Hydronephrotic lower moiety of duplex systems: Observations using diuresis renography.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to characterize the prevalence and behavior of hydronephrosis of non-refluxing lower moiety of duplex kidneys using MAG-3 diuresis renography. We compare our data to previous case series and ureteropelvic junction obstruction of single systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An IRB-approved database of over 5000 diuresis renograms performed in 2025 patients was queried to identify cases of hydronephrosis of lower moiety of duplex kidneys suspicious for ureteropelvic obstruction, excluding those with hydroureter or reflux. Kidney function and post-furosemide drainage parameters on initial and follow-up diuresis renograms were recorded. Medical records and patient outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: In total, 19 renal units were identified in 18 patients (11 male, 7 female), age range 0.5 months to 17.8 years, including one patient with bilateral lower moiety hydronephrosis. Initial diuresis renograms in 12 asymptomatic patients (13 renal units) with antenatal hydronephrosis demonstrated varying drainage patterns from normal to obstructed. Follow-up studies showed worsening drainage in 3 patients, who all underwent surgery. Drainage improved in 4 patients and remained unchanged in 5 patients (6 renal units). Of the 6 patients presenting with Dietl's crisis, 5 showed obstructive drainage on initial diuresis renogram, 2/5 with decreased function. All 5 obstructed patients underwent surgery. CONCLUSION: Hydronephrosis of the lower moiety of a duplex system is rare and behaves similarly to single systems. The majority are diagnosed antenatally, display a dynamic nature, and may present with acute obstruction. Diuresis renography is a valuable tool in its evaluation and management.

Acute, Treatment-Naïve Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion in Younger Individuals: Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes.

Purpose: To compare the risk factors and clinical outcomes in patients younger than 50 years with acute, treatment-naïve branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) with outcomes in patients 50 years or older. Methods: Patients diagnosed with acute, treatment-naïve BRVO at Duke Eye Center over a 9.5-year period who had BRVO with onset 3 months or less before presentation, BRVO with macular involvement, and 12 months or more of follow-up were included. Demographic data, presenting clinical features, risk factors, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes were extracted during a retrospective review of medical records. Results: Of 302 patients identified, 23 were younger than 50 years (younger group) and 279 were 50 years or older (older group). Compared with older patients, younger patients had similar rates of hypertension (P = .275), diabetes mellitus (P = 1.000), smokers (P = .787), and open-angle glaucoma (P = .628). The younger group had a lower rate of hyperlipidemia than the older group (35% vs 59%) (P = .028). The 2 groups had similar presenting logMAR visual acuities (VAs) in the BRVO eye (P = .131). At the final follow-up, younger patients had significantly better logMAR VA in the BRVO-affected eye than older patients (mean 0.51 ± 0.65 vs 1.01 ± 1.20) (P = .016). The 2 groups had similar treatment burdens at 1 year (P = .516) and at the final follow-up (P = .782). Conclusions: Younger patients with acute, treatment-naïve BRVO have similar risk factors and treatment patterns as older patients, except for a lower rate of hyperlipidemia. Younger patients with BRVO may have similar presenting VA as older BRVO patients but better final VA, suggesting that age may be a potential prognostic factor.

Transcutaneous retrobulbar amphotericin B for rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis: a multi-center retrospective comparative study.

PURPOSE: To assess whether transcutaneous retrobulbar amphotericin B injections (TRAMB) reduce exenteration rate without increasing mortality in rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM). METHODS: In this retrospective case-control study, 46 patients (51 eyes) with biopsy-proven ROCM were evaluated at 9 tertiary care institutions from 1998 to 2021. Patients were stratified by radiographic evidence of local orbital versus extensive involvement at presentation. Extensive involvement was defined by MRI or CT evidence of abnormal or loss of contrast enhancement of the orbital apex with or without cavernous sinus, bilateral orbital, or intracranial extension. Cases (+TRAMB) received TRAMB as adjunctive therapy while controls (-TRAMB) did not. Patient survival, globe survival, and vision/motility loss were compared between +TRAMB and -TRAMB groups. A generalized linear mixed effects model including demographic and clinical covariates was used to evaluate the impact of TRAMB on orbital exenteration and disease-specific mortality. RESULTS: Among eyes with local orbital involvement, exenteration was significantly lower in the +TRAMB group (1/8) versus -TRAMB (8/14) (p = 0.04). No significant difference in mortality was observed between the ±TRAMB groups. Among eyes with extensive involvement, there was no significant difference in exenteration or mortality rates between the ±TRAMB groups. Across all eyes, the number of TRAMB injections correlated with a statistically significant decreased rate of exenteration (p = 0.048); there was no correlation with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ROCM with local orbital involvement treated with adjunctive TRAMB demonstrated a lower exenteration rate and no increased risk of mortality. For extensive involvement, adjunctive TRAMB does not improve or worsen these outcomes.

Contextual Factors Influencing the Implementation of a Multifaceted Intervention to Improve Teamwork and Quality for Hospitalized Patients: A Multisite Qualitative Comparative Case Study.

BACKGROUND: Many hospitals have begun to implement models that combine interventions to redesign care for medical patients. These models include localization of physicians to specific units, nurse-physician co-leadership, and interprofessional rounds. Understanding contextual factors, the circumstances surrounding an implementation effort that influence its success, is essential to provide guidance to leaders implementing similar models of care. METHODS: A multisite qualitative comparative case study was conducted with four hospitals in the REdesigning SystEms to Improve Teamwork and Quality for Hospitalized Patients (RESET) study. Researchers conducted observations and semistructured interviews with 40 health care professionals and four implementation mentors. Researchers used inductive qualitative content analysis, reviewed fidelity of implementation trends, and performed cross-case analysis to identify contextual factors and their influence on implementation. RESULTS: Four contextual factors were associated with implementation success: (1) senior hospital leader involvement and organizational support; (2) alignment of RESET with organizational, hospital, and professional group priorities; (3) site leaders' engagement in RESET and relationship with one another; and (4) perceptions of need and intervention benefits among professionals. Implementation was optimal when senior leadership was stable and tangibly involved; organizational, hospital, and group goals were aligned; site leaders were committed and collaborated well; and nurses and physicians perceived a need for and benefits from the interventions. CONCLUSION: Four interrelated contextual factors are associated with the implementation of combined interventions to redesign care for hospitalized medical patients. Hospital leaders should consider these findings prior to implementing similar interventions and be prepared to address challenges related to these factors during implementation.

Orbital biopsy findings consistent with granulomatosis polyangiitis in a 14-year-old boy with Crohn's disease.

Both granulomatous polyangiitis (GPA) and Crohn's disease (CD) can cause orbital inflammation though rarely coincide and can often be differentiated by presenting features and histological findings. Here, we report the clinical and therapeutic course of a 14-year-old White male with binocular diplopia caused by orbital myositis. Imaging and biopsy obtained at presentation revealed necrosis and necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis suspicious for GPA. He subsequently developed gastrointestinal symptoms and terminal ileitis consistent with CD. Orbital symptoms responded well to high-dose steroids and remained quiet on methotrexate maintenance therapy. While clinical history, thorough physical exam, and complete laboratory work-up are essential in the management of pediatric orbital myositis, orbital biopsy can prove critical for diagnosis and suitable treatment strategy.

Effect of Complementary Interventions to Redesign Care on Teamwork and Quality for Hospitalized Medical Patients : A Pragmatic Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Multiple challenges impede interprofessional teamwork and the provision of high-quality care to hospitalized patients. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of interventions to redesign hospital care delivery on teamwork and patient outcomes. DESIGN: Pragmatic controlled trial. Hospitals selected 1 unit for implementation of interventions and a second to serve as a control. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03745677). SETTING: Medical units at 4 U.S. hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Health care professionals and hospitalized medical patients. INTERVENTION: Mentored implementation of unit-based physician teams, unit nurse-physician coleadership, enhanced interprofessional rounds, unit-level performance reports, and patient engagement activities. MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcomes were teamwork climate among health care professionals and adverse events experienced by patients. Secondary outcomes were length of stay (LOS), 30-day readmissions, and patient experience. Difference-in-differences (DID) analyses of patient outcomes compared intervention versus control units before and after implementation of interventions. RESULTS: Among 155 professionals who completed pre- and postintervention surveys, the median teamwork climate score was higher after than before the intervention only for nurses (n = 77) (median score, 88.0 [IQR, 77.0 to 91.0] vs. 80.0 [IQR, 70.0 to 89.0]; P = 0.022). Among 3773 patients, a greater percentage had at least 1 adverse event after compared with before the intervention on control units (change, 1.61 percentage points [95% CI, 0.01 to 3.22 percentage points]). A similar percentage of patients had at least 1 adverse event after compared with before the intervention on intervention units (change, 0.43 percentage point [CI, -1.25 to 2.12 percentage points]). A DID analysis of adverse events did not show a significant difference in change (adjusted DID, -0.92 percentage point [CI, -2.49 to 0.64 percentage point]; P = 0.25). Similarly, there were no differences in LOS, readmissions, or patient experience. LIMITATION: Adverse events occurred less frequently than anticipated, limiting statistical power. CONCLUSION: Despite improved teamwork climate among nurses, interventions to redesign care for hospitalized patients were not associated with improved patient outcomes. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Longitudinal Assessment of the Choroidal Vascularity Index in Eyes with Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion-Associated Cystoid Macular Edema.

INTRODUCTION: Cystoid macular edema (CME) is the most common cause of central vision loss in eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO eyes). In recent literature, choroidal vascularity index (CVI) has been proposed to be an enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) metric that may help characterize choroidal vascular changes in the setting of retinal ischemia, and potentially prognose visual outcomes and treatment patterns for patients with BRVO-related CME. This study sought to further characterize choroidal vascular changes in BRVO by comparing the CVI, subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), and central subfield thickness (CST) in BRVO eyes with CME compared to unaffected fellow eyes. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study. Subjects included treatment-naïve BRVO eyes with CME diagnosed within 3 months of onset of symptoms and unaffected fellow eyes. EDI-OCT images were collected at baseline and at the 12-month follow-up visit. CVI, SFCT, and CST were measured. Demographics, treatment patterns, and best-corrected visual acuity (VA) were abstracted. Median CVI, SFCT, CST, and VA were compared between the two cohorts. Longitudinal relationships between these variables were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 52 treatment-naïve eyes with BRVO and CME and 48 unaffected fellow eyes were identified. Baseline CVI was lower in eyes with BRVO than in fellow eyes (64.7% vs. 66.4%, P = 0.003). At 12 months, there was no difference in CVI between BRVO eyes and fellow eyes (65.7% vs 65.8%, P = 0.536). In BRVO eyes, there was a strong correlation between reduced CST and improved VA over the 12-month study period (r = 0.671, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There are differences in CVI in treatment-naïve BRVO eyes with CME at presentation compared to fellow eyes, but these differences resolve over time. Anatomic changes in macular thickness in BRVO eyes with CME may be correlated with VA outcomes.

Our study evaluated a novel ocular optical coherence tomography imaging metric, the choroidal vascularity index, in eyes that developed cystoid macular edema, a condition which can significantly impair acuity of central vision, after being diagnosed with branch retinal vein occlusion. In each patient, we compared the choroidal vascularity index in eyes that developed treatment-naïve, newly diagnosed branch retinal vein occlusion with cystoid macular edema to the non-diseased fellow eye. We made comparisons at the time of diagnosis (baseline) and at the 12-month follow up, and analyzed changes over time. We found that at the baseline visit, branch retinal vein occlusion eyes with cystoid macular edema had a significantly lower choroidal vascularity index than their unaffected fellow eyes, but that the differences between eyes resolved by the 12-month follow-up visit. Our findings suggest that choroidal vascularity may be compromised in the acute phase of branch retinal vein occlusion, but that this phenomenon resolves over time. Future research should further evaluate whether imaging characteristics of choroidal vascularity may be associated with changes in anatomic and visual outcomes in retinal diseases.

A Review of Midface Aging.

PURPOSE: To review and summarize studies on the anatomy and involutional changes of the midface. METHODS: A PubMed search was performed searching for studies on the anatomy and involutional changes concerning the midface. RESULTS: The anatomy of the midface is complex. Studies of involutional change vary in scientific quality and have conflicting results. However, it appears that among the more common changes, there is a decrease in the maxillary and pyriform angle, with changes to the orbital floor position. Further, there appears to be an inferior migration of the fat compartments of the midface during aging, exacerbating the hollow of the palpebromalar groove and causing a deepening of the nasojugal groove. Changes to the volume of the buccal extension of the buccal fat pad exacerbate these changes and contribute to the gestalt changes associated with facial aging. Here, we review the major characteristics of soft tissue and bony changes on the midface, with special reference to their anatomic relationships. CONCLUSIONS: The major findings characterizing midface aging are related largely to the soft tissue. However, more robust studies are required to quantify these changes and to appraise their impact on the overall manifestation of aging.

Neonatal neurosonography practices: a survey of active Society for Pediatric Radiology members.

BACKGROUND: While neonatal brain US is emerging as an imaging modality with greater portability, widespread availability and relative lower cost compared to MRI, it is unknown whether US is being maximized in infants to increase sensitivity in detecting intracranial pathology related to common indications such as hemorrhage, ischemia and ventriculomegaly. OBJECTIVE: To survey active members of the Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR) regarding their utilization of various cranial US techniques and reporting practices in neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We distributed an online 10-question survey to SPR members to assess practice patterns of neonatal cranial US including protocol details, use of additional sonographic views, perceived utility of spectral Doppler evaluation, and germinal matrix hemorrhage and ventricular size reporting preferences. RESULTS: Of the 107 institutions represented, 90% of respondents were split evenly between free-standing children's hospitals and pediatric departments attached to a general hospital. We found that most used template reporting (72/107, 67%). The anterior fontanelle approach was standard practice (107/107, 100%). We found that posterior fontanelle views (72% sometimes, rarely or never) and high-frequency linear probes to evaluate far-field structures (52% sometimes, rarely or never) were seldom used. Results revealed a range of ways to report germinal matrix hemorrhage and measure ventricular indices to assess ventricular dilatation. There was substantial intra-institutional protocol and reporting variability as well. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate high variability in neurosonography practice and reporting among active SPR members, aside from the anterior fontanelle views, template reporting and linear high-resolution near-field evaluation. Standardization of reporting germinal matrix hemorrhage and ventricular size would help ensure a more consistent application of neonatal US in research and clinical practice.

Utilization of neonatal sedation and anesthesia: an SPR survey.

BACKGROUND: There is little data regarding the use of sedation and anesthesia for neonatal imaging, with practice patterns varying widely across institutions. OBJECTIVE: To understand the current utilization of sedation and anesthesia for neonatal imaging, and review the current literature and recommendations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One thousand, two hundred twenty-six questionnaire invitations were emailed to North American physician members of the Society for Pediatric Radiology using the Survey Monkey platform. Descriptive statistical analysis of the responses was performed. RESULTS: The final results represented 59 institutions from 26 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces. Discrepant responses from institutions with multiple respondents (13 out of 59 institutions) were prevalent in multiple categories. Of the 80 total respondents, slightly more than half (56%) were associated with children's hospitals and 44% with the pediatric division of an adult radiology department. Most radiologists (70%) were cognizant of the neonatal sedation policies in their departments. A majority (89%) acknowledged awareness of neurotoxicity concerns in the literature and agreed with the validity of these concerns. In neonates undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 46% of respondents reported attempting feed and bundle in all patients and an additional 46% attempt on a case-by-case basis, with most (35%) using a single swaddling attempt before sedation. Sedation was most often used for neonatal interventional procedures (93%) followed by MR (85%), nuclear medicine (48%) and computed tomography (31%). More than half of respondents (63%) reported an average success rate of greater than 50% when using neonatal sedation for MR. CONCLUSION: Current practice patterns, policies and understanding of the use of sedation and anesthesia for neonatal imaging vary widely across institutions in North America, and even among radiologists from the same institution. Our survey highlights the need for improved awareness, education, and standardization at both the institutional level and the societal level. Awareness of the potential for anesthetic neurotoxicity and success of non-pharmacologic approaches to neonatal imaging is crucial, along with education of health care personnel, systematic approaches to quality control and improvement, and integration of evidence-based protocols into clinical practice.

Peripheral Neurectomy With Customized Nerve Reconstruction for Periorbital Neuropathic Pain: Initial Experience and Clinical Outcomes.

PURPOSE: To describe a novel, minimally invasive surgical technique to treat severe, intractable periorbital neuropathic pain. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients with severe, treatment-refractory periorbital pain who underwent transection of affected sensory trigeminal branches with nerve repair was performed. Collected data included etiology and duration of neuropathic pain, comorbidities, prior treatment history, surgical technique including site of transected sensory nerves and type of nerve repair, preoperative and postoperative pain scores as well as follow-up duration. Differences between preoperative and postoperative values were analyzed by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: A total of 5 patients with severe periorbital neuropathic pain underwent transection of affected supraorbital, supratrochlear, infratrochlear, infraorbital, zygomaticotemporal, and zygomaticofacial nerves with customized nerve reconstruction. All 5 had improvement of periorbital pain after surgery, with 3 (60%) noting complete resolution of pain and 2 (40%) experiencing partial pain relief over a median follow-up period of 9 months (interquartile range [IQR], 6-19 months). Of the 3 patients who had complete resolution of pain, all reported continued pain relief. Median McGill pain scores significantly decreased from 8.4 (IQR, 8.2-10.0) preoperatively to 0.0 (IQR, 0.0-4.8; p < 0.001) postoperatively. All patients reported satisfaction with the surgical procedure and stated that they would undergo the procedure again if given the option. One patient with history of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) had reactivation of herpes zoster at postoperative month 3, which was self-limited, without worsening of her neuropathic pain. Another patient with PHN required a staged procedure to achieve complete pain relief. CONCLUSION: Peripheral neurectomy with customized reconstruction of involved sensory nerves can successfully reduce and even eradicate periorbital neuropathic pain that was previously recalcitrant to combination pharmacotherapy and prior neurolysis procedures.

Efficacy of lateral orbital rim decompression in patients with prior rim-sparing, three-wall orbital decompression.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to study the effects of removal of the lateral orbital rim in patients with prior three-wall decompression for thyroid eye disease (TED). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a single-institution retrospective case series of patients presenting with symptoms and signs of residual symptomatic proptosis that had previously undergone three-wall decompression for TED. Data collected included patient age, gender, presenting symptoms, ocular history, proptosis reduction, and complications. RESULTS: Eleven orbits were identified. The mean preoperative exophthalmometry for the operative eye was 24.0 mm with 2.7 mm of relative proptosis. Removal of the lateral orbital rim resulted in a mean reduction in proptosis of 2.5 mm (range: 0.5-5.0 mm, P < 0.001). There was no significant change in diplopia, lagophthalmos, margin reflex distance (MRD) 1, MRD2, or exposure keratopathy. No canthal deformities were noted. All subjects reported satisfaction with functional and cosmetic outcomes of lateral orbital rim removal, and none reported problems with external contour irregularities of the lateral canthal region. CONCLUSION: Removal of the lateral orbital rim as part of a maximal orbital bony decompression adds to the decompressive effect of proptosis reduction with minimal side effects.

Multiple Cranial Neuropathies as the Initial Presentation of Primary Ductal Adenocarcinoma of the Lacrimal Gland.

Primary ductal adenocarcinoma of the lacrimal gland is a rare, aggressive malignancy that clinically and histologically resembles salivary duct carcinoma. Similar to other malignant epithelial lacrimal gland tumors, ductal adenocarcinoma typically presents with unilateral proptosis, pain, upper eyelid swelling, palpable mass, diplopia, ptosis, and blurred or decreased vision. Rarely, primary malignant epithelial lacrimal gland tumors may first present with multiple cranial neuropathies due to occult spread to the cavernous sinus, as in this case. With such a vast differential diagnosis, a practical yet systematic approach to multiple cranial neuropathies, as guided by clinical history, exam, and neuroimaging, allows for a more targeted diagnostic evaluation, especially when multiple diagnostic tests and interventions return unrevealing. A repeat biopsy or complete excision of the lacrimal gland may be necessary to yield the correct diagnosis.

Thrombogenicity of Hyaluronic Acid Fillers: A Quantitative Thrombodynamics Study.

PURPOSE: At present, there is a paucity of data regarding the thrombogenicity of hyaluronic acid fillers (HAFs). This article quantitatively analyses the thrombogenicity of 2 commonly used HAFs: Restylane Lyft and Juvéderm Ultra. METHODS: Thrombogenicity was assessed using the Thrombodynamics Analyzer System and plasma obtained from healthy controls. Following the addition of HAFs or control, spontaneous clot formation time, initial rate of clot growth, average rate of clot growth over 30 minutes, and clot size at 30 minutes was measured for each sample. The median of differences between each group were analyzed. RESULTS: Nine individuals with a mean (SD) age of 37 (17) years, participated in the study. Initial rate of clot growth was significantly lower in plasma mixed with Juvéderm compared to control (p = 0.008) or Restylane (p = 0.038). The average rate of clot growth more than 30 minutes was significantly lower in both HAF groups (Restylane vs. control p = 0.038; Juvéderm vs. control p = 0.008), there was no significant difference between HAF groups (p = 0.635). Final clot size was significantly smaller with Juvéderm (p = 0.038 vs. control and p = 0.013 vs. Restylane). Spontaneous clot formation time did not significantly change with the addition of either HAF. CONCLUSIONS: Juvéderm significantly reduces the initial rate of clot growth, the average rate of clot growth more than 30 minutes, and clot size, whereas the addition of Restylane decreases the average rate of clot growth without affecting overall clot size in healthy individuals.

Changes to Eye Whiteness and Eyelid/Brow Position With Topical Oxymetazoline in Aesthetic Patients.

BACKGROUND: Oxymetazoline hydrochloride 0.1% ophthalmic solution has recently been approved in the United States for the treatment of ptosis. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the upper and lower eyelid position as well as the brow position and the color of the sclera following the ophthalmic administration of oxymetazoline hydrochloride 0.1%. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, consecutive patients presenting with ptosis received topical oxymetazoline 0.1%. The primary outcome was measurement of the upper eyelid height (margin-to-reflex distance 1 [MRD1]) and lower eyelid height (MRD2) relative to the center of pupil, along with assessment of brow height, measured on photographs at baseline and 2 hours after instillation of oxymetazoline. The secondary outcome was the assessment of the color of the sclera (eye whiteness) before and after treatment with a novel color space algorithm. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients participated in the study. The mean [SD] MRD1 at baseline was 2.3 [0.6] mm. At 2 hours following oxymetazoline treatment, the mean MRD1 significantly increased to 4.2 [0.9] mm (P < 0.01). The mean MRD2 also significantly increased from 5.3 [0.9] mm to 5.7 [1.0] mm (P < 0.01). Brow position did not change with treatment (P = 0.4). Following treatment, the eye sclera became significantly whiter, with a mean ΔEab (color change) of 9.7 [3.9], with 57 out of 58 eyes experiencing a significant change in color. A change of ΔEab ≥2 is considered visually perceptible to the human eye. CONCLUSIONS: Within 2 hours of use, oxymetazoline significantly improves the size of the palpebral aperture (MRD1 + MRD2) and also makes the eye appear significantly whiter.

Outcomes of adjunctive therapies post hedgehog inhibitors in the management of locally advanced basal cell carcinoma: A systematic review and pooled analysis.

Management of patients with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma (laBCC) with traditional strategies has yielded suboptimal outcomes. Targeted treatments including hedgehog inhibitor therapy (HHIT) present limitations when utilized as monotherapy. Herein, we report evidence-based outcomes from available literature on multimodality treatments adjuvant to HHIT in laBCC management. Utilizing a systematic search strategy in PubMed, we identified studies published from inception to April 15, 2020, screened for definitive inclusion/exclusion criteria, and performed individual study quality assessment and pooled analysis to assess impact of adjunctive treatment-based responses post-HHIT on clinical response and recurrence outcomes. Twenty-nine studies (n = 103) were included. Primary findings include a complete response (CR) rate of 90.5%, the median follow-up of 12 months post-HHIT completion. The recurrence rate was 10.8% with 12-month median time to recurrence. Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) had 100% CR post-HHIT, while no difference was observed between surgery and radiation therapy (RT). MMS and surgery had comparable 2-year recurrence free rates (RFR) at 87% and 86% respectively, while RT had the lower 2-year RFR at 67%. Male gender portended a more advanced stage at diagnosis and worse outcomes. In a subset analysis, periorbital laBCCs with orbital involvement had a CR rate of 81.8% versus 100% in those without orbital involvement, with similar rates of recurrence. Limited available quantitative data and possible publication bias were limitations. Pooled analysis of observational data supports use of adjunctive therapies post-HHIT to improve treatment response in patients with laBCC. Longer-term follow-up is needed to study recurrence rates after combination therapy.

Clinical Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction After Corneal Neurotization.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess clinical outcomes of corneal neurotization (CN) and determine patient perception of postoperative results. METHODS: This was a retrospective study involving 29 eyes in 28 patients who underwent CN. Chart review data included demographic and clinical history; ophthalmic examination including visual acuity, ocular surface quality, and corneal sensation; surgical technique; and postoperative course. Subjective self-reported patient outcomes of surgical success were also assessed. Only eyes with at least 6 months of follow-up were included in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 24 eyes and 23 patients were included in statistical analyses. The median postoperative follow-up time was 12.2 months (interquartile range 10.9-18.5 mo). Twenty-three eyes (92%) achieved improvement in ocular surface quality. Eleven of 13 (85%) demonstrated healing of persistent epithelial defects at their last follow-up. Patients gained a median of 2.3 cm in Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometry measurements of sensation. No significant difference was found between preoperative and postoperative visual acuity. All 17 patients who provided self-assessment of their surgical outcome indicated they would undergo CN again if given the choice. Most of the patients reported that the postoperative pain was tolerable, with a median pain score of 3.0 on a 10-point scale (interquartile range 0.0-4.0). Sixteen patients (94%) reported full or partial return of skin sensation along the donor nerve distribution. CONCLUSIONS: CN provides improvement in corneal health and sensibility, with high patient satisfaction and minimal postoperative pain and morbidity.

Systemic antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants in eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of systemic antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants on the structural and functional outcomes of eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal cohort study was performed on BRVO patients evaluated at a single tertiary care referral center between 2009 and 2017. Medical records were reviewed for antiplatelet agent and anticoagulant use including aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin, rivaroxaban, apixaban, or dabigatran prior to BRVO onset. In addition, optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters, clinical outcomes, and treatment patterns were also recorded. RESULTS: A total of 354 BRVO eyes were identified with a mean follow-up time of 36 months. Antiplatelet or anticoagulant use was associated with presence of cystoid macular edema (CME) at presentation after controlling for potential confounding variables in a multivariate logistic regression. Multivariate regression also revealed an association between foveal hemorrhage at presentation and use of antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications. There were no significant differences in visual acuity or prevalence of CME at the final visit in those with antiplatelet/anticoagulant use compared to those not on these agents. CONCLUSION: Although the use of systemic antiplatelet or anticoagulant agents was associated with increased prevalence of CME and foveal hemorrhage at presentation of BRVO, the use of these medications was not associated with different visual or structural outcomes at the final visit.