Clinical and cytopathologic correlation in chronic inflammations of the orbit and ocular adnexa: a review of 55 cases.

Fine-needle aspiration cytology has been used for the diagnosis of neoplastic lesions of the orbit and ocular adnexa with some success. However, inflammatory conditions have not received much attention. This is a retrospective study of fine-needle aspirations of chronic inflammations of the orbit and ocular adnexa over a 15-year period from January 1988 through December 2002. Clinical records and stained smears were reviewed. There were 55 chronic inflammations, presenting as masses, cysts, abscesses, discharging sinuses and dermal plaques and nodules. Forty-two were granulomatous inflammations comprising chalazion (18), tuberculosis (5), Cysticercus cellulosae (3), ruptured epidermal cysts (2), actinomycosis (1) and leprosy (13). Thirteen patients had chronic non-specific inflammations. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is a useful diagnostic procedure in chronic inflammations of the ocular adnexa. Specific diagnosis is possible in many granulomatous inflammations, allowing appropriate, individualized therapy to be initiated.

Pitfalls in the cytological classification of borderline leprosy in the Ridley-Jopling scale.

This is a blinded, retrospective, correlative study of classification of leprosy by cytomorphology, clinical examination, and bacterial density. One hundred consecutive adequate aspirates from skin lesions of leprosy were studied. The Ridley-Jopling (R-J) five-group classification system was used. May-Gruenwald-Giemsa (MGG) and Ziehl-Neelsen (Z-N) stains were employed. Complete clinical, cytological, and bacteriological concordance was found in 88 patients. One-step mismatch in classification was seen in 12 patients with cytomorphological features of borderline-borderline (BB/mid-borderline) leprosy. Cytomorphological features of BB leprosy in aspirates from skin lesions should alert the cytopathologist to the possibility that the bacteriological index (BI) may vary widely. Appropriate steps must be taken to ensure accurate reporting of BI.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of leprous neuritis.

OBJECTIVE: To document the cytomorphologic features of leprous neuritis and their correlation with bacterial density. STUDY DESIGN: A partly retrospective, partly prospective study of the fine needle aspiration cytology of enlarged nerves in leprosy. Cytomorphologic features of nerve aspirates from 28 patients were studied. May-Grünwald-Geimsa and Ziehl-Neelsen staining methods were employed. RESULTS: Five cytomorphologic patterns were observed in smears of nerve aspirates in 19 group I patients with concurrent skin and nerve lesions: (1) inflammation composed of epithelioid cell granulomas (5), bacillary index (BI) = 0; (2) epithelioid cell granulomas with necrosis (5), BI = 0-1+; (3) acellular necrosis (5), BI = 0-4+; (4) macrophage granuloma (3), BI = 5-6+; and (5) granulation tissue (1), BI = 1+. In 9 group II patients with pure neuritic leprosy, 3 patterns were seen: (1) epithelioid cell granulomas (5), BI 0-6+; (2) epithelioid granulomas with necrosis (1), BI = 0; and (3) acellular necrosis (3), BI = 0-6+. CONCLUSION: The entire spectrum of leprosy is seen in nerve aspirates. Necrosis is often a prominent feature. Recognition of the range of cytomorphologic patterns and their correlation with BI contribute to accurate calibration of the disease in nerves, resulting in appropriate choice of treatment.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of leprous neuritis

OBJECTIVE: To document the cytomorphologic features of leprous neuritis and their correlation with bacterial density. STUDY DESIGN: A partly retrospective, partly prospective study of the fine needle aspiration cytology of enlarged nerves in leprosy. Cytomorphologic features of nerve aspirates from 28 patients were studied. May-Grünwald-Geimsa and Ziehl-Neelsen staining methods were employed. RESULTS: Five cytomorphologic patterns were observed in smears of nerve aspirates in 19 group I patients with concurrent skin and nerve lesions: (1) inflammation composed of epithelioid cell granulomas (5), bacillary index (BI) = 0; (2) epithelioid cell granulomas with necrosis (5), BI = 0-1+; (3) acellular necrosis (5), BI = 0-4+; (4) macrophage granuloma (3), BI = 5-6+; and (5) granulation tissue (1), BI = 1+. In 9 group II patients with pure neuritic leprosy, 3 patterns were seen: (1) epithelioid cell granulomas (5), BI 0-6+; (2) epithelioid granulomas with necrosis (1), BI = 0; and (3) acellular necrosis (3), BI = 0-6+. CONCLUSION: The entire spectrum of leprosy is seen in nerve aspirates. Necrosis is often a prominent feature. Recognition of the range of cytomorphologic patterns and their correlation with BI contribute to accurate calibration of the disease in nerves, resulting in appropriate choice of treatment.

Histological assessment of dermal nerve damage occurring during multidrug therapy for leprosy

This is a prospective histomorphological assessment of dermal innervation in biopsies taken before and after multidrug therapy (MDT) from 41 leprosy patients: 35 borderline tuberculoid (BT), 3 borderline lepromatous (BL), 3 lepromatous (LL). Biopsies of the same lesions taken before commencement (diagnostic therapy) and at the end of therapy (check biopsy) were compared. Hematoxylin and eosin, immunoperoxidase stain for S-100 protein, and the Holmes' silver impregnation method for nerve cells and fibers were used. Skin biopsies were classified as having detectable or undetectable nerves. Of 35 patients with BT leprosy, 17 had no detectable nerves in their diagnostic biopsies; in the check biopsies of 13 of these 17, dermal nerves remained undetectable, in 2 they were S-100 positive but were Holmes negative. Identifiable dermal nerves were present in diagnostic biopsies from 18 patients; in the check biopsies 5 of these 18 had no detectable nerves while in the remaining 13 nerve branches could be detected. The study provides histological documentation of complete damage to dermal innervation in 62.85% (22/35) of patients with BT leprosy, of which 14.28% (5/35) occurred during MDT. Of the patients with detectable dermal innervation at the onset of MDT, 27.7% (5/18) suffered continuing damage during MDT.