Prophylactic intravitreal antibiotics reduce the risk of post-traumatic endophthalmitis after repair of open globe injuries.

PURPOSE: To investigate efficacy of prophylactic intravitreal antibiotics in reducing incidence of endophthalmitis after repair of open globe injuries. At King Abdulaziz University Hospital, a standard protocol of intravenous vancomycin and ceftazidime was used in all cases. METHODS: Charts of 353 patients who presented between January 2010 and January 2014 with open globe injury were retrospectively reviewed. In addition, the standard protocol in this cohort included prophylactic intravitreal antibiotics in high-risk cases at time of primary repair. High-risk cases were identified based on the presence of one or more of the following risk factors: dirty wound, retained intra-ocular foreign body (IOFB), rural setting, delayed primary repair of >24 hr and ruptured lens capsule. Rate of endophthalmitis in this recent cohort was compared with that of a previous cohort admitted for primary repair between May 1996 and May 2008 (641 patients). In the previous cohort, protocol did not include prophylactic intravitreal antibiotics. RESULTS: Rates of clinically suspected endophthalmitis and culture-positive endophthalmitis were higher in previous cohort (24 of 641 eyes; 3.7% and 12 of 641 eyes; 1.9%, respectively) compared to recent cohort (six of 353 eyes; 1.7% and two of 353 eyes; 0.6%, respectively). In high-risk groups, rates of suspected endophthalmitis and culture-positive endophthalmitis were higher in previous cohort (19 of 345 eyes; 5.5% and 12 of 345 eyes; 3.5%, respectively) compared to the recent cohort (five of 200 eyes; 2.5% and two of 200 eyes; 1.0%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Prophylactic intravitreal antibiotics reduce risk of endophthalmitis after repair of open globe injuries.

Liver transplantation in Wilson's disease: Single center experience from Saudi Arabia.

AIM: To determine liver transplantation outcomes in Wilson's disease (WD) patients, focusing on neurological manifestations. METHODS: This retrospective study assessed data from 16 WD patients (nine males, 56%) who had liver transplants between 1991 and 2007. Survival, graft function, and neurological complications were assessed during a follow-up period of up to 15 years. In addition, each patient's medical record was reviewed in detail to find the type of Wilson's disease (hepatic or hepatic plus neurological WD), indication for liver transplantation, use of chelating agents prior to transplantation, immediate and long term complications following transplantation, the donor details, and the pathology of explanted liver. RESULTS: End-stage liver disease was the indication for transplantation in all 16 WD patients. Four patients displayed WD-related neurological symptoms in addition to liver disease. Living-related liver transplantation was done in three cases. One patient died on postoperative day 6 due to primary graft non-function. One-year post liver transplant survival was 94%. Neurological manifestations of all four patients disappeared during their follow-up. Four patients developed acute cellular rejection, but all responded to treatment. One patient developed chronic ductopenic rejection after 15 years post-transplantation and their graft failed; this patient is currently waiting for re-transplantation. Fourteen patients (88%) are still living. The long-term average survival is currently 10.5 years, with a current median survival of 8 years. Long-term graft survival is currently 81%. CONCLUSION: Short- and long-term survival in WD patient liver transplantation was excellent, and neurological and psychological WD manifestations disappeared during long-term follow-up.

Epistaxis as the initial manifestation of brucellosis.

Brucellosis is a multisystem disease with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. Hematologic complications in the form of mild pancytopenia are occasionally reported in the course of acute brucellosis. Rarely, thrombocytopenia is severe and can be associated with purpura and mucosal bleeding. Epistaxis as the initial manifestation of brucellosis is a rarely reported phenomenon. A case of young adult is being reported who presented with epistaxis due to brucellosis-induced thrombocytopenia.