The use of impression cytology in the follow-up of severe ocular burns.

AIMS: To evaluate by impression cytology (IC) the expression of the MHC class II inflammatory marker HLA-DR by the conjunctival epithelium, the cytological modifications of the conjunctival surface according to the Nelson's classification, and the eventual correlation between the two after severe ocular burns. METHODS: A total of 24 patients (24 eyes) who presented with severe ocular burns underwent IC. We compared them with 18 healthy eyes. HLA-DR expression was studied by flow cytometry as well as the conjunctival histology evaluated with the Nelson's classification from 2-24 months after the onset of burns. RESULTS: There was a significant upregulation of the expression of HLA-DR in eyes with burns compared to the healthy population at 2 months (p<0.001), 6 months (p<0.001), 12 months (p = 0.019), 18 months (p = 0.0171) and 24 months (p = 0.01766). A significant difference was found between the Nelson grade in the pathological population and those of the healthy population at 2 months (p = 0.0157). HLA-DR upregulation was significantly correlated with the Nelson's grades between 2 months (r = 0.69, p<0.0001) and 6 months (r = 0.61, p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The IC technique can act as a useful tool for following-up ocular surface inflammation after severe ocular burns.

Amniotic membrane transplantation in severe bacterial keratitis.

PURPOSE: To determine whether a combination of early amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) and early topical corticosteroid treatment could be a safe adjuvant therapy during antibacterial treatment in severe bacterial keratitis (BK) for relieving pain, avoiding iatrogenic epithelial toxicity, and allowing earlier use of topical steroids. METHODS: In a prospective noncomparative case series, 12 patients with severe microscopically-proven BK were treated with immediate maximal topical antibiotics followed by AMT at 48 hours (single-layer epithelial side-down or multilayer epithelial side-up), plus topical steroid treatment at 72 hours. Pain relief (NRS-11 numeric rating pain scale) and the corneal epithelium healing were measured. RESULTS: The follow-up rate was 7.5 person-months, with AMT performed once in 2 patients and twice in 10 patients with BK caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5), Klebsiella pneumoniae (1), Moraxella cattharalis (1), Staphylococcus aureus (1), Staphylococcus epidermidis (2), or Streptococcus pneumoniae (1). A significant decrease in the pain score was noted from the admission day (median, 8; range, 7-10) to shortly after AMT (at day 3: median, 2; range, 1-3). Epithelial healing was achieved between 8 and 45 days (mean, 25.5 +/- 9.7 days). Neither perforation nor neovascularization was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Early AMT combined with topical corticosteroid in severe BK provides immediate pain relief and allows epithelial healing.

Retinal angioma in a patient with Cowden disease.

PURPOSE: To report a rare case of ocular localization of Cowden disease. DESIGN: Case report. METHODS: A 50-year-old woman with a history of multiple tumors was diagnosed with Cowden disease. A PTEN gene mutation was found. Visual acuity of the left eye had decreased 2 years before diagnosis. RESULTS: Visual acuity was 20/20 in the right eye and 20/200 in the left eye. Right eye fundus examination showed an epiretinal membrane associated with a peripheral and temporal inferior angiomatous lesion. Treatment consisted of cryoapplication and surgical removal of the epiretinal membrane after central vitrectomy. Although the anatomic result was satisfactory, the patient's visual acuity remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Hamartomatous ocular lesions have been described in Cowden disease. We are unaware, however, of such retinal angiomatous lesions in patients with PTEN gene mutations.

Penetrating keratoplasty combined with posterior Artisan iris-fixated intraocular lens implantation.

PURPOSE: To present a new surgical technique combining penetrating keratoplasty and open-sky posterior iris fixation of the Artisan iris-claw intraocular lens (IOL) for treatment of pseudophakic bullous keratopathy in a case series of five patients. METHODS: A graft diameter of 8.25 mm was chosen. The formerly implanted angle-supported IOL was removed. The IOL was enclosed, entrapping a fraction of the mid-peripheral iris within the haptics whilst being held firmly with the implantation forceps. The corneal button was sutured to the recipient bed with 10-0 nylon sutures. A specular microscope was used for making an endothelial cell count. Patients underwent an ultrasound biomicroscope (UBM) scan before and 6 months after surgery and postoperative macular oedema was assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT). The minimum follow-up was 12 months. RESULTS: Visual acuity (VA) improved in all five cases (mean best corrected VA was 0.4 postoperatively versus 1.28 preoperatively). No complications were noted. The mean endothelial cell density obtained after 1 year was 1508 cells/mm(2). The UBM study showed a deep anterior chamber and an open iridocorneal angle of 360 degrees in all cases. CONCLUSION: The implantation of the Artisan device behind the iris better preserves the anatomy of the anterior segment with respect to the iridocorneal angle.