Bicanalicular Intubation with the Kaneka Lacriflow for Proximal Lacrimal Drainage System Stenosis.

PURPOSE: The Kaneka Lacriflow CL (Lacriflow) bicanalicular lacrimal intubation system was evaluated as a self-retaining alternative to traditional modalities for stenting and dilation of the lacrimal drainage system in proximal lacrimal drainage system stenosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted to assess the use of the Lacriflow system for treatment of patients with punctal and canalicular stenosis. Anesthesia type, operative time, and complications were assessed. RESULTS: In the time period evaluated, a total of 72 Lacriflow stents were placed in 45 patients, most commonly under intravenous sedation. Stents were left in place for a mean of 145 days, with 9 stents left in place for more than 1 year, and a mean follow-up time of 263 days. Early complications within 90 days included prolapse in 1 stent, symptomatic colonization for 2 stents, and corneal abrasion in 1 stent in a patient with anterior basement membrane dystrophy. Five additional stents developed colonization in the late postoperative period (four of which were more than 1 year after stent placement). The overall complication rate (per stent) at 3 months after surgery was 5.6% and at all follow-up time points was 13.9%. Operative times were significantly shorter for a cohort of patients undergoing bicanalicular intubation with the Ritleng system (P = 0.015). CONCLUSION: The Lacriflow bicanalicular stent can be easily placed without general anesthesia. Complication rates are comparable to other bicanalicular intubation systems, but increase with longer time that stents are left in place.

Effects of collagen crosslinking on porcine and human tarsal plate.

BACKGROUND: Floppy eyelid syndrome is a disorder in which the tarsal plate is easily distensible and is currently treated with conservative or surgical measures. Human tarsal plate contains type I collagen, which is crosslinked in corneal tissue as a treatment for keratoconus. We hypothesized that collagen crosslinking would similarly stiffen tarsal plate tissue and investigated this in porcine and human tarsal plate specimens. METHODS: Riboflavin-sensitized porcine and human tarsus samples were irradiated with ultraviolet-A light. Porcine experiments were analyzed with gross photographs, anterior segment optical computed tomography (AS-OCT) imaging, and tensile testing. A prospective study of human tarsus was performed on samples from patients undergoing wedge resection for floppy eyelid syndrome and was analyzed with AS-OCT and tensile testing. RESULTS: 73 porcine adnexa and 9 patients (16 eyelids) who underwent wedge excision were included in the study. Grossly, greater stiffness was observed in crosslinked porcine tissue. AS-OCT imaging in porcine tissue showed a distinct hyperreflective band in crosslinked specimens whose area and intensity increased with longer treatment time (P = 0.003); this band was also visible in crosslinked human specimens. Tensile testing was performed, but results were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: AS-OCT imaging, which has not been previously described for tarsal plate, showed a characteristic change in crosslinked porcine and human specimens. Tissue stiffness was increased grossly, but changes in tensile properties were not statistically significant. Further study is warranted to determine relevance as a potential treatment for floppy eyelid syndrome.

Practice Patterns in Orbital Decompression Surgery Among American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Members.

INTRODUCTION: Orbital decompression surgery for thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) has evolved greatly over the past decades with the development of new surgical techniques and strategies for patient management. However, randomized controlled trials comparing surgical approaches are lacking. The goal of this study was to report the current preferred practices among American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic Surgeons (ASOPRS) members for orbital decompression surgery for TAO, including surgical techniques and perioperative patient management. METHODS: An anonymous electronic survey consisting of 21 questions was sent to the current membership of the ASOPRS, leading to 170 responses in total (response rate: 23.7%). Questions regarding preoperative and postoperative care as well as surgical technique were included. RESULTS: 54.2% of the respondents prefer two-wall surgery as their initial procedure of choice. Of these, 53.8% prefer balanced lateral and medial decompression as the two-walled procedure of choice, and 44.0% prefer the orbital floor and medial wall. Steroids are routinely used preoperatively by 35.9% and postoperatively by 69.2%. Antibiotics are used preoperatively by 32.9% and postoperatively by 56.4% of respondents. CONCLUSION: Practice patterns for orbital decompression surgery continue to vary widely among ASOPRS members, but balanced medial and lateral wall decompression has gained in popularity as compared to prior studies. Postoperative steroids are preferred by a majority of members.

Correction of Lower Eyelid Retraction with En Glove Placement of Porcine Dermal Collagen Matrix Implant.

The authors conducted a retrospective case series of patients undergoing a lateral tarsal strip procedure with "en glove" placement of an acellular porcine dermal collagen matrix for correction of mild to moderate lower eyelid retraction. A detailed description of this minimally invasive technique with retrospective analysis of outcomes is provided. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:: Therapeutic, IV.

Uveal Ganglioneuroma due to Germline PTEN Mutation (Cowden Syndrome) Presenting as Unilateral Infantile Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: Uveal ganglioneuroma is a rare tumor that usually occurs in association with neurofibromatosis type 1. Here, we present a rare case of a uveal ganglioneuroma leading to a diagnosis of the tumor predisposition condition Cowden syndrome. PROCEDURES: A 5-year-old girl with unilateral refractory glaucoma secondary to diffuse iris and choroidal thickening developed a blind, painful eye. Enucleation was performed, and histopathology revealed infiltration of the entire uveal tract by neoplastic spindle cells containing admixed ganglion cells diagnostic of uveal ganglioneuroma. Targeted next-generation sequencing of 510 cancer-associated genes was performed on tumor tissue and peripheral blood. RESULTS: A germline nonsense mutation in the PTEN gene was found, accompanied by loss of heterozygosity in the tumor. A diagnosis of Cowden syndrome was made, for which the family sought genetic counseling and initiated the recommended cancer screening. CONCLUSIONS: A novel association is found between uveal ganglioneuroma and Cowden syndrome, emphasizing the value of genetic tissue testing in managing patients with rare ocular tumors.

Paranasal Sinus Mucocele as a Late Complication of Dacryocystorhinostomy.

A 50-year-old female presented with a slowly enlarging painless mass of the right medial canthus. The past surgical history is significant for external dacryocystorhinostomy for acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction 10 years prior and subsequent endoscopic and external revisions. Imaging revealed a large fronto-ethmoidal sinus mucocele extending into the right medial orbit. On surgical exploration, the right middle turbinate was found to have lateralized, obstructing sinus outflow. The mucocele was evacuated and ethmoidectomy and middle turbinectomy were performed. The patient did well postoperatively without recurrence at 6 months of follow-up. Sinus mucocele formation is a rare, late complication of lacrimal surgery.

Lacrimal Sac Smooth Muscle Tumor of Uncertain Malignant Potential.

A 13-year-old male presented with recurrent left nasolacrimal duct obstruction following endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy 4 years prior at an outside institution. The past medical history was significant for stage IV neuroblastoma, diagnosed at age 2, requiring surgical resection, induction chemotherapy, autologous bone marrow transplantation and radiation, currently in remission. Preoperative CT scan demonstrated a 2 cm ovoid mass centered in the left lacrimal fossa, consistent with dacryocystocele; however, a solid tumor could not be ruled out. Subsequent surgical exploration of the lacrimal sac revealed a friable, solid mass filling the lacrimal sac, and extending into the duct. The mass was grossly resected with preservation of the lacrimal drainage system and placement of indwelling silicone stents. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential. The patient remained free of epiphora and showed no clinical or radiographic evidence of recurrence at 6 months of follow up.

External Validation of the Liverpool Uveal Melanoma Prognosticator Online.

PURPOSE: To validate the Liverpool Uveal Melanoma Prognosticator Online (LUMPO) in a cohort of patients treated at the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF). METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of 390 patients treated between 2002 and 2007 for choroidal melanoma at UCSF. Similar patients (n = 1175) treated at the Liverpool Ocular Oncology Centre (LOOC) were included in the study. The data were analyzed using the model previously developed for LUMPO, an online prognostication tool combining multiple prognostic factors. Main outcome measures included all-cause mortality and melanoma-specific mortality. Reliability of the survival estimates in each group of patients was indicated by the C-indices of discrimination and Hosmer-Lemeshow test. RESULTS: Patients treated at UCSF tended to be younger with thicker tumors, and were more likely to receive proton beam radiotherapy as primary treatment compared to patients at LOOC. There were no significance differences with respect to ciliary body involvement, melanoma cytomorphology, and mitotic counts between the two groups. Death occurred in 140/390 (35%) patients from UCSF and 409/1175 (34%) patients from LOOC, with no difference in overall mortality by Kaplan-Meier analysis (log rank test, P = 0.503). For all-cause mortality and melanoma-specific mortality, the C-index of discrimination and Hosmer-Lemeshow test at 5 years after treatment indicated good discrimination performance of the model, with no statistically significant difference between observed and predicted survival. CONCLUSIONS: Despite differences between the two cohorts, external validation in patients treated at UCSF indicates that LUMPO estimated the all-cause and melanoma-specific mortality well.

Delayed periocular hemorrhage after upper blepharoplasty.

Periocular and orbital hemorrhage are rare complications of blepharoplasty, with a reported incidence of 0.055%. These complications are even less common more than 48 h after surgery. The authors report 2 cases of postoperative hemorrhage 5 and 8 days following uncomplicated upper blepharoplasty in which the initiating factor seems to have been uncontrolled hypertension. Details of the presentation, management and follow-up of each patient are described. These cases serve as an important reminder that patients must be appropriately counseled regarding the postoperative implications of their systemic conditions.