Pain and discomfort in the anophthalmic socket.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this review is to summarize causes of pain and discomfort in the anophthalmic socket and to aid the clinician in evaluating anophthalmic patients. RECENT FINDINGS: Causes of pain and discomfort can be categorized into dysfunctional orbit/anophthalmic socket, phantom eye pain, and psychological/psychiatric factors. Recent research has brought attention to the role of prosthesis deposits in mucous formation, meibomian gland dysfunction causing dry socket, and the anophthalmic patients' experience of phantom eye pain. SUMMARY: Anophthalmic patients may experience pain and discomfort for a variety of reasons. The treating physician needs to recognize this as treatment options are distinctly different.

Choroidal biopsies for intraocular tumors of indeterminate origin.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of pars plana vitrectomy-assisted incisional biopsies in the management of choroidal tumors of unclear origin. DESIGN: Retrospective, noncomparative, consecutive interventional case series. METHODS: Ten consecutive patients with indeterminate choroidal tumors underwent a standardized three-port pars-plana vitrectomy-assisted subretinal biopsy using a bimanual approach with standard intraocular forceps and a diamond knife. Specimens were fixed in formaldehyde embedded in paraffin and further subjected to histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. RESULTS: A histologic diagnosis was obtained in all (10 of 10) cases including choroidal melanoma (five of 10), metastasis (two of 10), subretinal hemorrhage (two of 10), and nodular scleritis (one of 10). Five eyes were enucleated as a result of the histologic diagnosis. Three cases of postoperative complications were seen in three patients (newly formed rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, increased serous retinal detachment, and vitreous hemorrhage). No cases of intra- or extraocular tumor spread were detected through follow-up periods ranging from 3 to 29 months. CONCLUSIONS: Pars plana vitrectomy-assisted incisional biopsy is a valuable diagnostic procedure for cases of choroidal tumors of unknown origin in selected patients. However, the relatively high frequency of postoperative complications noted in the present study and the potential risk of dissemination of tumor cells underscores the importance of rigorous case selection.

Chronic anophthalmic socket pain treated by implant removal and dermis fat graft.

AIMS: To report the outcome of orbital implant removal and dermis fat graft (DFG) implantation in patients with chronic anophthalmic socket pain (ASP), in whom all detectable causes of pain had been ruled out and medical management had failed. METHODS: Retrospective, multicentre case series. A review of all cases undergoing orbital implant replacement with DFG between 2007 and 2013 was conducted at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC), USA, and St. Erik Eye Hospital, Sweden. Inclusion criteria included (1) chronic ASP >2 years and unresponsive to treatment, (2) absence of pathological or structural cause for pain established by socket examination and orbital imaging, and (3) minimum 12-month post-surgical follow-up. RESULTS: Six cases with chronic ASP were identified, four were post-enucleation and two were eviscerated at an average age of 45 years. The incidence of chronic ASP among enucleations at UIHC over a 6-year period was 0.7%. Indications for enucleation and evisceration included tumours and glaucoma. Intractable ASP had been present for an average of 11 years and persisted despite medical management. All patients were free of pain within 3 months of implant removal and DFG placement and remained pain free at an average 24 months following surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Orbital implant replacement with DFG was effective at relieving chronic ASP, and pain resolution was sustained in all cases. This surgical intervention may be a useful management option for patients in whom all detectable causes of chronic pain have been excluded and have failed medical pain management.

Intraoperative mitomycin C versus autologous conjunctival autograft in surgery of primary pterygium with four-year follow-up.

PURPOSE: To compare the 4-year outcome of primary pterygium excision using intraoperative mitomycin C (MMC) with suturing a free conjunctival autograft (CA). METHODS: A total of 115 eyes with nasal primary pterygium of 115 patients were included in the study. After randomization into two groups, the eyes were operated on by a single surgeon (GK). After excision of the pterygium, 56 eyes received 0.04% MMC intraoperatively on the bare sclera for 3 min and 59 eyes received a free CA sutured using 7-0 Vicryl. Postoperative follow-up was 4 years. Main outcome measures were recurrences, re-operations, surgery time, complications, visual acuity and astigmatism. Statistical evaluation was performed with the chi-squared test. RESULTS: The recurrence rate was 38% in the MMC group and 15% in the CA group (p < 0.05). The re-operation rate of the recurrences was 53% in the MMC group and 29% in the CA group. Average surgery time was 13 minutes (range: 6-22 min) in the MMC group and 26 min (range: 18-32 min) in the CA group (p < 0.01). There was no significant change in best-corrected visual acuity and astigmatism. One major complication occurred in each group. The most frequently observed complication was delayed epithelial healing (40%) and mild scleral thinning (20%) in the MMC group and suture-related inflammation in the CA group (10%). CONCLUSION: Pterygium surgery including free autologous conjunctival grafting is associated with fewer recurrences, re-operations and complications than using the bare sclera technique together with single-dose intraoperative MMC.

The cut-and-paste method for primary pterygium surgery: long-term follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the recurrence rate, reoperation rate and side-effects of a novel technique for pterygium surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective study. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 461 eyes of 381 patients operated for primary nasal pterygium by the same surgeon between 1994 and 2003 and followed for 23 +/- 20 months (range 6-112 months). METHODS: Autologous conjunctival grafts harvested at the superotemporal limbus were used to cover the sclera after pterygium excision. Using a retrospective chart review, the outcome after attaching the transplant to the sclera with a fibrin tissue adhesive (n = 325) was compared to the outcome after graft attachment using absorbable sutures (n = 136). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Recurrence rate, reoperation rate and complications. RESULTS: The recurrence rate was 5.3% in the glue group and 13.5% in the suture group (p = 0.01). The reoperation rates were 1.2% and 3.3%, respectively (p = 0.31). Complications, such as transient transplant oedema and persistent corneal epithelial defects, occurred equally in both groups. CONCLUSION: Using a fibrin tissue adhesive instead of sutures when attaching the conjunctival transplant in primary pterygium surgery results in a significantly lower recurrence rate.