Management of cataract in the setting of uveitis: a review of the current literature.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review aims to cover the preoperative planning, intraoperative considerations, and postoperative management that aids in successful outcomes of patients with cataract and uveitis. Disease-specific management and pediatric management will also be addressed. RECENT FINDINGS: Dexamethasone implants appear to be a safe and effective addition to standard steroid treatment in decreasing the incidence of postoperative cystoid macular edema (CME). Intravitreal steroids and topical difluprednate have shown utility in CME treatment. SUMMARY: Cataract surgery in eyes with uveitis is generally safe and effective if inflammation is well controlled; however, complication rates are still higher than in eyes without uveitis. Future investigations should delineate outcomes for eyes with different etiologies of uveitis, and further research is needed to adequately control inflammation and avoid postoperative complications.

Integration of Pre-intubation Ultrasound into Airway Management Course: A Novel Training Program.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the feasibility of integrating pre-intubation ultrasound into airway course and assess emergency medicine (EM) residents' confidence and comfort level in using ultrasound for pre-intubation hemodynamic stabilization and identifying cricothyroid membrane after the training session. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study. Pre-intubation ultrasound training was delivered with the following ultrasound components (didactics and hands-on sessions using human models) to EM residents: (1) sonoanatomy and scanning technique to identify cricothyroid membrane and (2) pre-intubation echocardiography for recognition of acute right ventricular failure and pre-intubation hemodynamic stabilization. RESULTS: A total of 56 EM residents participated in this study. Only 21% [95% confidence interval (CI), 10-31%] reported using ultrasound for pre-intubation hemodynamic stabilization. After the training session, 89% (95% CI, 81-97%) reported that ultrasound-based teaching increased their knowledge of pre-intubation hemodynamic stabilization compared with traditional teaching methods. On a scale of 1 (low) through 10 (high), the average comfort level for integrating ultrasound findings into medical decision making for pre-intubation hemodynamic stabilization was 6.8 (95% CI, 6.3-7.3). Seventy-nine percent (95% CI, 68-89%) reported that focused training in airway ultrasound is adequate to identify cricothyroid membrane. On a scale of 1 (low) through 10 (high), the average confidence level for identifying cricothyroid membrane using ultrasound was 6.6 (95% CI, 6.1-7.1). CONCLUSION: At our institution, we successfully integrated pre-intubation ultrasound into an airway course. Emergency medicine residents had a moderate level of comfort and confidence level using ultrasound for pre-intubation hemodynamic stabilization and identifying cricothyroid membrane after the training session. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Adhikari S, Situ-LaCasse E, Acuña J, Irving S, Weaver C, Samsel K, et al. Integration of Pre-intubation Ultrasound into Airway Management Course: A Novel Training Program. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(3):179-183.

Reasons and implications of agreements and disagreements between coronary flow reserve, fractional flow reserve, and myocardial perfusion imaging.

Information on coronary physiology and myocardial blood flow (MBF) in patients with suspected angina is increasingly important to inform treatment decisions. A number of different techniques including myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), noninvasive estimation of MBF, and coronary flow reserve (CFR), as well as invasive methods for CFR and fractional flow reserve (FFR) are now readily available. However, despite their incorporation into contemporary guidelines, these techniques are still poorly understood and their interpretation to guide revascularization decisions is often inconsistent. In particular, these inconsistencies arise when there are discrepancies between the various techniques. The purpose of this article is therefore to review the basic principles, techniques, and clinical value of MPI, FFR, and CFR-with particular focus on interpreting their agreements and disagreements.

Identifying and Treating Ocular Manifestations in Psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin condition that commonly presents with red, thickened, and scaling plaques. Given the prominent cutaneous manifestations of psoriasis, more subtle ophthalmic findings of the disease may initially go undetected, with the potential for significant ocular morbidity. Associated ocular disease can involve nearly any structure of the eye, with the eyelids most commonly being affected, resulting in relatively common signs and symptoms of ocular surface discomfort. The presence of intraocular inflammation (i.e., uveitis) or retinal involvement carry a heightened risk of vision loss, and are often more difficult to diagnose outside of the ophthalmology clinic. Early detection and treatment of ocular disease can limit morbidity and are critical to the management of these patients, which requires coordination of care between dermatologists and ophthalmologists. The objective of this article was to review the most common ocular conditions that affect psoriatic patients, when to consider referral to an ophthalmologist, and to summarize the adverse ocular effects of current psoriasis treatments.

Rapid and progressive decline despite early intervention in a case of bilateral hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis.

PURPOSE: To present a case of severe bilateral hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis (HORV) after uncomplicated cataract surgery with intracameral vancomycin. We present a report of a single patient with bilateral presentation of HORV that demonstrated classic features of the disease and progressed to profound vision loss despite early and aggressive intervention. OBSERVATIONS: On initial presentation, the patient had good Snellen visual acuity of 20/25 PH 20/20 OD and 20/60 PH 20/30 OS with retinal hemorrhages in both eyes and sub-hyaloid hemorrhage in the left eye. Early therapeutic intervention with intravitreal corticosteroids, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents and oral steroids was pursued. Even with treatment, the clinical picture rapidly deteriorated with progression of occlusive and hemorrhagic complications in both eyes resulting in bilateral ischemic retinopathy and breakthrough vitreous hemorrhage. After a prolonged course of treatment including the aforementioned along with panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) in both eyes and vitreoretinal surgery in the left eye, the final visual acuity was light perception (LP) OD and 20/100 OS. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis remains a feared complication of uncomplicated cataract surgery utilizing intracameral vancomycin. Despite early recognition and appropriate intervention, our patient still had a poor visual outcome with significant ischemic damage.

Presentation of Ocular Syphilis in a HIV-Positive Patient with False-Negative Serologic Screening.

PURPOSE: The ocular sequelae of syphilis are devastating and may cause blindness. The ambiguous nature of its ocular manifestations makes syphilis difficult to detect. Though uncommon, the rise of syphilis in the United States requires a renewed understanding of its ophthalmic presentation to prevent devastating outcomes. We present this case to raise awareness for the increasing prevalence of ocular syphilis and appropriate serologic testing. OBSERVATIONS: We describe a 65-year-old HIV-positive male with worsening retinitis, uveitis, and rapid visual loss. Initial lab results showed a nonreactive rapid plasma reagin (RPR) for syphilis. However, subsequent Treponema pallidum antibody testing was positive 48 hours after initial false-negative serologic screening. The patient had a rapid and successful recovery following treatment with penicillin. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: The incidence of syphilis is on the rise once again, and patients living with HIV are at increased risk. Ocular syphilis should be considered in susceptible populations in the clinical setting of retinitis, uveitis, and worsening visual loss with unknown cause. In addition, retesting for syphilis will decrease the prevalence of false-negative results, especially in patients with high clinical suspicion.

Comparison of FDA-Reported Visual and Refractive Outcomes of the Toric ICL Lens, SMILE, and Topography-Guided LASIK for the Correction of Myopia and Myopic Astigmatism.

PURPOSE: To compare U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-reported visual and refractive outcomes following surgical correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism using the Visian Toric Implantable Collamer Lens (STAAR Surgical, Monrovia, CA) (Toric ICL), small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE), and topography-guided laser in situ keratomileusis (TG-LASIK). METHODS: FDA summary of safety and effectiveness data (SSED) were analyzed for each of the three platforms. Primary outcomes measured were efficacy, safety, stability, and accuracy of refractive correction. Stratified mean refractive spherical equivalent (MRSE) data were assessed. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-four Toric ICL patients (210 eyes), 357 SMILE patients (357 eyes), and 212 TG-LASIK patients (249 eyes) were included. SMILE eyes had a significant improvement in postoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity with respect to preoperative corrected distance visual acuity from 3 to 12 months (P < .001), whereas TG-LASIK had no further improvement from 3 to 12 months (P = .79). For preoperative MRSE greater than 10.00 diopters (D), there was a significant difference in the percentage of eyes achieving postoperative MSRE within ±0.50 D between Toric ICL (66%) and SMILE (100%) (P < .001). SMILE was consistently more accurate than Toric ICL for cylinder within ±0.25 D (P < .001), ±0.50 D (P < .001), and ±1.00 D (P = .0014). CONCLUSIONS: All three platforms analyzed in this study had excellent efficacy, safety, stability, and accuracy. Stratified analysis revealed that SMILE may be comparable to Toric ICL for patients with high myopia or myopic astigmatism, and SMILE may have a longer visual recovery compared to TG-LASIK than previously indicated. [J Refract Surg. 2019;35(11):699-706.].

Pentacam® Corneal Tomography for Screening of Refractive Surgery Candidates: A Review of the Literature, Part I.

Corneal tomography and Scheimpflug imaging are frequently used to analyze the corneal surface, especially in the field of cataract and refractive surgery. The Pentacam system is one of the most commonly used commercially available systems for this purpose. Through a rotating Scheimpflug camera, the system is capable of creating a three-dimensional map of the cornea. These advances in tomography have simultaneously enhanced the ability of clinicians to screen surgical candidates and detect subtle corneal changes in diseases such as keratoconus. However, there remains a need to enhance diagnosis in order to recognize mild and early forms of corneal ectasia. As iatrogenic ectasia and keratoconus are dreaded complications of refractive surgery, it is imperative to screen patients appropriately prior to surgery. The Pentacam is one of many systems utilized in the screening process, but the literature has not identified specific protocol nor parameters that are capable of carrying out this process appropriately. Post-operative keratoconus continues to occur despite the advances in technology seen in corneal imaging. Therefore, clear indices for screening are required in order to diagnose early forms of keratoconus and other corneal diseases that may exclude the seemingly asymptomatic patient from undergoing refractive surgery. This article aims to summarize the indices available on the Pentacam system and to identify the most accurate parameters for screening of the refractive surgery candidate.

Galilei Corneal Tomography for Screening of Refractive Surgery Candidates: A Review of the Literature, Part II.

Corneal topography is the most widely used technology for examining the anterior corneal surface. Scheimpflug imaging is a newer technique that allows for measurement of both the anterior and posterior corneal surface, which allows for three-dimensional reconstruction of the cornea. This is of particular interest and value in the field of cataract and refractive surgery. The Galilei camera is a commercially available dual Scheimpflug system that combines curvature data from Placido disc-based corneal topography with elevation data from Scheimpflug technology. The addition of Placido disc topography makes the Galilei unique from its more popular counterpart, the Pentacam, which was discussed in Part I. Compared to the Pentacam, and however, the Galilei analyzer is a newer system that has emerged as a valuable screening tool given its dual Scheimpflug capability. In the first article of this series, the authors summarized the refractive indices available on the Pentacam system with the purpose of identifying the best diagnostic parameters for keratoconus. Similarly, the purpose of this article is to summarize corneal surface indices available on the Galilei system and evaluate their use in screening of the refractive surgery candidate. Since post-operative keratectasia is still prevalent, this paper aims to identify the most clinically relevant indices that may be used in pre-operative evaluation.

Advances in Biomechanical Parameters for Screening of Refractive Surgery Candidates: A Review of the Literature, Part III.

Corneal biomechanical properties have garnered significant interest in their relation to the development of ectatic corneal disease. Alongside the advent of corneal tomography and Scheimpflug imaging such as Pentacam and Galilei, there have been advances in assessing the cornea based on its biomechanical characteristics. Though the aforementioned imaging systems are highly capable of identifying morphologic abnormalities, they cannot assess mechanical stability of the cornea. This article, in contrast to Parts I and II of this article series, will focus on in vivo corneal biomechanical imaging systems. The two most readily available commercial systems include the Corvis ST and the Ocular Response Analyzer. Both of these systems aimed to characterize corneal biomechanics via distinct measurements. While in Parts I and II of this article series the authors focused on elevation, pachymetric, and keratometric data, the purpose of this article was to summarize biomechanical parameters and their clinical use in screening refractive surgery candidates. Moreover, this article explores biomechanical decompensation and its role in the development of corneal ectasia and keratoconus. There is a focus on the diagnostic accuracy of biomechanical indices in the identification of diseases such as keratoconus that may preclude a patient from undergoing refractive surgery.

Diagnosis and Management of Pseudoguttata: A Literature Review.

Corneal pseudoguttata (PG), also known as pseudoguttae or secondary guttata, is a transient, reversible endothelial edema commonly associated with anterior segment pathology. While considered rare, PG presents on slit-lamp examination more commonly than originally thought. We have clinically observed PG after refractive surgeries, in association with infectious keratitis, and following medication use. PG presents as dark lesions on slit-lamp exam with specular illumination, similar to primary corneal guttata. PG is distinct from guttata because PG resolves over time and does not involve Descemet's membrane. Other ocular findings that may be confused with guttata include endothelial blebs (EB) and endothelial denudation (ED). EB are possibly a type of PG that present after contact lens use or hypoxia. ED is a distinct entity that is characterized by loss of endothelial cells without involvement of Descemet's membrane. Confocal microscopy may be useful in differentiating these four endothelial lesions, with differences in border definition and the presence of hyperreflective areas two main distinctions. PG presents as a hyporeflective, elevated shape without clear borders on confocal microscopy. PG, EB, and ED can resolve with time without the need for surgical intervention, unlike corneal guttata. Treatment of the underlying condition will lead to resolution of both PG and EB.

Deep Learning for Prediction of Obstructive Disease From Fast Myocardial Perfusion SPECT: A Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVES: The study evaluated the automatic prediction of obstructive disease from myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) by deep learning as compared with total perfusion deficit (TPD). BACKGROUND: Deep convolutional neural networks trained with a large multicenter population may provide improved prediction of per-patient and per-vessel coronary artery disease from single-photon emission computed tomography MPI. METHODS: A total of 1,638 patients (67% men) without known coronary artery disease, undergoing stress 99mTc-sestamibi or tetrofosmin MPI with new generation solid-state scanners in 9 different sites, with invasive coronary angiography performed within 6 months of MPI, were studied. Obstructive disease was defined as ≥70% narrowing of coronary arteries (≥50% for left main artery). Left ventricular myocardium was segmented using clinical nuclear cardiology software and verified by an expert reader. Stress TPD was computed using sex- and camera-specific normal limits. Deep learning was trained using raw and quantitative polar maps and evaluated for prediction of obstructive stenosis in a stratified 10-fold cross-validation procedure. RESULTS: A total of 1,018 (62%) patients and 1,797 of 4,914 (37%) arteries had obstructive disease. Area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for disease prediction by deep learning was higher than for TPD (per patient: 0.80 vs. 0.78; per vessel: 0.76 vs. 0.73: p < 0.01). With deep learning threshold set to the same specificity as TPD, per-patient sensitivity improved from 79.8% (TPD) to 82.3% (deep learning) (p < 0.05), and per-vessel sensitivity improved from 64.4% (TPD) to 69.8% (deep learning) (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Deep learning has the potential to improve automatic interpretation of MPI as compared with current clinical methods.