Effect of a single intravitreal bevacizumab injection on different optical coherence tomographic patterns of diabetic macular oedema.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to compare the therapeutic effect of a single intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection in eyes with diabetic macular oedema (DMO) of different patterns determined by optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: Medical records of patients who had a single IVB injection for DMO were analysed retrospectively. Eyes with a clinically significant DMO and a central foveal thickness (CFT) of 250 µm or more determined by OCT were included in the analysis. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), CFT and total macular volume values before and after the injection were recorded. Eyes were divided into sponge-like diffuse retinal thickening (DRT), cystoid macular oedema (CMO) and serous retinal detachment (SRD) groups according to the morphology on OCT. RESULTS: A total of 92 eyes (42 with DRT, 31 with CMO and 19 with SRD) were included in the study. There was no statistically significant variation between three groups regarding the change in BCVA (P=0.695). CMO and SRD groups had greater reductions in their mean CFT, and the amount of reduction showed statistically significant variation between three groups (P=0.048). However, no statistically significant difference was found between groups in terms of percentage of change in CFT (P=0.278). CONCLUSION: CMO and SRD subtypes are associated with a greater reduction in the CFT than the DRT subtype. Although the change in BCVA was not significantly different between groups, the DRT group showed markedly better visual improvement in proportion to the decrease in CFT.

The effect of intraoperative antibiotics in irrigating solutions on aqueous humor contamination and endophthalmitis after phacoemulsification surgery.

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of intraoperative antibiotic use in irrigating solutions on aqueous humor contamination during phacoemulsification surgery and to evaluate the corresponding risk of postoperative endophthalmitis. METHODS: 644 eyes of 640 patients who underwent phacoemulsification surgery with foldable intraocular lens (IOL) implantation were included in this study. Preoperative conjunctival smears were taken and eyes were allocated to receive irrigating infusion fluid containing either balanced salt solution (BSS)-only (group 1; 322 eyes) or BSS with antibiotics (vancomycin and gentamycin) during surgery (group 2; 322 eyes). Bacterial contamination rates of aqueous humor samples taken in the beginning and at the end of operation were compared. Predictive factors for the development of postoperative endophthalmitis were determined by clinical and microbiologic analyses. RESULTS: The rates of culture-positivity were similar between group 1 and group 2 for both preoperative conjunctival smears and aqueous samples (p > 0.05). Aqueous samples taken at the end of operation were found to be contaminated in 68 (21.1%) eyes in group 1 and 22 (6.8%) eyes in group 2, and the difference was significant (p = 0.0001; OR = 3.65 (2.1-6.0)). Capsular rupture was associated with higher rate of contamination in both groups (p = 0.0001; OR = 7.7 and p = 0.0001; OR = 8.1). Two eyes in the BSS-only group developed postoperative endophthalmitis and these cases had posterior capsular rupture during the surgery and culture-positivity for staphylococcus epidermidis throughout the study. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative antibiotic irrigation decreases aqueous humor contamination during phacoemulsification. Further studies are warranted to determine the interrelationship between aqueous humor contamination and endophthalmitis in eyes with posterior capsular rupture.

Extrusion and granuloma formation with mersilene mesh brow suspension.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: A variety of biologic or synthetic materials have been used in brow suspension ptosis surgery. We describe extrusion and granuloma formation in 5 cases of congenital ptosis operated with Mersilene mesh sling. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Case reports with review of literature. RESULTS: Two cases of extrusion and 3 cases of granuloma formation were encountered in 79 eye lids of 52 (6.3%) patients performed for the treatment of congenital ptosis. Mersilene mesh fibers in the cut surface and a foreign body reaction were found by microscopic evaluation of tissue harvested at the time of surgical removal of the sling. CONCLUSION: Despite the operative precautions, the probability of extrusion and granuloma formation should be in mind in cases of congenital ptosis operated with Mersilene mesh sling, a synthetic material.

Granulomatous gastritis due to taeniasis.

Taeniasis is very common all over the world and invades the upper small bowel in humans. It is very unusual to see this parasite in the stomach. We report a case of gastric taeniasis that led to granulomatous gastritis. The elimination of the parasite resulted in complete disappearance of the granulomas in the corpus and antrum and in complete recovery of the patient.