep stroma of the cornea. The patient was admitted to the operating room under general anesthesia. During surgery, the stinger had to be removed via the anterior chamber, by performing a paracentesis and washing the anterior chamber with a double flushing and balanced saline solution. There is still no standard treatment in the literature for patients with eye injuries caused by bee stings, and early identification and recognition of possible sight-threatening complications is important.

The sting of a honey bee: An unusual subconjunctival foreign body.

Ocular foreign bodies (FBs) are often encountered in clinical practices. However, there are cases in which the presence of the FB is difficult to diagnose based on mere history taking and/or clinical examination. We herein present a case of unusual subconjunctival foreign body in the form of the sting of a honey bee in a 63-year-old farmer. This was removed from the superior forniceal subconjunctival space in toto with forceps under a microscope in the operation theater. This case emphasizes the need to elicit a complete history and a careful ocular examination with double eversion of the eyelid to avoid missing any foreign body lodged in the fornices and subconjunctival space in patients who complained of foreign body sensation.

Preseptal cellulitis in a child caused by Megacopta centrosignatum.

Preseptal cellulitis in children can be caused by a reaction to embedded insects, their body parts, or secretions. We report the case of a 2-year-old girl who presented with preseptal cellulitis caused by an insect identified as Megacopta centrosignatum in her superior fornix.

Corneal honey bee sting: endoilluminator-assisted removal of retained stinger.

To report the clinical findings and a novel method of removal of bee sting using an endoillumination light source the following methods were used: clinical presentation, slit-lamp photographs, serial endothelial images and surgical management of a case of retained bee sting in the cornea. The bee sting was surgically removed by forceps under focal illumination with an endoillumination light source. Topical steroids and cycloplegics were given postoperatively to control the inflammation. The patient had complete visual recovery and partial resolution of endothelial changes after 1 year of treatment. The clinical picture of a corneal honey bee sting resembles keratouveitis. Focal corneal infiltrate and associated low-grade uveitis tend to persist if treated with topical steroids only. Early recognition and prompt removal of the stinger may help in the early resolution of anterior segment inflammation and prevent irreversible damage to endothelial cells.

Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty after bee sting of the cornea.

We present a case of corneal decompensation and cataract formation following a corneal bee sting in a patient with a history of drug abuse. Clinical findings, anterior segment photographs, and medical and surgical treatment are presented. The stinger was removed from the cornea. Systemic and topical steroids, topical antibiotics, and systemic and topical antiglaucoma medication and antihistamines were prescribed. After 3 months, combined Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK), phacoemulsification, and intraocular lens implantation were performed, with significant improvement in visual acuity and corneal edema. To our knowledge, this is the first report of DSAEK combined with cataract surgery for this condition. It was found to be a safe and effective treatment for corneal decompensation secondary to a bee sting.

Bee sting of the cornea and conjunctiva: management and outcomes.

PURPOSE: To present the clinical features, management, and outcomes of 4 cases of bee sting injury to the cornea and conjunctiva. METHODS: Clinical features, external photographs, treatment, and outcomes of 4 cases of ocular bee stings are presented. RESULTS: In 3 cases, the stinger of the bee was retained on the cornea, and in 1 case, it was retained on the conjunctiva. One of the 3 corneal sting patients was stung on the laser in situ keratomileusis flap margin, which resulted in a partial tear of the flap. Retained bee stings were removed immediately in all 4 cases, and topical antibiotics were applied with adjuvant treatment. All patients had good visual outcomes without severe complications at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular surface bee stings with retained stingers are rarely reported. A potential triad of penetrating, immunologic, and toxic injury must be taken into consideration. Vision can be restored by early removal of the sting and topical medication.

Corneal bee sting misdiagnosed as viral keratitis.

PURPOSE: To report a case of chronic keratouveitis caused by a missed bee sting injury. METHODS: A 17-year-old boy was referred for management of unresponsive viral keratouveitis. Ocular examination revealed corneal edema and scarring, atrophic patches on the iris, and anterior polar cataracts. Surprisingly, examination also revealed a retained intracorneal bee stinger. A retrospective inquiry confirmed a bee sting injury 2 years ago. RESULTS: The patient was started on medical treatment and underwent operative removal of the bee stinger. Postsurgery, visual acuity improved, and the corneal edema regressed over a 1-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In cases of chronic keratouveitis, a meticulous examination is mandatory to rule out unusual causes like a retained corneal bee stinger. A retained intracorneal bee stinger may result in long-term corneal inflammation, which may not be controlled adequately with topical steroids. It should be removed, irrespective of the duration since the injury.

Skin and soft tissue necrosis following hymenoptera sting.

BACKGROUND: All kinds of bees, wasps, and hornets are members of the hymenoptera order. Local hypersensitivity reactions after bee stings are very common and well studied. However, tissue necroses following untreated bee stings are extremely rare and they are not well documented. OBJECTIVE: Two extremely rare cases of extensive skin and soft tissue necrosis following hymenoptera stings are presented. Current literature and treatment options are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Local skin reactions following bee stings may result in severe complications such as tissue necrosis if left untreated. Skin grafting following surgical debridement is an adequate and practical treatment modality for such cases.

Ocular lesions arising after stings by hymenopteran insects.

PURPOSE: To describe the ocular lesions that occur after stings from hymenopteran insects. METHODS: We examined the ocular alterations in five patients who suffered ocular trauma from hymenopteran insect stings. RESULTS: In 4 cases where the insect was identified as a wasp, all the patients presented with persistent corneal decompensation and two presented with total cataract, requiring surgical treatment. In the case of trauma by a bee sting, the patient presented with corneal edema and an inflammatory reaction of the anterior chamber with total regression of these alterations after clinical treatment. CONCLUSION: Although a rare occurrence, ocular trauma caused by hymenopteran insects can result in severe ocular alterations in humans.

Rapid aggressive soft-tissue necrosis after beetle bite can be treated by radical necrectomy and vacuum suction-assisted closure.

BACKGROUND: The substance cantharidin, which is produced by a type of beetle, rapidly penetrates the epidermis and can cause severe toxicities such as skin necrosis. Optimal treatment for necrotic beetle bites has not been well defined. Conservative management has been advocated but the hospital stays are long and long-term morbidity may result, especially in multimorbid patients. OBJECTIVE: The value of aggressive surgical management of such necrotizing diseases using newly developed surgical tools is compared to the traditional more conservative approach. RESULTS: We present the case of a multimorbid 60-year-old man with a rapidly progressive necrosis of the medial thigh (measuring 30 X 15 cm), acquired during a stay in Western Africa after being bitten by a beetle of the species Cantharide. The patient was treated with radical surgical debridement and continuous elimination of the wound fluid by permanent computer-controlled negative pressure with a vacuum-assisted wound-closure device. This led to the sudden relief of both local and systemic symptoms and allowed extremely early wound closure. CONCLUSIONS: Comparing literature data with the course of this combined treatment, we strongly suggest an early aggressive management with complete radical excision of necrotic tissue, conditioning of the wound bed by temporary suction-assisted vacuum closure and subsequent skin grafting with continued vacuum application. This treatment leads to immediate relief of pain and enhanced healing of this lesion even in the condition of immunosuppression in the elderly.

[Prevention of Lyme borreliosis infection after tick bites].

Lyme borreliosis is one of the zoonotic and vectorial diseases in the world. Female of Taiga tick, Ixodes persulcatus play an important role being the main vector of the agents, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, of the disease in the Far East including Japan. The number of patients who contacted Lyme borreliosis have been estimated to be around 100 cases in all of Japan. We also detected the spirochetes from the skin tissues of 27 cases involving erythema and 3 cases without erythema after tick bites in Hokkaido. We noticed that in those cases when the victims removed ticks by themselves using their fingers within several days later, almost all of them developed erythema. On the other hand, an infected tick from 8 cases which were removed by surgical procedure, the spirochetes were not transmitted in these cases (No. 31-38). Therefore, we supposed that the transmission of agents takes place by regurgitation of the spirochestes from the midgut diverticula due to the pressure by fingers (calling Syringe phenomenon). Then, the authors recommended that fine tweezers has a firm grip around the mouth part of infested tick and pull out within 24 hours and/or trials to surgical operation for tick removal on passing over 24 hours after infestation.

Trauma ocular por himenópteros: relato de casos e revisäo de literatura / Ocular trauma caused by hymenoptera

Os autores apresentam dois casos de trauma ocular em razäo de ferroada de marimbondo, inseto da ordem dos himenópteros, mais frequentemente encontrado nas áreas rurais. As lesöes säo consequentes à açäo de componentes químicos tóxicos presentes no veneno dos insetos, que agem basicamente como alérgenos. Discute-se a fisiopatologia dos componentes do veneno inoculado, que ocasionam lesöes de intensidade variável