Aneurisma gigante de carótida derecha / Giant aneurysm of right carotid

Los aneurismas se definen como dilataciones localizadas y permanentes que suponen un incremento del calibre del vaso mayor del 50%. En la carótida interna son poco frecuentes, de etiología casi siempre aterosclerótica y aparecen con mayor frecuencia en mujeres mayores de 60 años. La porción cavernosa de la arteria carótida interna raramente sufre ruptura y tiene una clínica variada que incluye cefalea, diplopía, parálisis de los nervios oculomotores y dolor facial. Presentamos el caso clínico de un paciente del Hospital Vargas de Caracas con aneurisma gigante de arteria carótida derecha en seno cavernoso, quien inició de forma súbita cefalea holocraneana, acompañada de oftalmoplejía, midriasis, disminución de la agudeza visual y sin signos de irritación meníngea, que se manejó de forma médica conservadora con evolución satisfactoria

Aneurysms are defined as permanent expansions of the artery with an increase of arterial blood of 50 %. The ethiology is mostly atherosclerotic, and they appear more frequently in 60-year old women. The clinical presentation is more frequent with migraine, diplopya, paralysis of the oculomotor nerves and facial pain. We present a case of a patient with a gigantic aneurysm of the cavernous sinus of the carotid artery treated at the Hospital Vargas de Caracas, Venezuela. This patient had a sudden severe migraine, accompanied of ophthalmoplegia, mydriasis, impaired vision, without signs of meningeal irritation. The treatment was medical with satisfactory progress of the patient

Intracranial aneurysms presenting with mass effect over the anterior optic pathways: neurosurgical management and outcomes.

OBJECT: Intracranial aneurysms may grow closer to anterior optic pathways, causing mass effect over these anatomical structures, including visual deficit. The authors retrospectively reviewed a series of aneurysms in patients presenting with visual field deficit caused by mass effect, to analyze the aneurysm's characteristics, the neurosurgical management of these aneurysms, as well as their clinical, visual, and radiological outcomes. METHODS: The authors reviewed the medical charts, neuroimaging examination results, and surgical videos of 15 patients presenting with visual symptoms caused by an aneurysm's mass effect over the anterior optic pathways. These patients were treated at the Department of Neurosurgery, Center of Neurology and Neurosurgery Associates, Hospital Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, Brazil. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the variables related to partial or total recovery of the visual symptoms. RESULTS: All patients underwent microsurgical clip placement and emptying of their aneurysms. After a mean follow-up of 38.5 months, the mean postoperative Glasgow Outcome Scale score was 4.33, and the visual outcomes were as follows: 1 patient (6.6%) unchanged, 7 (46.6%) improved, and 7 (46.6%) experienced complete recovery from visual deficits. The variables that influenced the visual outcomes were the size of the aneurysm (p = 0.039), duration of the visual symptoms (p = 0.002), aneurysm wall calcification (p = 0.010), and intraluminal thrombosis (p = 0.007). Postoperative examination using digital subtraction angiography showed complete aneurysm occlusion in 14 (93.3%) of the 15 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Intracranial aneurysms causing mass effect over the anterior optic pathways usually present with complex features. The best treatment option must include not only the aneurysm occlusion but also relief of the mass effect. Microsurgical clip placement with reduction of aneurysmal mass effect achieved improvement in visual ability or recovery from visual impairment, as well as total aneurysm occlusion, in 93.3% of the study group. Therefore, this option is well supported as the first choice of treatment for intracranial aneurysms presenting with mass effect over the anterior visual pathways.

[Localized neural loss detected by macular thickness reduction using optical coherence tomography: case report]. / Detecção de perda neural localizada através da redução da espessura macular na tomografia de coerência óptica: relato de caso.

A 22-year-old man developed a central scotoma in the left eye during an episode of severe headache 6 months previously. He had a diagnosis of migraine headaches with aura since age 15. Ophthalmic examination showed retinal nerve fiber layer thickness reduction on the papilomacular bundle in the left eye and unremarkable in the right. Optical coherence tomography documented severe macular thickness reduction and a mild and localized retinal nerve fiber layer loss on the temporal side of the optic disc in the left eye. Systemic investigation, neuroimaging and cardiovascular studies were non-revealing. The cause of his visual loss was possibly related to retinal migraine, although an ischemic episode of another origin could not be excluded. Our case is interesting because it draws attention to the fact that optical coherence tomography may be able to identify localized neural loss not only by measuring peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer but also by means of macular thickness measurements.

Detecção de perda neural localizada através da redução da espessura macular na tomografia de coerência óptica: relato de caso / Localized neural loss detected by macular thickness reduction using optical coherence tomography: case report

Paciente de 22 anos, sexo masculino, notou mancha central no olho esquerdo durante um episódio da cefaléia de forte intensidade há aproximadamente 6 meses. Referia diagnóstico de enxaqueca com aura, apresentando crises recorrentes desde os 15 anos de idade. O exame oftalmológico revelou perda da camada de fibras nervosas da retina na região do feixe papilomacular do olho esquerdo. A tomografia de coerência óptica demonstrou importante redução da espessura macular, acompanhada de redução localizada da camada de fibras nervosas da retina no setor temporal do disco óptico no olho esquerdo. Avaliação sistêmica, exames de imagem e avaliação cardiovascular nada revelaram e a causa da perda da perda visual foi atribuída a possível enxaqueca retiniana, embora um evento isquêmico de outra natureza não pudesse ser descartado. Nosso caso é interessante porque demonstra que a tomografia de coerência óptica pode ser útil na detecção de perda neural localizada não apenas pela medida da camada de fibras nervosas da retina, mas também pela avaliação da espessura macular.

A 22-year-old man developed a central scotoma in the left eye during an episode of severe headache 6 months previously. He had a diagnosis of migraine headaches with aura since age 15. Ophthalmic examination showed retinal nerve fiber layer thickness reduction on the papilomacular bundle in the left eye and unremarkable in the right. Optical coherence tomography documented severe macular thickness reduction and a mild and localized retinal nerve fiber layer loss on the temporal side of the optic disc in the left eye. Systemic investigation, neuroimaging and cardiovascular studies were non-revealing. The cause of his visual loss was possibly related to retinal migraine, although an ischemic episode of another origin could not be excluded. Our case is interesting because it draws attention to the fact that optical coherence tomography may be able to identify localized neural loss not only by measuring peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer but also by means of macular thickness measurements.

Branch retinal vein thrombosis and visual loss probably associated with pegylated interferon therapy of chronic hepatitis C.

Ophthalmological complications with interferon therapy are usually mild and reversible, not requiring the withdrawal of the treatment. We report a case of a patient who had visual loss probably associated with interferon therapy. Chronic hepatitis C virus infection (genotype 1a) was diagnosed in a 33-year old asymptomatic man. His past medical history was unremarkable and previous routine ophthalmologic check-up was normal. Pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin were started. Three weeks later he reported painless reduction of vision. Ophthalmologic examination showed extensive intraretinal hemorrhages and cotton-wool spots, associated with inferior branch retinal vein thrombosis. Antiviral therapy was immediately discontinued, but one year later he persists with severely decreased visual acuity. This case illustrates the possibility of unpredictable and severe complications during pegylated interferon therapy.

Bilateral visual loss complicating liposuction in a patient with idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

A 34-year-old obese woman developed blurred vision in both eyes soon after large-volume liposuction of the dorsum and gluteus region bilaterally associated with abdominal dermolipectomy. An ophthalmic examination revealed severe bilateral visual loss and pallid optic disc edema. The patient gave a history of transient obscurations of vision in the past. Neuroimaging studies were non-revealing, but a lumbar puncture disclosed a markedly elevated intracranial pressure. The patient was diagnosed as having had bilateral ischemic optic neuropathy superimposed on pre-existing idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Acetazolamide treatment was used. Some visual improvement occurred, and optic disc edema evolved into severe optic disc pallor. This case shows that visual loss from optic disc infarction may be a devastating complication of high-volume liposuction in patients with underlying IIH. Because liposuction is frequently performed on obese patients, physicians should screen for signs and symptoms of IIH before undertaking this procedure.

Erdheim-Chester disease: MR imaging, anatomic, and histopathologic correlation of orbital involvement.

Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare form of histiocytosis of unknown origin characterized by tissue infiltration by lipid-laden histiocytes. Typically, the diaphyseal and metaphyseal portions of the tubular bones are affected, leading to a characteristic radiographic pattern of bone sclerosis. Orbital involvement is not infrequent and is manifested by exophthalmos and periorbital xanthomatous lesions, with associated visual problems. This case report documents imaging and pathologic findings in a patient with ECD with extensive orbital involvement.

Característica da populaçäo de visäo subnormal em clínica oftalmológica näo universitária / Subnormal vision patients profile in non-universitary aphthalmological clinic

Objetivo: Traçar o perfil do paciente portador de visäo subnormal (VSN) em acompanhamento no Serviço de Visäo Subnormal. Local: Instituto de Moléstias Oculares (IMO), Säo Paulo, Brasil. Método: Foram analisados prontuários de 327 pacientes atendidos no período de janeiro/93 a dezembro/98, considerando dados como: sexo, faixa etária, profissäo, etiologia, tempo de evoluçäo da deficiência visual, desempenho nas atividades diárias, acuidade visual longe e perto, estado psicológico do paciente , postura de familiares em relaçäo ao problema, objetivo pretendido com o uso de auxílio óptico, uso prévio de auxílio óptico, prescriçäo do auxílio e sua aceitaçäo ou näo pelo paciente. Resultados: Foram comparados com dados da literatura revelando em que instituiçäo de caráter privado a incidência de portadores de VSN é maior na faixa etária acima de 60 anos, a maioria exerce atividades do lar ou säo aposentados, a etiologia prevalente é a Degeneraçäo Macular relacionada à Idade (DMI), o objetivo dos pacientes com o uso de auxílio óptico é a leitura e as lentes esféricas foram as mais indicadas, com aceitaçäo e uso do auxílio por 52, 3 por cento dos pacientes. Conclusäo: Considerado que a expectativa de vida vem aumentando a cada década e a alta prevalência de perda visual é na faixa acima dos 60 anos, o oftalmologista precisa estar atento para o diagnóstico precoce, tratamento adequado e esclarecimento do paciente e seus familiares sobre a patologia da qual é portador e as complicaçöes que dela podem advir.