Gammopathy with proximal motor axonopathy simulating motor neuron disease.

We report a 38-year-old man with a pure motor syndrome and IgM gammopathy leading to flaccid quadriplegia. Improvement followed treatment with dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide, and plasmapheresis, but he died of pulmonary embolism. At autopsy, he had a proximal motor axonopathy with lymphocytic infiltration of ventral roots. Proximal motor neuropathy may masquerade as motor neuron disease. The association with gammopathy and response to treatment suggest that patients with motor neuron disease should be routinely screened for serum protein abnormalities.

Descemet membrane detachment.

Four eyes of three patients had extensive postoperative Descemet membrane (DM) detachment. Blood was present just anterior to the DM in three of the four eyes and later converted to and persisted as pigment. Haziness of the cornea at the level of the DM could be seen with reattachment. Detachments of the DM are classified as planar when there is 1 mm or less separation of the DM from its overlying stroma in all areas. Nonplanar DM detachments exceed 1 mm of separation. Planar detachments have a much better prognosis than nonplanar detachments do, with or without descemetopexy. Repair of DM detachments, when necessary, should include air injection, with the lease possible instrumentation of the DM.

Postoperative capsular bag distension.

Seven cases of capsular bag distension following capsulorhexis and phacoemulsification with posterior chamber intraocular lens insertion are presented. The proposed physiological mechanism, associated consequences, and complications and treatment are presented.