The necessity and role of scleral buckling for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: With a decline in the use of scleral buckling for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair in recent years, this review seeks to provide a summary of the most recent research findings regarding the role of scleral buckling in the repair of RRD. RECENT FINDINGS: Many recent studies have compared visual and anatomic outcomes between scleral buckling and pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for RRD repair. Some suggest superior outcomes with primary scleral buckling, particularly in younger, phakic patients, and in association with other risk factors that we review. Children do best with primary scleral buckling surgery. Functionally, scleral buckling may also result in lower rates of retinal displacement compared to PPV. When PPV is necessary, a supplemental buckle may benefit certain patients, while the advantage remains unclear in other clinical scenarios and necessitates further investigation. SUMMARY: Scleral buckling is an important technique for the repair of RRD and it is crucial to continue training retina surgeons in this technique to maximize patient outcomes.

PROPHYLACTIC TREATMENT OF LATTICE DEGENERATION IN FELLOW EYES AFTER REPAIR OF UNCOMPLICATED PRIMARY RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT.

PURPOSE: To evaluate prophylactic treatment (PTx) of lattice degeneration (LD) on retinal tear (RT) and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) risk in fellow eyes of patients after primary RRD repair in the first eye. METHODS: This was a consecutive case series with cohort control involving patients with RRD repair from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2017. Patients received PTx (PTx cohort) or no PTx (No-PTx cohort) in fellow eye with 5-year follow-up. Primary outcome measure was proportion with new fellow eye RT/RRD. Secondary outcomes included logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and status of myopia, posterior vitreous detachment, and pseudophakia. RESULTS: Four hundred ninety-eight patients were divided into 146 and 352 in PTx and No-PTx cohorts, respectively. PTx cohort developed significantly ( P < 0.05) fewer RT/RRD (17%) than No-PTx cohort (41%). PTx significantly ( P < 0.05) lowered RT/RRD irrespective of posterior vitreous detachment and myopia status. PTx patients undergoing phacoemulsification demonstrated significantly ( P < 0.05) less RT/RRD (22%) than No-PTx cohort (31%). There was no significant ( P = 0.96) final BCVA difference between PTx (median = 0 logMAR) and No-PTx (median = 0 logMAR) cohorts. CONCLUSION: PTx of asymptomatic fellow eye LD reduced RT/RRD risk.

Complete and Immediate Resolution of See-Saw Nystagmus Following Pituitary Macroadenoma Resection: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

See-saw nystagmus (SSN) is a rare form of nystagmus characterised by alternating elevation with incyclotorsion of one eye and concomitant depression with excyclotorsion of the other eye, often due to abnormalities involving the midbrain and parasellar region. Herein, we highlight a rare case of pendular SSN, which demonstrated complete resolution following resection of a pituitary macroadenoma. A patient in their 40s was identified to have SSN and was diagnosed with a pituitary macroadenoma. They underwent an endoscopic endonasal transsellar approach for resection of the pituitary adenoma. Their nystagmus resolved immediately after surgery. From a review of the literature, resolution and/or significant improvement in SSN occurred in 74% of cases following treatment, with 100%, 86% and 50% following treatment for medication-induced, neurological infarcts, and mass-effect aetiologies of SSN, respectively. SSN is a rare entity with a wide array of aetiologies. Identification of the causative aetiology and appropriate treatment can lead to significant improvement or resolution of the nystagmus in most cases.

CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF ACUTE ENDOPHTHALMITIS AFTER INTRAVITREAL DELIVERY OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR INHIBITORS VERSUS STEROIDS.

PURPOSE: To compare patients with acute endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors vs. steroids. METHODS: Retrospective single-center, nonrandomized interventional study from 2013 to 2021.Patients underwent vitreous biopsy before initiating treatment and were divided into the following cohorts: (1) anti-VEGF managed medically (T&I-anti-VEGF), (2) anti-VEGF managed by immediate pars plana vitrectomy (PPV-anti-VEGF), and (3) steroid therapy and managed medically or by pars plana vitrectomy (steroid). RESULTS: A total of 141 patients were analyzed. The steroid cohort demonstrated significantly worse presenting (median = 2.80 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR]; P ≤ 0.01) and final (median = 2.30 logMAR) best-corrected visual acuity compared with T&I-anti-VEGF (presenting: median = 2.00 logMAR; final: median = 0.40 logMAR) and pars plana vitrectomy-anti-VEGF cohorts (presenting: median = 2.30 logMAR; final: median = 0.48 logMAR). There was no significant ( P = 0.33) difference in the final best-corrected visual acuity between T&I-anti-VEGF and pars plana vitrectomy-anti-VEGF cohorts. There were no significant ( P ≥ 0.63) differences among cohorts in best-corrected visual acuity before acute endophthalmitis diagnosis (T&I-anti-VEGF: median = 0.40 logMAR; pars plana vitrectomy-anti-VEGF: median = 0.40 logMAR; steroid: median = 0.44 logMAR). Microbial cultures revealed similar profiles for all cohorts. CONCLUSION: Acute endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection steroid therapy had worse outcomes compared with anti-VEGF therapy.

CHOROIDAL NEVUS ASSOCIATED WITH VITELLIFORM DEPOSITION IN A PATIENT WITH AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT BEST DYSTROPHY.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: To describe the clinical, optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus autofluorescence and ultrasound findings of a patient with a choroidal nevus actively exuding vitelliform material in the setting of autosomal dominant Best dystrophy (BD). METHODS: The patient's clinical course was followed over time with ophthalmic examinations and multimodal imaging. RESULTS: A 71-year-old male patient with BD was referred for evaluation of a choroidal nevus in the right eye. Dilated fundoscopic examination showed a small pigmented choroidal nevus in the temporal periphery. Over a 3-year period, the nevus developed progressive deposition of vitelliform material along its inferior border. Meanwhile, OCT and fundus photography showed only slight growth. Ultrasound showed no change in height; basal measurements were confounded by the increased vitelliform deposits. Genetic testing confirmed a heterozygous mutation in the BEST1 gene and electrophysiology was consistent with BD. CONCLUSIONS: Dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium associated with BD may cause novel presentations of other conditions such as choroidal nevi. The implication for malignant transformation of a choroidal nevus associated with vitelliform deposit accumulation in this context is unknown.

Trends in the Clinical Presentation of Uveal Melanoma During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The objective was to evaluate factors associated with clinical presentation of uveal melanoma (UM) during the initial two years of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a multi-site, retrospective cohort study of patients treated for uveal melanoma during the first (early) and second (late) year of the pandemic compared with the year prior (control). RESULTS: A total of 48, 67, and 75 patients were in the control, early, and late cohorts, respectively. The early cohort had a higher frequency of large tumors (control: 29.2%, early: 40.3%, late: 29.3%; P < 0.001) at presentation. Both the early and late cohorts had higher rates of enucleation (control: 8.33%, early: 20.9%, late: 18.67%; P ≤ 0.0338) compared to the control cohort. CONCLUSIONS: While there was an increase in large tumors along with a rise in enucleation during the first year of the pandemic, enucleation rates remained elevated even while tumor sizes normalized. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2024;55:278-284.].

Evolving Trends for the Clinical Presentation of Primary Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachments From Early to Late Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact on trends in clinical presentation of acute, primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRD) from early to late phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This study was a single-center, consecutive case series of 1,727 patients treated after vaccine availability ("late"; 3/29/21 to 9/26/21), corresponding time frame in previous year of pandemic ("early"; 3/30/20 to 9/27/20), and prior to pandemic ("pre"; 4/1/19 to 9/29/19). Primary outcome was proportion of patients presenting with macula-off RRD. Secondary outcomes included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and primary proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). RESULTS: While macula-off RRD rates were significantly (P < 0.0001) elevated in early and late cohorts compared to the pre cohort, only the early cohort showed a significant (P < 0.0001) increase in both primary PVR presentation and complex RRD repair. Patients lost to follow-up in early cohort were significantly (P < 0.0001) higher than others. Early cohort showed significantly (P < 0.0001) worse final BCVA compared to others. CONCLUSION: Patients in late pandemic were less likely to exhibit clinical features of worse RRD disease and have improved visual outcomes compared to those in early pandemic. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2023;54:78-83.].

Spontaneous Improvement of Myopic Retinoschisis Following a Long-term Observational Period: A Case Series.

PURPOSE: To highlight spontaneous resolution or improvement of myopic retinoschisis (MR) in actively surveilled patients. METHODS: Case series of five patients diagnosed with MR who did not undergo pars-plana vitrectomy and were carefully monitored by a single retina specialist. Ocular and medical history were reviewed, and clinical characteristics including visual acuity, and the status of the MR were monitored with spectral domain ocular coherence tomography (SD-OCT) at each clinic visit. RESULTS: Five patients with were identified to have MR without vitreomacular traction, or macular hole formation. Two patients exhibited spontaneous and complete resolution of MR without surgical intervention over an average observation time of 52.5 months. In these cases, a clinical posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) was documented preceding the resolution of MR over an average time of 26.5 months. Snellen best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in these patients were improved (Case 1 from 20/50 to 20/40, Case 2 from 20/30 to 20/25). The remaining three patients were monitored for an average of 52 months and showed improvement of MR via OCT imaging. Snellen BCVA either remained stable or improved from baseline (Case 3 stable at 20/30, Case 4 improved from 20/40 to 20/30, and Case 5 stable at 20/20). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that conservative management of MR with observation can be considered especially in patients with challenging co-morbidities (such as monocular status), and with a clinically identified posterior vitreous detachment without vitreomacular traction.

Multimodal Retinal Imaging Findings in Hardikar Syndrome.

PURPOSE: To describe the syndromic, clinical, and retinal findings of a patient with an extremely-rare genetic condition known as Hardikar Syndrome (HS) with presentation of optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), fluorescein angiographic (FA), and indocyanine green angiographic (ICG) findings. METHODS: Clinical course was detailed and followed over time with examinations and multimodal imaging. PATIENT AND RESULTS: A 17-year-old patient with HS was referred for possible retinitis pigmentosa. Dilated fundoscopic examination revealed large, multifocal cauliform patches of chorioretinal retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) changes with RPE drop-out involving the macula and periphery in both eyes. Additionally, an inactive choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) was present in the left eye. Multimodal imaging with OCT, FAF, FA and ICG correlated with the clinical findings of focal patches of chorioretinal degeneration in both eyes. Additionally, an anomalous finding of the superior retinal arterial vessels filling in tandem with the choroidal was present in the left eye. The patient's clinical findings were consistent with HS, and genetic testing with whole exome sequencing revealed a pathogenic mutation in the MED12 gene, confirming diagnosis. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: HS is associated with RPE degeneration, creating focal patches of pigmentary chorioretinal atrophic lesions. Vision loss can occur due to the development of CNVMs. We recommend close evaluation and follow-up for HS patients with multimodal retinal imaging.

Macular Retinoschisis from Optic Disc without a Visible Optic Pit or Advanced Glaucomatous Cupping (No Optic Pit Retinoschisis [NOPIR]).

PURPOSE: To review eyes with peripapillary and macular retinoschisis without a visible optic pit or advanced glaucomatous optic atrophy, or No Optic Pit Retinoschisis (NOPIR). DESIGN: Retrospective multicenter case series. SUBJECTS: The study included 11 eyes of 11 patients. METHODS: Retrospective study of eyes with macular retinoschisis without a visible optic pit, advanced optic nerve head cupping, or macular leakage on fluorescein angiography. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Visual acuity (VA), retinoschisis resolution, months to resolution, and recurrence of retinoschisis RESULTS: The mean age was 68.1 ± 17.6 years, mean intraocular pressure was 17.4 ± 3.8 mmHg, and the mean spherical equivalent refractive error was -3.1 ± 2.9 diopters. No subject had pathologic myopia. Seven subjects were treated for glaucoma, and 9 subjects had nerve fiber layer defects on OCT. All eyes had retinoschisis in the outer nuclear layer (ONL) in the nasal macula and extending to the edge of the optic disc, and 8 subjects had fovea-involving retinoschisis. Three nonfoveal and 4 fovea-involved eyes were observed, and 4 fovea-involved eyes with vision loss underwent surgery. Surgery involved preoperative juxtapapillary laser followed by vitrectomy and membrane and internal limiting membrane peeling with intraocular gas and face-down position. The mean baseline VA was significantly worse in the surgery group than that in the observation group (P = 0.020). Retinoschisis resolved and vision improved in all surgical cases. The mean resolution time for the surgery group was 2.75 ± 0.96 months, which was shorter than that for the observation group (28.0 ± 21.2 months; P = 0.014). No eye developed recurrence of the retinoschisis after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Peripapillary and macular retinoschisis can develop in eyes without a visible optic pit or advanced glaucomatous cupping. Eyes without foveal involvement and those with foveal involvement but only mild decrease in vision can be observed for spontaneous resolution. If there is persistent foveal involvement with vision loss, surgery can improve vision by resolving the macular retinoschisis. Surgery for fovea-involved macular retinoschisis without a visible optic pit resulted in faster anatomic resolution and better vision recovery. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Clinical Factors and Outcomes of Acute-Onset Endophthalmitis Following Small-Gauge Pars Plana Vitrectomy Surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Describe risk factors, findings, and outcomes of acute endophthalmitis (AE) following small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective single-center, nonrandomized study of post-PPV AE patients from 2013 to 2021. All received vitreous biopsy before treatment. Patients were divided into cohorts: 1) PPV within 3 days of diagnosis (Urgent-PPV), and 2) no urgent PPV (Other-treatment [Tx]). Main outcome was best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 6 months. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were analyzed. Epiretinal membrane was the most common indication for PPV (48%). Incidence was 0.074%. Culture-positive rate was 57%. For final BCVA, there was no significant (P = 0.85) difference between Urgent-PPV (median = 0.40 logMAR) and Other Tx cohorts (median = 0.35 logMAR). Sclerotomy wounds were not sutured in 71% of patients. Approximately 24% and 38% of patients analyzed had either no tamponade or partial tamponade, respectively. CONCLUSION: Tamponade agents and sclerotomy suturing may be important factors when evaluating post-small-gauge PPV-associated AE. Further studies are necessary for clarification. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2023;54:395-400.].

Evaluation of Outcomes of Acute Cataract Surgery-Related Endophthalmitis Using a Novel Management Algorithm Based on Presenting Risk Factors.

PURPOSE: Develop treatment algorithm for acute endophthalmitis (AE) following cataract surgery. METHODS: Retrospective single-center, non-randomized interventional study involving patients with AE divided into cohorts according to our novel scoring system, the Acute Cataract surgery-related Endophthalmitis Severity (ACES) score. Total score ≥3 points indicated need for urgent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV; within 24 hours), whereas <3 points indicated urgent PPV was unnecessary. Patients were retrospectively evaluated for visual outcomes based on whether their clinical course followed with or deviated from ACES score recommendations. Main outcome was best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 6-month or longer after treatment. RESULTS: Total of 150 patients were analyzed. Patients whose clinical course followed the ACES score recommendation for immediate surgery had significantly (P < 0.01) better final BCVA (median = 0.18 logMAR, 20/30 Snellen) compared to those that deviated (median = 0.70 logMAR, 20/100 Snellen). For those where the ACES score deemed urgent PPV was unnecessary, no significant (P = 0.19) difference was observed between patients that followed with (median = 0.18 logMAR, 20/30 Snellen) and those that deviated from (median = 0.10 logMAR, 20/25 Snellen) recommendation. CONCLUSIONS: The ACES score may potentially provide critical and updated management guidance at presentation for when to recommend urgent PPV for patients suffering from post-cataract surgery AE.

Sustained Control of Serpiginous Choroiditis with the Fluocinolone Acetonide 0.18 mg Intravitreal Implant.

Purpose: To describe an alternative treatment for a patient with serpiginous choroiditis (SC) who was not tolerant to systemic therapies. Methods: Case report of a patient with serpiginous choroiditis with their clinical course followed with ophthalmic examinations and multimodal imaging overtime. Patients and Results. A 57-year-old female with serpiginous choroiditis was treated for seven years with numerous therapies including systemic steroids, immunosuppressive agents, and repeated dexamethasone intravitreal implants. The patient was intolerant of systemic therapies and would flare if dexamethasone injections were performed less frequently than every 8 weeks, making a viable long-term treatment plan problematic. Following one injection of the fluocinolone acetonide 0.18 mg intravitreal implant, she has experienced sustained control for 20 months. Discussion and Conclusions. Real-world treatment of SC is complex as long-term control is necessary, and associated side effects of the therapies provided may limit sustained use. The fluocinolone acetonide implant lasts 36 months and may be an alternative long-term management option, especially in the setting of systemic medication intolerance for some patients with SC.

Characterizing Extremely Negative Reviews of Ophthalmologists on Yelp.Com.

PURPOSE: To perform a retrospective characterization of one-star reviews of ophthalmologists on Yelp.com and to increase understanding of patient complaints on Yelp.com. METHODS: A search was performed for reviews on Yelp.com using the keyword "ophthalmologist" for the top 8 most population-dense metropolitan areas in the United States. One-star reviews were collected and classified as procedural or nonprocedural. Complaints were also categorized as clinical, nonclinical, or both. Clinical complaints cited issues such as complications, reoperations, uncontrolled pain, misdiagnosis, unclear treatment plan, etc. Nonclinical complaints included comments such as physician bedside manner, other staff interpersonal manner, wait time, brevity of appointment time, etc. RESULTS: 5,532 total reviews were assessed, of which 477 (9%) one-star reviews were included in the study for analysis. These reviews amounted to 1,120 distinct complaints. 287 (26%) were clinical in nature and 833 (74%) were nonclinical. Technical incompetence or error (50: 4%), unsatisfactory results (46: 4%), and complications (43: 4%) represented the most common clinical complaints while office staff interpersonal manner (182: 16%), wait time (174: 16%), and physician interpersonal manner (141: 13%) were the most common nonclinical complaints. Refractive surgery was the most frequently mentioned subspecialty (89: 8%). Patients undergoing an ophthalmic procedure (surgery, injection, etc.) wrote 64 reviews that resulted in 193 (17%) complaints. Nonprocedural patients wrote 413 reviews that resulted in 927 (83%) complaints. Compared with procedural reviews, nonprocedural reviews were less likely to include a clinical complaint (rate ratio, 0.3: P < .001). DISCUSSION: The majority of one-star reviews of ophthalmologists included in this study were nonclinical. Complaints referencing a procedural episode were more likely to include a clinical component in the review. In the era of intense medical consumerism and increased physician and health care institution competition for patient acquisition and retention, the characterization of excessively negative reviews allows identification of potential areas of concern for patients that use online review sites such as Yelp.com.

Discontinuous to continuous therapy for persistent diabetic macular edema leads to reduction in treatment frequency.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate, in the setting of persistent diabetic macular edema, the impact that continuous fluocinolone acetonide delivery has on treatment burden, visual acuity, central retinal thickness, and intraocular pressure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single-center, retrospective, cohort study of patients with persistent diabetic macular edema, previously treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections, dexamethasone implants, or focal laser, who were subsequently treated with fluocinolone acetonide was conducted. All retinal visits were analyzed prior to fluocinolone acetonide, until the most recent follow-up visit. Primary outcomes were pre- and post-fluocinolone acetonide changes in the best-corrected visual acuity and number of treatments required for diabetic macular edema. Secondary outcomes included changes in the central retinal thickness and intraocular pressure. RESULTS: A total of 19 eyes with persistent diabetic macular edema were included and followed for a mean (SD) of 399.3 (222.9) days. Post-fluocinolone acetonide, the mean best-corrected visual acuity improved by 0.4 ETDRS letters for all eyes (p = 0.895) and the central retinal thickness decreased by 34.2 µm (p = 0.077). After fluocinolone acetonide, the number of treatments decreased from an average of one treatment every 2.7 months to one every 6 months (p = 0.009). Furthermore, post-fluocinolone acetonide, 10/19 eyes (52.6%) did not require additional treatment due to a dry macula, and those who did experienced a non-statistically significant reduction of treatments, from one every 2.6 months pre-fluocinolone acetonide, to one every 2.8 months post-fluocinolone acetonide (p = 0.622). CONCLUSIONS: In the setting of persistent diabetic macular edema, fluocinolone acetonide significantly reduces the therapeutic burden, while maintaining best-corrected visual acuity and improving the central retinal thickness. In patient-centered discussions, judiciously employing fluocinolone acetonide should be performed to mitigate this therapeutic burden for patients.

Do 30-Day Reoperation Rates Adequately Measure Quality in Orthopedic Surgery?

BACKGROUND: Unplanned reoperation rates represent an important metric in monitoring quality in orthopedic surgery. Previous studies have focused on 30-day reoperation rates, not accounting for complications that may arise beyond this time. This study aimed to understand the frequency, timing, and procedure type of orthopedic reoperations, as well as the complications leading up to these reoperations over a 1-year period. METHODS: A single-center, retrospective cohort study reviewed all orthopedic surgeries performed within a three-year period and subsequently identified reoperations within a year following the initial case. Exclusion criteria for reoperations included those that were planned, involved a different body part, or had a different laterality from the first operation. The cases were analyzed by procedure type, timing of reoperation, and causes of reoperation. RESULTS: Of the 10,449 orthopedic surgeries performed between 2012 and 2015, 947 (9.1%) were unplanned reoperations within 1 year. Most (775; 81.8%) unplanned reoperations occurred after 30 days. Infections/wound complications (58.2%) were the most common reason for unplanned reoperations at 1 month from the initial operation, and mechanical complications (49.5%) predominated at the 6-months-to-1-year time frame. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the current paradigm of focusing on reoperations occurring within 30 days of the initial operation captures only a fraction of unplanned reoperations. Stratification of this metric by time and precipitating complication type provides additional information that quality improvement programs may target. A 1-year unplanned reoperation rate could be used as a broad indicator of surgical quality across institutions.

The Clinical Utility of Additional Axillary and Velpeau Radiographs in the Evaluation of Suspected Shoulder Trauma.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical utility of additional axillary or Velpeau views in evaluating potential shoulder trauma after a standard radiograph series of anteroposterior, Grashey, and/or trans-scapular views. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Level I academic medical center. PATIENTS: All patients in a 10-year span who received an initial shoulder radiograph series followed by additional axillary/Velpeau views within 24 hours. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The clinical utility of the additional axillary/Velpeau views, including the final diagnosis and treatment plan, as ascertained through examination of radiology reports, progress notes, and radiograph images. RESULTS: A total of 271 cases were reviewed, with 35 patients being excluded from the final cohort because they received post-treatment radiographs to confirm a successful therapeutic outcome. The additional axillary/Velpeau views did not affect clinical decision making in 230 (97.5%) of the remaining 236 cases. All 6 patients whose care benefitted from the additional views carried the diagnosis of shoulder instability, accounting for 40% of this diagnostic group. The additional views confirmed an equivocal finding in 5 of these 6 cases and changed the diagnosis (demonstrating a posterior dislocation that was not evident on initial radiographs) and treatment plan (leading to a closed glenohumeral reduction procedure) in the other case. CONCLUSIONS: Additional axillary/Velpeau views of suspected shoulder trauma rarely led to a change in the final treatment plan, except in patients in which a definitive diagnosis of stability or instability could not be made based on initial radiographs. A cost/benefit analysis is required to weigh the cost of additional radiographs with the benefit of capturing infrequent yet serious dislocations (usually posterior). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.