A comparison of two conjunctival rotation autograft techniques in primary pterygium surgery.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of 90° and 180° conjunctival rotational autograft (CRA) techniques used in primary pterygium surgery. METHODS: Forty-five patients were included in this retrospective study. Visual acuity (VA), corneal topography, and auto-refractometer measurements, as well as detailed biomicroscopic examinations, were performed preoperatively and postoperatively. During surgery, the pterygium tissue was excised then rotated 90° in Group 1 and180° in Group 2, after which it was sutured to the bare sclera. Pterygium recurrence was defined as corneal invasion ≥1 mm. RESULTS: Group 1 consisted of 21 patients with a mean age of 45.1 ± 11.8 years, while Group 2 comprised 24 patients with a mean age of 47.9 ± 13.8 years. The pterygia in Group 1 were graded as more advanced than those in Group 2. A similar number of recurrences were observed in Group 1 (14.3%) and in Group 2 (16.7%). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of the preoperative and postoperative VA and astigmatism values between the two groups. There was a statistically significant improvement in the postoperative VA and astigmatism values in Group 1 and in the postoperative astigmatism values in Group 2. Although postoperative redness was more common in Group 1, no statistically significant difference was found between the groups. CONCLUSION: BothCRA techniques can be successful in patients for whom it is desirable to avoid a conjunctival autograft and for patients without high cosmetic expectations.

A comparison of two conjunctival rotation autograft techniques in primary pterygium surgery / Comparação de duas técnicas de rotação de auto-enxerto conjuntival na cirurgia de pterígio primário

ABSTRACT Purpose: To compare the effects of 90° and 180° conjunctival rotational autograft (CRA) techniques used in primary pterygium surgery. Methods: Forty-five patients were included in this retrospective study. Visual acuity (VA), corneal topography, and auto-refractometer measurements, as well as detailed biomicroscopic examinations, were performed preoperatively and postoperatively. During surgery, the pterygium tissue was excised then rotated 90° in Group 1 and180° in Group 2, after which it was sutured to the bare sclera. Pterygium recurrence was defined as corneal invasion ≥1 mm. Results: Group 1 consisted of 21 patients with a mean age of 45.1 ± 11.8 years, while Group 2 comprised 24 patients with a mean age of 47.9 ± 13.8 years. The pterygia in Group 1 were graded as more advanced than those in Group 2. A similar number of recurrences were observed in Group 1 (14.3%) and in Group 2 (16.7%). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of the preoperative and postoperative VA and astigmatism values between the two groups. There was a statistically significant improvement in the postoperative VA and astigmatism values in Group 1 and in the postoperative astigmatism values in Group 2. Although postoperative redness was more common in Group 1, no statistically significant difference was found between the groups. Conclusion: BothCRA techniques can be successful in patients for whom it is desirable to avoid a conjunctival autograft and for patients without high cosmetic expectations.

RESUMO Objetivo: Comparar os efeitos das técnicas de auto-enxerto rotacional de conjuntiva (CRA) de 90° e 180°, usadas na cirurgia de pterígio primário. Métodos: Quarenta e cinco pacientes foram incluídos neste estudo retrospectivo. Acuidade visual (AV) pré e pós-operatória, topografia da córnea, auto-refratometria e exames biomicroscópicos detalhados foram feitos. Durante a cirurgia, o tecido de pterígio foi excisado e o mesmo tecido foi girado 90° no Grupo 1 e 180° no Grupo 2, após o que foi suturado à esclera nua. A recorrência do pterígio foi definida como invasão da córnea ≥1 mm. Resultados: O Grupo 1 consistiu em 21 pacientes, cuja média de idade foi de 45,1 ± 11,8 anos e o Grupo 2 compreendeu 24 pacientes, cuja idade média foi de 47,9 ± 13,8 anos. O Grupo 1 teve maior frequência de pterígios classificados como mais avançada do que no Grupo 2. Um número similar de recorrências foi observado no Grupo 1 (14,3%) e no Grupo 2 (16,7%). Não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa em termos de valores pré e pós-operatórios de AV e astigmatismo entre dois grupos. Houve uma melhora estatisticamente significativa nos valores pós-operatórios de AV e astigmatismo no Grupo 1 e nos valores de astigmatismo pós-operatório no Grupo 2. Embora a vermelhidão pós-operatória tenha sido detectada mais comumente no Grupo 1, não foi encontrada diferença estatisticamente significante entre os grupos. Conclusão: Ambas as técnicas de CRA podem ser bem sucedidas em pacientes onde é desejável evitar um auto-enxerto conjuntival livre e para quem a expectativa de cosméticos não é alta.

Investigation of the Rho-kinase Gene Polymorphism in Primary Open-angle Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: Genetic factors are shown to have a role in the development of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of genetic polymorphisms of Rho-kinase (ROCK) genes on the risk of POAG in a Turkish population. METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted from leukocytes of the peripheral blood, and 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms in the ROCK1 and ROCK2 genes were analysed in 179 patients with POAG and in 182 healthy controls of similar age by using BioMark HD dynamic array system. RESULTS: Neither genotype distributions nor the allele frequencies for the ROCK1 (rs35996865) and ROCK2 [rs2290156, rs965665, rs10178332, rs2230774 (Thr431Asn), rs2230774 (Thr431Ser), rs6755196, and rs726843] gene polymorphisms showed a significant difference between the groups. There were also no marked associations between the haplotype frequencies and POAG. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to examine the involvement of ROCK1 and ROCK2 gene variations in the risk of POAG development. This study demonstrated that the polymorphisms studied are not associated with the increased risk of development of POAG in the Turkish population.

Efficiency of endoscopic imaging in repetitive probing following unsuccessful probing.

PURPOSE: To show the efficiency of repetitive probing performed with intranasal endoscopic imaging in cases who underwent unsuccessful probing and the accompanying nasal pathologies. METHODS: Eighty-four eyes of the 64 patients in whom primary probing was found to be unsuccessful were included in the study. Cases were divided into 3 groups, depending on the number of unsuccessful attempts (1 [group 1], 2 [group 2], and 3 [group 3] unsuccessful probings). Diagnosis of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction was confirmed by history taking, clinical examination, and fluorescence disappearance test. All cases underwent nasal endoscopic-assisted probing and were followed up on the first week, first month, and third month following the procedure. RESULTS: There were 50 eyes in group 1, 23 in group 2, and 11 in group 3. The causes of failure that were determined with endoscopy were as follows: functional insufficiency 8.3%, lower nasal concha tension 4.7%, thin membrane in Hasner valve 3.6%, thick membrane and fibrosis in the distal side of the duct 21.4%, probe progressed submucosally on the nasal wall 33.3%, different exit location in the nose 20.2%, nasal mucosa ballooning in the distal side of the duct 4.7%, mucocele 2.4%, and nasal polyposis 1.2%. The success rate in the groups was estimated as 86% in the first group, 69.5% in the second group, and 54.5% in the third group. CONCLUSIONS: Performing the repetitive probings via nasal endoscopy provided information about the location and the shape of the obstruction and the opportunity to approach, according to the cause of the failure.