Developing and validating a questionnaire to assess the symptoms of blepharitis accompanied by dry eye disease.

PURPOSE: To propose additional items for established dry eye disease (DED) instruments that cover blepharitis-specific signs and symptoms and to determine the association between the clinical findings and subjective complaints. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with blepharitis and DED were prospectively included in the pretest period for selecting suitable questions. In the main phase of the study, the selected questions were then tested on 68 patients with blepharitis and DED and 20 controls without blepharitis or DED. Pearson's coefficient of correlation was calculated between the blepharitis-specific questions, tear break-up time (TBUT), the Schirmer test score, and the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score; and the similarity between the blepharitis-specific questions, OSDI questions, and objective parameters for DED was assessed via hierarchical clustering. Furthermore, the discriminatory power of the blepharitis-specific questions was investigated with the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: The additional question about heavy eyelids revealed a significant correlation with the OSDI score (r = 0.45, p < 0.001) and Schirmer score (r = - 0.32, p = 0.006). Cluster analysis demonstrated the similarity between the question about heavy eyelids and TBUT. In addition, the OSDI questionnaire had the highest discriminatory power in ROC analysis, and the OSDI score significantly correlated with the specific questions about eyelids sticking together (r = 0.47, p < 0.0001) and watery or teary eyes (r = 0.34, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The blepharitis-specific additional questions were closely associated with objective parameters for DED. The question about heavy eyelids might be well suited for recording the symptoms of hyposecretory and hyperevaporative dry eye with blepharitis.

Glaucoma Treatment in German Hospitals in 2019. / Glaukombehandlung in deutschen Krankenhäusern 2019.

BACKGROUND: Surgical procedures in ophthalmology are subject to fluctuations in their application and are dependent on new developments, availability, and success rates. In the field of glaucoma surgery in particular, numerous new procedures have been introduced over the last few years. So far, hardly any analyses have been done on the current application of these newer procedures. In this paper, we present the extent to which different glaucoma surgery procedures were used in German hospitals in 2019. METHODS: The quality reports of German hospitals from 2019 were evaluated regarding all glaucoma-specific procedure codes. In particular, laser procedures, "classic" glaucoma procedures, and "modern" procedures such as MIGS (minimally invasive glaucoma surgery) are compared below. RESULTS: In 2019, 49,031 glaucoma procedures were performed in German hospitals. Numerically, cyclodestructive procedures were used most frequently. MIGS accounted for approximately 10% of procedures according to the available data. Among filtering procedures, about 40% were implant-assisted. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: On the one hand, the data analyzed show a mixed expansion of the spectrum with newer procedures such as the MIGS and implants; on the other hand, classic procedures such as cyclodestruction are still used. It can be assumed that further shifts in surgical methods will be seen in the coming years.

[Keratoconus: biomechanics ex vivo]. / Keratokonus: Biomechanik ex vivo.

BACKGROUND: Keratoconus is associated with an impairment in corneal biomechanics. Using nanoindentation, spatially resolved measurement of biomechanical properties can be performed on corneal tissue. The aim of this study is to assess the biomechanical properties of corneas with keratoconus in comparison to healthy controls. METHODS: 17 corneas with keratoconus and 10 healthy corneas unsuitable for transplantation were included in the study. After explantation, corneas were kept in culture medium containing 15% dextran for at least 24 h. Nanoindentation was then performed to a depth of 25 µm at a force increase of 300 µN/min. RESULTS: A total of 2328 individual indentations were performed for this study. In the keratoconus group; the mean modulus of elasticity was 23.2 kPa (± 15.0 kPa) for a total of 1802 indentations. In the control group, the mean modulus of elasticity was 48.7 kPa (± 20.5 kPa) with a total of 526 indentations. The Wilcoxon test showed that the differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Using nanoindentation, a significantly lower elastic modulus was found in corneas with keratoconus compared to corneas without keratoconus. Further studies are needed to gain a better understanding of how keratoconus affects corneal biomechanics.

Long-Term Outcomes of Excimer Laser-Assisted Penetrating Keratoplasty Using a Commercially Available Laser System - A Retrospective Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Favorable functional outcomes have been reported after excimer laser-assisted penetrating keratoplasty (EXL PKP). But this technique has not been widely adopted, and there are reports on EXL PKP from only a very limited number of institutions. Some of these results refer to operations carried out with laser systems that are not commercially available. In this retrospective case series, we report the long-term outcome of EXL PKP using the Schwind Amaris 500E laser system. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective consecutive case series included 30 eyes of 29 patients who had undergone EXL PKP between 2010 and 2013. Primary outcome measures were topographic astigmatism and visual acuity. Secondary outcome measures were the rates of graft rejection and graft failure, and the rate of grafts with an endothelial cell density below 500 cells/mm2. Survival analyses were carried out for the following endpoints: visual acuity, rate of graft rejection, and rate of grafts with endothelial cell densities higher than 500 cells/mm2. RESULTS: The median interquartile range (IQR) duration of follow-up was 45 (36) months. The indications for PKP were keratoconus (n = 21), corneal scarring (n = 6), Fuchs endothelial dystrophy (n = 1), and corneal dystrophy other than Fuchs endothelial dystrophy (n = 2). The median (IQR) topographic astigmatism at the end of the follow-up period was 5.3 (2.9) D. Forty-five months after surgery, 73% of all eyes had a visual acuity better than 0.3 LogMAR. The rate of graft rejection after 45 months of follow-up was 32%. All eyes maintained endothelial cell densities higher than 500 cells/mm2. There was no graft failure. CONCLUSIONS: EXL PKP is a safe and effective surgical procedure. No general conclusions can be drawn on the refractive outcome of EXL PKP. Potential advantages, such as a higher degree of graft-host congruity, that could possibly improve the refractive outcome should be weighed against the higher costs of EXL PKP.

Influence of graft vascularization on graft survival following homologous limbo-keratoplasty.

PURPOSE: Limbo-keratoplasty enables visual improvement and limbal stem cell transplantation at the same. During follow-up, most grafts show vascularization of the limbus. However, it is unclear whether vascularization is harmful due to immunologic effects or helpful to nourish the limbal stem cells and is therefore necessary for a clear graft. The aim of our study is to analyze the influence of graft vascularization on graft survival following homologous limbo-keratoplasty. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we assessed all consecutive limbo-keratoplasties performed in our hospital. All eyes with suitable photo-documentation were included and divided into two groups (limbal stem cell deficiency and corneal dystrophy). We categorized the grade of vascularization (0, 1, 2, 3, 3b) and analyzed clear graft survival, recurrence of the underlying disease and the endothelial cell density (ECD) with regard to the reason for the graft. Event rates were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: A total of 79 eyes with limbal stem cell deficiency and 15 with corneal dystrophies were analyzed. A high degree of graft vascularization had a tendency for better graft survival in limbal stem cell deficiency, whereas in corneal dystrophies, grafts with no vascularization had preferable outcomes. Recurrence-free graft survival was only seen in grade 1 and 3 vascularization in corneal dystrophies. CONCLUSION: Vascularization of the limbus seems to have an impact on the long-term outcome of limbo-keratoplasty. The effect seems to be favorable in limbal stem cell deficiency and on recurrence rates in corneal dystrophies. However, the latter might be overshadowed by an unfavorable immunologic effect in corneal dystrophies where the baseline immunologic risk profile is commonly more favorable than in limbal stem cell deficiency.

[Crosslinking and Keratoconus]. / Crosslinking und Keratokonus.

Keratoconus leads to a progressive protrusion and thinning of the cornea. In order to stop this, corneal crosslinking can be performed if the progression of the disease is proven. Crosslinking according to the "Dresden protocol" includes abrasion of the corneal epithelium, application of riboflavin eye drops and irradiation with UV-A light of an intensity of 3 mW/cm² for 30 minutes. The efficacy has been shown in several prospective randomized studies. One of the more recent developments is accelerated crosslinking, which allows a shorter irradiation time. On the other hand, the possibility of transepithelial crosslinking was presented, which does not require an abrasion of the cornea. This should reduce the occurrence of postoperative pain. The range of indications has also been expanded. Corneal crosslinking is used for post-LASIK keratectasia as well. It is also being considered for use in infectious keratitis. Topographically controlled crosslinking can likewise be used to try to positively influence the refractive power of the cornea. The risks of crosslinking include the occurrence of pain, haze or scarring, endothelial cell damage and, rarely, the occurrence of keratitis.

[Keratoplasty in Germany: Systematic Analysis of the Quality Reports of German Hospitals between 2006 and 2017]. / Die Keratoplastik in Deutschland: systematische Auswertung der Krankenhausqualitätsberichte der Jahre 2006 bis 2017.

BACKGROUND: Keratoplasty is considered the most frequently performed type of transplantation in humans. Traditionally, penetrating keratoplasty has been the most common procedure. However, over the last 15 years, the importance of posterior lamellar keratoplasty has increased for the treatment of Fuchs endothelial dystrophy and bullous keratopathy. In Germany, based on national surveys, it was suggested that there was a trend towards lamellar keratoplasty. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to determine whether the proportion of lamellar keratoplasties carried out in Germany between 2006 and 2017 had increased. Furthermore, the number of keratoplasties carried out as HLA-matched (HLA: human leukocyte antigen) keratoplasties should be calculated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The numbers of all keratoplasties carried out as lamellar/penetrating and HLA-matched keratoplasties was extracted from the hospital quality reports published between 2006 and 2017. Descriptive statistical analysis was carried out in R (www.r-project.org). RESULTS: Between 2006 and 2017, 43,021 keratoplasties were carried out in Germany. The number of keratoplasties increased from 2,849 (2006) to 8,231 (2017). The number of penetrating keratoplasties remained stable. The proportion of lamellar keratoplasties increased from 6.5% (2006) to 61.4% (2017). The proportion of HLA-matched keratoplasties was below 20% and declined between 2010 and 2017 (2010: 19.7%; 2017: 9.8%). DISCUSSION: In Germany, posterior lamellar keratoplasty has become increasingly important. Since 2014, the number of lamellar keratoplasties has exceeded the number of penetrating keratoplasties. However, the number of penetrating keratoplasties remained stable between 2006 and 2017 and still plays an important role in the management of patients with predominantly stromal or corneal defects affecting all layers. The decreasing number of HLA-matched keratoplasties is most likely due to the lack of clear evidence of a significant reduction in the rejection rates in cases of normal risk keratoplasty.

[Quality Management at the Eye Centre of Freiburg University Hospital: Does it Help to Use Quality Parameters?] / Qualitätsmanagement an der Klinik für Augenheilkunde des Universitätsklinikums Freiburg: Was nutzt das Erheben von Qualitätsparametern?

BACKGROUND: All hospitals in Germany have a legal obligation to carry out internal quality management (QM). This means enormous costs as well as a burden for the employees through QM-specific tasks. The benefits can be advertising through certification, higher quality and safety for the treated patients and thus greater patient and employee satisfaction. The aim of this work is to compare effort and benefit of a QM system in ophthalmology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The surgical quality parameters already published in the annual reports, the available data of the QM handbook via the digital QM portal and patient feedbacks from 2004 to 2018/2019 were evaluated. RESULTS: In 2004, a quality management system was established for the first time in the Eye Centre at the Freiburg University Hospital. From 2005 to 2017, the entire hospital was KTQ-certified. In order to analyse the quality of surgery and patient safety, different surgical quality parameters were collected over the years with a constantly increasing number of operations. The majority of the quality parameters have remained stable or even decreased over the years. A peak in the postoperative endophthalmitis rate of 0.14% in 2015 and the decreasing percentage of cataract operations under topical anaesthesia in recent years were striking. The QM handbook was slimmed down. The analysis of clicks shows that the documents are increasingly used by the employees. The statistics of patient feedbacks show that this is a tool that is used quite frequently by patients to provide feedback on their stay and that the feedback is often positive. CONCLUSION: To operate quality management over many years, i.e. in our case to collect data of surgical quality parameters, to maintain the QM manual and to process patient feedbacks, means considerable effort. However, only the analysis of these parameters provides an insight into the current state of our clinic, from which conclusions can be drawn as to where processes or treatments can be optimised, which in turn can increase employee and patient satisfaction. Overall, transparency is increased and creates confidence for future treatments at the Eye Centre at the Freiburg University Hospital.

[Teleophthalmology Using Whole Slide Imaging (WSI): Clinical-Pathological Correlation Even Without Own Histological Laboratory]. / Teleophthalmopathologie mittels Whole Slide Imaging (WSI): klinisch-pathologische Korrelation auch ohne eigenes histologisches Labor.

Telepathology has experienced enormous growth over the last two decades due to significant advances in IT and has led to the introduction of innovative solutions for digital imaging in ophthalmology. Whole Slide Imaging (WSI), where conventional glass slides are fully scanned, offers a wide range of applications, including remote (conciliary) diagnostics, second opinions, (remote) teaching and research and presentation. In addition to qualified and experienced personnel, a comparatively expensive basic equipment has so far also been an essential requirement. The focus ophthalmology at the Eye Centre in Freiburg is able to involve a de facto unlimited number of users and consulting partners (also overseas) in the digital microscopy of identical sections independent of location, device and time. This is done simply by using the internet. This procedure has proven to be very successful and opens up completely new avenues, not only for correct diagnosis (clinical-pathological correlation), but also for education and training. Preparation and distribution of further histological slides in addition to the scanned slide is not required for small specimens with scant material, for example, nor is it necessary to purchase microscopes for the participants if funds are lacking or the infrastructure is unsuitable. When dealing with transferring data, it is essential to comply with data protection regulations.

[Advanced Training Curriculum at the Eye Center, University of Freiburg]. / Das Curriculum der strukturierten Facharztweiterbildung an der Klinik für Augenheilkunde des Universitätsklinikums Freiburg: ein Erfahrungsbericht.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Since 2006, at the Eye Center, University of Freiburg, an advanced-training curriculum has been used for medical specialists in ophthalmology. This training curriculum was evaluated for the years 2006 until 2017. METHODS: Internal quality management documents were worked through on the subject of training curriculum. Moreover, we analyzed the internet presence of the Eye Center Freiburg as well as its presentation of the training curriculum and the generally accessible annual reports. Furthermore, administrative personnel data were provided. Quantitative analyses were made with Microsoft Excel. RESULTS: A medical specialist's career is organized as follows: 1) Structured application procedure with evaluation through the Head of the Department, the section heads and the resident's representative. 2) Initial training through medical colleagues and a mentor. 3) Rotation through all sections and areas. 4a) Annual appraisal interviews. 4b) Definition of a career pathway after 3 years. 5) Regular participation in internal/external training sessions. 6) Research after 3 months. 7) Possibility of work shadowing in practices in the 5th year. For reconciling of work and family life, parental leave and part-time employment are possible. In the years between 2006 and 2017, the analyzed data show an increasing number of job interviews and employees. All interns reached the specialist qualification in ophthalmology during the investigation period, 48% additionally got the Fellow of the European Board of Ophthalmology (FEBO). CONCLUSIONS: Since 2006, a structured curriculum has existed for the training of medical specialists in ophthalmology at the Eye Center Freiburg. This is well documented on the homepage as well as in the internal quality management manual. The transparency, paired with the quality of the training program, leads to an increasing number of employees as well as the number of employees with specialist medical qualifications. This can be seen as an indicator for a successful curriculum which secures medical care and research.

[Postoperative Quality Assurance After Cataract Surgery Via the Internet]. / Postoperative Qualitätssicherung nach Kataraktoperation über das Internet.

BACKGROUND: Numerous surgeries in the field of ophthalmology take place on an outpatient basis or only as part of a short inpatient stay. The quality requirements are very high. Postoperative quality controls often can't be done by surgeons themselves because the postoperative aftercare is usually no longer carried out at the surgical centre but by the referring ophthalmologists. METHODS: To optimize our operative quality assurance, the eye center of the University Hospital Freiburg has developed an internet-based quality assurance procedure in cooperation with the Augennetz Südbaden (ANSB), in which numerous established ophthalmologists from the region network. There is comprehensive reporting on cataract surgeries. The results of the follow-up examinations are reported in a structured manner via secure internet masks from the doctors' practices, taking into account data protection regulations. Feedback always takes place after 3 months and, thus, at a point in time at which the final surgical result can usually be assessed. RESULTS: Since the establishment of the quality register in November 2009, a total of 8043 records of cataract operations have been reported until the end of 2018. This sample comprises 20.2% of all cataract operations performed at the eye center of the University Hospital Freiburg during the same period. Mean follow-up was 76 days. During cataract surgery, the target refraction was missed by less than 1 dioptre in 90% of all operated eyes. Keratoplasty was identified as a risk factor for missing the target refraction. CONCLUSION: The internet-based quality assurance of the eye center of the University Hospital Freiburg enables continuous monitoring of the operation quality over a longer period of time. In patients that underwent keratoplasty, the biometry should be critically questioned preoperatively.

[Deep Learning in Pathology: Applications and Challenges in Ophthalmic Pathology]. / Deep Learning in der Pathologie: Anwendungsmöglichkeiten und Herausforderungen in der Ophthalmopathologie.

INTRODUCTION: Deep learning has received increasing attention in recent years and is used in many different areas. Since image analysis is a strength of deep learning, it would be obvious to use it for histopathological questions too. Our goal is to identify possible deep learning approaches from general pathology which could be used in ophthalmic pathology. In addition, the data of the past year will be used to estimate the proportion of potentially interesting cases and the necessary technical effort. METHODS: Firstly, a literature search for deep learning models and their possible applications in the field of pathology was carried out. In order to estimate the potential benefit, technical challenges and feasibility, the number of suitable ophthalmopathology cases in our lab in 2019 for the identified models was determined and put in relation to the resulting amount of data and the scanning time. RESULTS: We identified 7 areas of particular interest: determination of regions of interest (ROI), classification of histological images in scoring systems, mapping of tumor fractions, differentiation of different types of inflammation, differentiation of various cutaneous tumors, classification of lymphomas and prediction of patient outcome-based on tumor histology. Within one year, a total of 831 cases (43%) would have been suitable for the above models. The creation of whole slide images (WSI) for all histological cases would have required a storage capacity of 630 GB with a scanning time of 35 h. CONCLUSION: There are several deep learning approaches which are also interesting for ophthalmic pathology. Most of them would have to be specially trained for the ophthalmopathological aspects. To be able to apply deep learning approaches, it is necessary to have a good IT infrastructure with the possibility to create and permanently store WSI, and this seems to be technically feasible. Future studies should focus on the specific practical implementation of current deep learning possibilities for ophthalmic pathology.

[Scleral Buckling Surgery in Germany for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment: A Spirit of the Past or Current Practice?] / Eindellende Operationen zur Behandlung der rhegmatogenen Amotio in Deutschland: ein Geist der Vergangenheit oder gelebte Praxis?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Scleral buckling and pars-plana vitrectomy are therapeutic options for the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Comparative studies still support the value of scleral buckling in phakic eyes. Nevertheless, the number of sceral buckling procedures may be continuously decreasing over time. The study aims to analyse the incidence of scleral buckling procedures for the treatment of patients with retinal detachment in Germany over time. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The numbers of scleral buckling procedures (OPS 5-152) and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (ICD H33.0) in Germany are analysed on the basis of data from the quality reports published by the Federal Joint Committee and secondary analyses of the DRG-based billing system (DRG-Statistik) of the Federal Statistical Office between 2006 and 2017. RESULTS: Based on the quality reports, numbers of scleral buckling procedures performed between 2006 and 2017 dropped by 49% from 8841 to 4510. During this period of time, the number of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments, identified by the ICD code H33.0, rose by 102% from 11 507 to 23 314. A decrease in scleral buckling procedures of 42% between 2006 and 2017 was also observed in the DRG Statistics. Regional and age-dependent subgroup analyses suggests that there are both regional and age-dependent differences in the practice of scleral buckling. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis clearly illustrates that scleral buckling procedures are now less commonly performed in Germany than in 2006. However, the total of ~ 4500 billed procedures in 2017 in Germany shows that scleral buckling is still an important and current therapeutic option in the treatment of retinal detachment.

[Use of the Multidisciplinary Specialised Case Conference at the Freiburg Orbital Centre]. / Inanspruchnahme der multidisziplinären spezialisierten Fallkonferenz im Freiburger Orbitazentrum.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of tumors increasingly takes place in specialised interdisciplinary centres. Therapeutic decisions are usually made at case conferences. Ophthalmologists, oromaximillofacial surgeons, ENT physicians, neurosurgeons, as well as pediatricians, radiotherapists and radiologists are all involved in the treatment of orbital diseases. The aim of this article is to present the concept of a multidisciplinary case conference for orbital diseases and to analyse case numbers, indications, and the influence on the patient's therapy. METHODS: We analysed an anonymized data set of patients who presented in the case conference of the University Hospital Freiburg from 2008 to 2018 with regard to clinical diagnosis, histological diagnoses, number of surgical interventions, and number of interdisciplinary therapy decisions. RESULTS: From 2008 to 2018, 545 patients were presented in a weekly conference. Of these, 453 were available for anonymous evaluation. The median age was 56 years (quartiles 41; 69). The most frequent indication was an orbital tumour of unclear malignancy (n = 52; 11%). Further indications included Grave's orbitopathy (n = 39; 9%), orbital pseudotumour (n = 36; 8%), cranial nerve palsy (n = 22; 5%), and orbital lymphoma (n = 22; 5%). The most frequent histological diagnoses were B-cell lymphoma (n = 10; 2%), venous malformation (cavernoma, n = 8; 2%), marginal zone lymphoma (n = 8; 2%), and squamous cell carcinoma (n = 6; 1%). An interdisciplinary therapeutic approach was defined for 174 patients. CONCLUSION: A high demand for the interdisciplinary case conference was demonstrated. The high rate of primary or secondary interdisciplinary decisions indicates the value of such a conference. Hence, the patient is spared multiple examinations in the individual specialist areas and quick and effective therapy decisions can be achieved.

Indications for intraoperative anterior segment optical coherence tomography in corneal surgery.

PURPOSE: Recently, intraoperative optical coherence tomography (iOCT) has evolved in the field of ophthalmic surgery. So far, the use of iOCT was mainly focused to lamellar keratoplasty, especially deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) and Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). The aim of this study was to report our experiences with iOCT to introduce new possibilities of this application. METHODS: We used iOCT in 18 patients who underwent the following surgeries: DALK, DMEK, penetrating keratoplasty, autologous limbal transplantation, transscleral suture fixation of a posterior chamber lens, pannus removal on corneal surface and newborn investigation in Peters' anomaly. We obtained qualitative video data for all procedures. RESULTS: With the iOCT, the cannula placement during DALK preparation of the recipient cornea and bubble formation could be visualized to improve the success rate of the big bubble injection. In DMEK, the iOCT enables the visualization of Descemet's membrane removal in the recipient and graft orientation as well as better control of graft attachment. The iOCT enables intraoperative visualization of the graft-host interface during penetrating keratoplasty. During autologous limbal transplantation, transscleral suture fixation of a posterior chamber lens and removal of corneal surface pannus the iOCT is capable of showing the thickness of lamellar preparations to avoid penetrations and to save healthy recipient's tissue. CONCLUSION: The iOCT is a helpful device for intraoperative anterior segment imaging not only for DALK and DMEK. It is also beneficial in penetrating keratoplasty and every other form of lamellar preparation during corneoscleral surgery.

Swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography alleviates shadowing artifacts caused by subretinal fluid.

PURPOSE: To characterize the choriocapillaris (CC) structure in relation to subretinal fluid (SRF) as a possible systematic error source using spectral domain (SD-OCTA) compared to swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). METHODS: This is a prospective case-control study of 23 eyes. Ten patients with acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), three patients with partial macular-off retinal detachment (RD) and ten healthy, age-matched controls were included. Abnormal CC decorrelation signals were quantitatively compared in CSC and controls by means of custom image processing. To investigate the influence of SRF on CC OCTA signal, the extent of SRF was quantified with a macular heatmap and compared with the corresponding OCTA signal of the CC. RESULTS: SS-OCTA yielded a more homogeneous OCTA signal from the CC than SD-OCTA, offering less signal dispersion and variability in healthy and diseased eyes. Both devices demonstrated CC signal voids in CSC and RD, respectively. In CCS, the voids were predominantly located in the area with SRF. Compared to SD-OCTA, SS-OCTA delivered a more homogenous OCTA signal and reduced signal voids in the CC underneath SRF in both RD and CSC (CSC, 7.6% ± 6.3% vs, 19.7% ± 9.6%, p < 0.01). Despite this significant attenuation of signal voids, SS-OCTA continued to reveal signal voids below SRF and more pixels with reduced OCTA signals in CSC patients compared to controls (7.6% ± 6.3%, 0.1% ± 0.1%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Understanding OCTA artifacts is critical to ensure accurate clinical evaluations. In this study, we describe the presence of SRF as an important shadow-causing artifact source for CC OCTA analysis which can be mitigated but not completely eliminated by employing SS-OCTA.

Acute unilateral maculopathy associated with adult onset of hand, foot and mouth disease: a case report.

BACKGROUND: To report the case of a 31-year-old patient with Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) and concurrent acute monocular maculopathy, and to describe multimodal imaging findings never before described including optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A). CASE PRESENTATION: Nine days after the onset of clinically highly probable but not laboratory-verified HFMD, a 31-year old male noticed a central scotoma, distorted lines and loss of visual acuity (Snellen visual acuity 20/400) in his right eye. Funduscopy revealed focal alterations in the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and yellow retinal dots corresponding to focal dots of decreased fundus autofluorescence (FAF) surrounded by increased FAF. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) demonstrated irregularities in the ellipsoide zone, hyperreflective dots above the RPE and RPE thickening. Fundus fluorescein angiography (FAG) revealed central hypofluorescence in the macular area in the early phase, as well as increasing focal hyperfluorescence in the late phase corresponding with RPE defects observed in FAF. Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) showed central hypofluorescence in the early and late phase, corresponding with areas of reduced flow in the choroidea and choriocapillaris as apparent in OCT-A. Visual acuity improved within 3 months without any systemic or local therapy. At his three-month follow-up, SD-OCT revealed subtle subretinal fluid that resolved spontaneously over time. No signs of choroidal neovascularization were observed. Twelve months following the onset of symptoms Snellen visual acuity was 400/400. Multimodal imaging revealed subtly changed, decreased FAF while the choroidal architecture recovered completely as demonstrated by OCT-A. CONCLUSIONS: HFMD-associated maculopahty is an uncommon but important differential diagnosis of chorioretinitis with macular involvement. The prognosis can be good and the initially observed morphological pathologies such as impaired perfusion of the choroidal vessels can recover spontaneously over a period lasting 12 months. OCT-A can be employed as a non-invasive tool to detect the reduced perfusion of the choroidal vessels and for monitoring the disease course.

[Penetrating Limbokeratoplasty for Gelatinous Corneal Dystrophy]. / Limbokeratoplastik bei gelatinöser Hornhautdystrophie.

BACKGROUND: Gelatinous corneal dystrophy is a very rare disease in Europe and North America. Patients suffer from pain, photophobia and loss of vision, usually before the age of 20. Transplantation of limbal stem cells was proposed due to the high rate of recurrence after conventional penetrating keratoplasty. We present the results of penetrating limbokeratoplasty, a combined transplantation of cornea and limbal stem cells, in patients with gelatinous corneal dystrophy. METHODS: We present a series of 7 consecutive eyes with gelatinous corneal dystrophy, which were treated with penetrating limbokeratoplasty-4 eyes of 3 patients had already undergone multiple conventional corneal transplantations. We evaluated the follow-up regarding recurrences of the disease, graft rejections, clear graft survival and incidence of secondary glaucoma with the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Median age at surgery was 35 years. Postoperative treatment included topical steroids and systemic mycophenolate mofetil in all patients. Median graft survival was 6 years. Median time to a recurrence was 3 years. Median time to the first endothelial graft rejection was 2.5 years. CONCLUSION: Penetrating limbokeratoplasty offers a possibility to restore visual acuity over a long period of time. However, gelatinous corneal dystrophy remains a therapeutic challenge. Even with simultaneous transplantation of cornea and limbal stem cells, recurrences of the disease cannot be prevented permanently. This is also connected with discontinuing a sufficient local and systemic immunosuppression.

[The Role of Hospitals in the Treatment of Patients with Cataract in Germany: Systematic Analysis of the Quality Reports of German Hospitals for the Years 2006 to 2016]. / Die Bedeutung der Krankenhäuser für die Versorgung von Patienten mit Katarakt in Deutschland: Systematische Auswertung der Krankenhausqualitätsberichte der Jahre 2006 bis 2016.

BACKGROUND: Cataract is one of the most prevalent eye diseases in Germany. According to the German Ophthalmological Society, its prevalence will increase significantly in the coming years. It has been suggested that most cataract operations are carried out in an outpatient setting. However, there still seems to be a need for inpatient cataract surgery. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to determine the total number of cataract operations carried out in German hospitals over the last 12 years and to investigate whether the proportion of cataract operations carried out as outpatient procedures has increased in recent years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The numbers of cataract operations carried out as outpatient and inpatient procedures were extracted from the quality reports published by the Federal Joint Committee between 2006 and 2016. The total number, the number of cataract operations per 1000 residents (inpatient and outpatient procedures) and the proportion of complex cataract operations carried out as inpatient procedures were calculated. The descriptive statistical analysis was carried out in R (www.r-project.org). RESULTS: Between 2006 and 2016, 1,884,506 cataract operations were carried out in German hospitals. There was an increase in the total number of cataract operations (2006: 223,070; 2016: 279,331). The proportion of outpatient procedures increased between 2006 (44%) and 2010 (48.9%) and remained stable between 2010 and 2016 (2016: 48.5%). Between 2006 and 2016, the proportion of complex cataract operations carried out as inpatient procedures ranged from 56 to 86%. DISCUSSION: A stable and significant proportion of cataract operations in Germany is still carried out in hospitals. The total number of cataract operations has increased. After increasing between 2006 and 2010, the proportion of cataract operations carried out as outpatient procedures remained stable. This sustained demand may be triggered by a group of patients who, due to medical and/or social reasons, require treatment under inpatient conditions.

[Unsupervised Linkage between ICD- and Alpha-ID Codes and Real-World Diagnoses from Medical Reports by Means of the "word2vec" Method]. / Automatisierte Zuordnung von ICD- und Alpha-ID-Codes zu "Real-World"-Arztbriefdiagnosen durch die "word2vec"-Methode.

BACKGROUND: Transformation into a standardised code system such as ICD-10 or Alpha-ID is required before medical reports can be scientifically analysed. This is due to the use of different terminologies and the frequent use of synonyms. The so-called "word vector embedding" seems to be suitable for the generation of the required thesaurus, because synonymous diagnoses can be identified independently of the spelling - after suitable training of the underlying neural network. METHODS: All letters from a total of 50,000 patients were extracted anonymously. Diagnoses consisting of several words were merged into single words by means of phrase recognition and the "word2vec" model was trained on the text corpus of 352 megabytes. A total of 3742 diagnoses and ophthalmological interventions were extracted semi-automatically. The ophthalmological ICD and Alpha-ID codes were downloaded together with the official descriptions from the DIMDI website and the ophthalmological diagnoses/interventions were automatically linked with the nearest ICD- and Alpha-ID codes in the "word2vec" model. RESULTS: The "word2vec" model assigned 90% of the doctor's letter diagnoses correctly to appropriate ICD-10 codes. At the finer level of Alpha-ID, the rate of correct assignments was only 76%. The interventions were assigned to the correct indication in 92% of cases. Rare diseases, unusual designations and code degeneration in the official DIMDI file were identified as sources of error for incorrect or missing allocations. DISCUSSION: A diagnostic thesaurus can be generated with the "word2vec" method from a corpus of anonymised medical reports and the official Alpha-ID file from the DIMDI website. This thesaurus could be used for automatic extraction of diagnoses from doctor's letters in the future, given appropriate manual revision.