Incidence and Surgical Management of Simultaneous Bilateral Retinal Detachment.

BACKGROUND: Simultaneous bilateral retinal detachment (RD) is very rare and its incidence has not been very well characterised. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective review of RD cases treated at the Jules Gonin Eye Hospital between 1999 and 2010. RESULTS: Over the 11 year period, 10 patients (20 eyes) with simultaneous bilateral RD were identified (average incidence among RD= 0.9 %). Mean age: 46.4 ± 17.6 years, with a M : F Ratio of 6 : 4. Pseudophakia was present in 10 eyes and myopia ≥-5.0 dioptres in 11 eyes. Visual symptoms were unilateral in 7 patients, bilateral in 2 patients and absent in one patient. RD was macula-on in 15 eyes and macula-off in 5 eyes. Atrophic holes were present in 11 eyes, U-tears in 6 eyes and a combination in 3 eyes. Primary surgery consisted of buckle surgery (11 eyes), vitrectomy (6 eyes) and combines technique (3 eyes). The final anatomical success rate was 100 %. Mean follow-up time was 22.7 ± 4.95 months. CONCLUSION: The incidence of bilateral simultaneous RD appears to be very low and surgical success rates are excellent. Bilateral pre-operative dilated fundoscopy is mandatory, as the majority of patients have unilateral symptoms.

Pseudophakic Retinal Detachment Surgery by 23 G Vitrectomy using Slit-Lamp and Non-Contact 90 D Lens.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to report the anatomic and functional results of primary 23 G vitrectomy using slit-lamp and non-contact 90 D lens for the treatment of pseudophakic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Pseudophakic eyes were operated by 23 G vitrectomy using slit-lamp and non-contact 90 D lens, internal subretinal fluid drainage, cryopexy and internal gas tamponade. The preoperative and postoperative characteristics were analysed. Main outcome measures were anatomic success rates after initial surgical intervention and after reoperation for primary failures, visual outcome at the last follow-up visit, and complications. RESULTS: 46 pseudophakic eyes were included in this retrospective study (October 2013- January 2014). In 40 cases, sulfur hexafluoride 23% gastamponade was used, silicone oil in 6 cases (13%). The retina was reattached successfully after a single surgery in 44 eyes (96%). Recurrence of retinal detachment occurred in 2 eyes. Final anatomic reattachment was obtained in 100% after a second operation. Silicone oil was removed in all eyes. Visual acuity improved significantly from logMAR 0 (IQR 0-0.9) to logMAR 0 (IQR 0-0.2) (p<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Primary 23 G vitrectomy using slit-lamp and non contact 90 D lens for the treatment of pseudophakic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment provides a high anatomic and functional success rate and is associated with few complications.

Visual acuity after vitrectomy and epiretinal membrane peeling with or without premacular indocyanine green injection.

PURPOSE: To compare postoperative visual acuity of eyes operated for an epiretinal membrane (ERM), with or without intraoperative intraocular indocyanine green (ICG) injection. METHODS: Retrospective study of 75 pseudophakic eyes with epiretinal membrane operated by vitrectomy-peeling. In 20 cases operated in 2001 and 2002 (Group 1), ICG diluted in 5% glucose solution was injected intraoperatively into the vitreous. In another group of 55 cases operated between 1996 and 1999 (Group 2), ICG was not used. RESULTS: The mean visual acuity was 0.32(+1) and 0.32(+2) preoperatively, 0.4(+2) and 0.5 at 1 month, and 0.63 and 0.63(+2) on the final examination in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Visual acuities were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Premacular injection of ICG during vitrectomy to facilitate epiretinal membrane peeling did not appear to compromise postoperative improvement of visual acuity. However, its use is questioned since it did not yield better postoperative results and because potential toxic adverse reactions could not be excluded by this study.

T-Flux implant versus Healon GV in deep sclerectomy.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and safety of T-Flux implant versus Healon GV in deep sclerectomy. METHODS: Randomized prospective trial of 23 eyes of 20 patients with medically uncontrolled open angle glaucoma over a period of 24 months, who underwent deep sclerectomy with either Healon GV or T-Flux implant. RESULTS: Mean postoperative intraocular pressure was 13.2 +/- 3.0 mm Hg with T-Flux implant (group 1) and 12.2 +/- 3.5 mm Hg with Healon GV (group 2), with a pressure reduction of 53.0% in group 1 (13.2 mm Hg vs. 28.1 mm Hg) and of 48.1% in group 2 (12.2 mm Hg vs. 23.5 mm Hg). Qualified and complete successes were 100% and 95.4% respectively. Pressures equal to or less than 15 mm Hg were 81.8% in group 1 and 90.9% in group 2 with or without treatment, and 63.6% in group 1 and 81.8% in group 2 without treatment. The number of glaucoma treatments dropped from 2.5 +/- 0.9 to 0.4 +/- 0.7 in group 1 and from 2.2 +/- 1.0 to 0.2 +/- 0.4 in group 2. The goniopuncture rate was 63.6% in group 1 and 36.4% in group 2, with a mean pressure drop of 6.1 +/- 3.9 mm Hg and 3.25 +/- 1.2 mm Hg respectively. Overall, slit-lamp diagnosed surgery-related complications included positive Seidel (13.6%), hyphaema (22.7%), choroidal detachment, and iris incarceration (4.5% each). At 2 years, ultrasound biomicroscopy showed mainly low reflective (40.1%) and flattened (36.4%) blebs. Principally latter ones were associated with the need for adjunctive treatment. A hypoechoic area in the suprachoroidal space was seen in at least 59.1% of eyes at 2 years and was not associated with lower intraocular pressure. CONCLUSION: Deep sclerectomy is an effective and safe surgery. However, longer follow up and larger study groups are required to assess the additional benefit of nonabsorbable implants.

Vitrectomy in the management of uveitis.

OBJECTIVE: To review the indications for vitrectomy in uveitis cases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Charts of patients seen at the uveitis clinic of the Jules Gonin Eye Hospital from January 1993 to August 1998 and who had undergone vitrectomy were reviewed. Patients with infectious uveitis occurring within three months after intraocular cataract surgery were excluded. The types of uveitis were recorded and indications for vitrectomy were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 630 patients were examined at the uveitis clinic. Fifty-one of these patients (51 eyes, 8.1%) were referred for vitrectomy and were included in this study. Vitrectomy was performed for three reasons: 1) to treat the complications of uveitis (90%), including vitreous opacification in 35 eyes (69%), retinal detachment in seven eyes (14%), epimacular membrane in seven eyes (14%), and dense opacification of the posterior capsule after cataract surgery in six eyes (12%)(the mean delay between uveitis and vitrectomy in this group was 8.4 years); 2) for diagnostic purposes in 19 eyes (37%); and 3) to remove confined infectious foci in 16 eyes (31%) and allow a thorough intraocular distribution of antibiotics. Visual acuity improved in 41 patients (80.4%), remained unchanged in three (5.8%), and decreased in seven (13.7%) because of secondary or persistent retinal detachment or cystoid macular edema. CONCLUSION: Vitrectomy was indicated to treat the complications of uveitis, to provide vitreous for diagnostic purposes, and to allow a better diffusion of intraocular antibiotics. Long-standing uveitis did not seem to be influenced by vitrectomy.

Transscleral diathermy: an additional tool in the management of retinal detachment due to posterior breaks in highly myopic eyes.

PURPOSE: To investigate the usefulness of transscleral diathermy for the treatment of retinal detachment due to breaks located at the posterior pole in areas of advanced chorioretinal atrophy or staphyloma in highly myopic eyes. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of seven consecutive patients who were operated on between 1984 and 1994 and for whom transscleral diathermy was used during intraocular retinal reattachment surgery to reduce posterior staphyloma. Mean refraction of the seven eyes was -24 diopters (range -16 to -35 diopters). RESULTS: After surgery, which included diathermy, the retina was reattached in six eyes (86%) that also had undergone vitrectomy and silicone oil tamponade, but remained detached in one eye (14%) that had undergone pneumopexy and diathermy; in this eye, the retina was subsequently reattached after vitrectomy and silicone oil injection. Silicone oil was removed from all seven eyes after a mean duration of 2.5 months. During a mean follow-up of 3 years, a recurrent retinal detachment developed in one eye 8 months after silicone oil removal. This retina was reattached after reinjection of silicone oil. CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of retinal detachment in highly myopic eyes, closure of posterior holes in areas of advanced chorioretinal atrophy or staphyloma can be achieved by transscleral diathermy in conjunction with vitrectomy and temporary silicone oil tamponade. The main benefit of transscleral diathermy results from its posterior pole scleral buckling effect due to shrinkage of the sclera.

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after treatment of retinoblastoma.

PURPOSE: To determine the rate of retinal detachment after treatment of retinoblastoma, to describe the clinical features and management, and to discuss possible pathogenic mechanisms. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the charts of 80 patients (83 eyes) with retinoblastoma treated conservatively between 1963 and 1994, looking specifically for cases that developed a retinal detachment after treatment. RESULTS: Five patients (5 eyes, stages IVa to Vb) developed a retinal detachment after treatment. Of these, four had undergone external radiotherapy and one had an episcleral cobalt plaque. Retinal detachment developed within three months after radiotherapy and relentlessly progressed in all four eyes over a period of five months to four years. In the eye that received the episcleral cobalt plaque, the detachment remained localized inferiorly. Even though no retinal break could be detected in four eyes, the clinical features were suggestive of a rhegmatogenous detachment: there was retinal thinning adjacent to the regressed tumors, and the evolution was much longer than that of an exudative retinal detachment. A scleral buckling procedure was performed in two eyes and the retina was successfully reattached. The retinal detachment was not operated on in the three other eyes: the hole was too posterior in one eye; retinal surgery was refused in the second eye; and the retinal detachment remained localized inferiorly in the third eye. CONCLUSION: A retinal detachment developed in 6% of eyes after conservative treatment of retinoblastoma. The possibility of a rhegmatogenous origin should be considered even if no retinal break is detected. In the absence of tumor activity, a scleral buckling repair could be carefully considered if the retinal detachment threatens the macula, and if its evolution is not indicative of an exudative detachment.

Combined surgery for cataract and glaucoma: phacoemulsification and deep sclerectomy compared with phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy.

PURPOSE: To compare the outcome of phacoemulsification-intraocular lens (IOL) implantation combined with nonperforating deep sclerectomy (P-DS) with that of phacoemulsification-IOL implantation combined with trabeculectomy (P-T). SETTING: Glaucoma Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland. METHODS: This prospective study involved 60 eyes of 60 patients with cataract and various types of open-angle glaucoma. Thirty eyes had P-DS and 30, P-T. Follow-up was performed at regular intervals for up to 18 months. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 12.5 months +/- 6.5 (SD) and 12.6 +/- 4.9 months for the P-DS and P-T groups, respectively. Mean preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was similar in both groups (24.8 +/- 5.9 mm Hg in the P-DS group and 24.6 +/- 7.2 mm Hg in the P-T group). There was no statistically significant difference in IOP decrease (14.2 +/- 4.0 mm Hg in the P-DS group and 15.2 +/- 2.8 mm Hg in the P-T group). Visual outcome was similar in both groups. The P-DS group experienced significantly less inflammation (40.0% versus 83.0%; P = .0012) and hyphema (6.7% versus 36.7%; P = .010) than the P-T group. CONCLUSION: Deep sclerectomy combined with cataract surgery resulted in an IOP reduction similar to that with phacotrabeculectomy with the same visual outcome, but the lower complication rate makes ambulatory care easier.

[Surgical treatment of retinal detachment in pseudophakia: comparison between vitrectomy and scleral buckling]. / Traitement chirurgical du décollement de rétine chez le pseudophaque: comparaison entre la vitrectomie et la compression épisclérale.

OBJECTIVE: For the primary treatment of pseudophakic retinal detachment, vitrectomy could be preferred to episcleral buckle because it does not induce myopia, it clears opacities of the posterior capsule and/or of the vitreous and allows a good visualization of the fundus. This study was determined to compare the anatomic and functional results of vitrectomy and episcleral buckle. METHODS: from 1990 to 1995, 93 pseudophakic eyes were operated on for retinal detachment. 75 eyes were treated with episcleral buckle (group I) and 18 eyes were treated with vitrectomy (group II). In the latter group, 4 eyes had a giant tear, and 4 other eyes had a macular hole associated with high myopia. The anatomic and functional results were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The retina was reattached with one operation in 67 eyes of group I (89%) and 16 of group II (89%). More than one month after the first operation, the retina redetached in 6 eyes of Group I (8%) and one eye of group II (6%). The causes of failure were a) new or missed retinal tears [Group I: 10 eyes (13%), group II: 3 eyes (17%)] and b) vitreoretinal proliferation (group I: 4 eyes, group II: 0). The number of subsequent reoperations for failures or recurrences was higher in group I than in group II. At the final examination, the retina was attached in 73 eyes of group I (97%) and in 18 eyes of group II (100%). The Kruskal-Wallis test did not detect any difference between the two groups concerning the pre- or postoperative visual acuities. CONCLUSION: Vitrectomy seems as effective as episcleral buckle for the treatment of pseudophakic retinal detachment and offers additional advantages.

[Surgery of sub-foveal neovascular membranes]. / Chirurgie des membranes néovasculaires sous favéolaires.

BACKGROUND: To present the functional, angiographic and electron microscopic results of 3 patients who underwent surgical removal of a subfoveolar neovascularisation. These patients are representative of the most common indications for subfoveolar surgery. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In one case, the neovascularization originated from an old chorioretinal scar close to the macula; in another case, it was associated with high myopia; in the last case the neovascularization was coupled with an age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). The 3 removal neovascular membranes were examined by electron microscopy. Indocyanine green and fluorescein angiographies were performed in all 3 cases before and after surgery. RESULTS: Visual recovery was excellent in the case of neovasularization and old chorioretinitis scar; it was minimal in the case of high myopia; no objective improvement was found in the case of ARMD. Electron microscopic examination did not always allow to determine accurately if the neovascularization was located in the subretinal space or under the pigment epthelium. CONCLUSIONS: These results match those already published: surgical prognosis is the best when neovascularization is in the subretinal space and when the pigment epithelium has not been damaged by the underlying disease or by the surgical maneuvers. Electron microscopic examination is not easy to interpret.

[Interleukin 10 and chronic vitritis in a case of ocular lymphoma]. / Interleukine-10 et vitrite chronique dans un cas de lymphome oculaire.

The authors report on a 46 year-old patient who presented with a chronic unilateral vitritis. A diagnosis of cerebral lymphoma was made 4 years earlier and a maxillary sinus recurrence was treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A vitrectomy was performed and the level of Interleukin-10, a lymphoma cells growth factor, was found very high, giving a clue for the lymphomatous cause of the vitritis.

Subretinal lesions following a scleral buckling procedure.

Pigment epithelial detachment is usually associated with disorders of the underlying Bruch's membrane and choroid in a context of age-related macular degeneration. In a very few cases, lesions resembling pigment epithelial detachment have been reported after retinal reattachment surgery. We observed an additional case who presented deep lesions several weeks after a scleral buckling procedure for retinal detachment. The lesions, all located posteriorly at the edge of the reattached retina, appeared to be subretinal, well circumscribed and yellowish with a normal overlying retina. All exhibited the typical biomicroscopic features of focal detachment of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) but failed to show, throughout the angiogram, the typical fluorescein pooling of the classic pigment epithelial detachment. This suggests that these lesions, though simulating RPE detachments, represent focal pockets of subretinal fluid.

[Laser treatment of macular holes]. / Traitement au laser des trous maculaires.

OBJECTIVE: To study a new technic of laser treatment of macular holes. METHODS: 21 eyes with stage II-IV macular hole were treated with Argon-green laser. Pigment epithelium in the area of the hole was whitened with spots of 100-200 microns, 100-300 mW. We expected this treatment to create a cellular proliferation that could close and contract the hole. Follow-up after treatment ranged from 3 to 24 months (mean: 9.3 months). RESULTS: Within one month after treatment, the macular hole was closed in 7 eyes (33%) and partially closed in 5 eyes (24%). The visual acuity increased from 1 to 5 lignes (ETDRS chart) in 9 eyes (43%), it remained the same in 9 eyes (43%) and decreased from 1 to 2 lignes in 3 eyes (14%). CONCLUSION: Laser treatment of macular holes seems to be effective and could be proposed as an alternative to the patients who cannot be operated on by vitrectomy and gas tamponade.

A new device for noncontact wide-angle viewing of the fundus during vitrectomy.

Noncontact wide-angle viewing of the fundus during vitrectomy has heretofore relied on an image inverter and a 90-diopter lens fixed with a tube under the microscope. A new device in which the 90-diopter lens is not connected to the microscope but, rather, is connected to an independent support system is described. This device offers many advantages: (1) focusing on the various parts of the eye during vitreous surgery need not be done manually but is achieved by the up or down movement of the microscope, (2) translation of the microscope is easier during tilting of the eye, (3) a lateral slit-lamp can be easily added for illumination of the fundus, and (4) there is no risk that the 90-diopter lens will touch the cornea.

[Retinal detachment and laser drainage]. / Décollement rétinien et drainage au laser.

OBJECTIVE: To compare laser and 30G needle perforation of the choroid for drainage of subretinal fluid. METHOD: Hundred and six cases of retinal detachment were operated on by episcleral buckle, retinopexy and external drainage of subretinal fluid. After radial sclerotomy, the choroid was perforated in 53 cases with Argon laser (group I) and in 53 other cases with 30G needle (group II). Complications were compared between both groups. RESULTS: Group I (laser drainage): In one of 53 eyes (1.8%), a retinal perforation occurred. In this eye, the retinal detachment was shallow. In an other eye (1.8%), retinal perforation occurred secondary to incarceration of the retina at the drainage site. Two eyes (3.6%) had limited hemorrhage at the drainage site. Group II (30G needle drainage): Three of 53 eyes (3.6%) had direct retinal perforation, and three (3.6%) had perforation secondary to retinal incarceration at the drainage site. Seven eyes (13.2%) had subretinal hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Laser is safer than 30G needle for perforation of the choroid and drainage of subretinal fluid, and is associated with a lower incidence of retinal perforations and subretinal hemorrhages.