Inhibition of viral replication in vitro by antiviral-treated amniotic membrane. Possible use of amniotic membrane as drug-delivering tool.

PURPOSE: To investigate if amniotic membrane (AM) incubated with antivirals can inhibit viral growth in vitro. METHODS: AM samples were incubated with a solution of acyclovir or trifluridine. The treated AM was placed onto monolayers of Vero cells, a continuous cell line from monkey kidney, infected with herpes simplex virus. Viral growth was assessed in comparison to control infected cells by direct examination with an inverted microscope at low magnification for the presence and extension of the typical cytopathic effect, or by estimation of viral genomes. RESULTS: AM soaked in acyclovir or trifluridine inhibited significantly the development of herpes simplex virus in cell cultures, based on the viral growth compared with controls. Non-treated AM did not significantly affect viral replication. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary in vitro data show that antiviral-treated amniotic membrane can inhibit viral replication. Therefore, the possibility to combine the previously published anti-inflammatory properties of AM with the capability to absorb antivirals and sustain drug release could be taken into consideration.

[Dragged disc syndrome in a patient presenting neurofibromatosis type II: a case study]. / Syndrome d'attraction papillaire chez une patiente présentant une neurofibromatose de type II.

We report a case of dragged disc syndrome associated with neurofibromatosis type II (NF2). A 5-year-old girl with amblyopia (right eye, 20/200; left eye, 20/40) presented with dragged disk syndrome and a posterior subcapsular cataract in the left eye associated with an epiretinal membrane in the right eye. Five years later, she developed exophthalmos in the right eye associated with a cervical mass. MRI revealed schwannoma developing in the left optic nerve sheath associated with a cervicothoracic schwannoma. The child was diagnosed with NF2. Association of posterior subcapsular cataract with macular epiretinal membranes is highly suggestive of NF2, although the dragged disk syndrome has not been previously reported in NF2 to our knowledge. It may also be an ocular feature of this disease.

[Use of topical cutaneous N-acetylcysteine in the treatment of major bilateral ectropion in an infant with lamellar ichthyosis]. / Utilisation de la N-acétylcystéine en application topique cutanée dans le traitement d'un ectropion bilatéral chez un enfant atteint d'ichthyose lamellaire.

PURPOSE: To report for the first time bilateral ectropion treatment in an infant with severe lamellar ichthyosis associating N-acetylcysteine applied directly to the skin and oral acitretin. METHODS: An 8-week-old male child with major bilateral ectropion due to lamellar ichthyosis was given treatment associating oral acitretin (Soriatane) and topical N-acetylcysteine. Though the precorneal tear film quality could be maintained, after 1 month of initial treatment with acitretin only, bilateral upper eyelid ectropion remained threatening for the child's cornea. The adjunction of topical N-acetylcysteine enabled a complete regression of ectropion. No complementary surgery was needed and the eyelids remained well positioned. CONCLUSION: Topical N-acetylcysteine has been proved to have an antiproliferative effect on keratinocytes in vitro and in vivo. It may be useful in the treatment of major forms of ectropion in children with lamellar ichthyosis. Its association with conventional acitretin treatment may prevent unnecessary surgery.

[Staphylococcal endophthalmitis following cataract surgery in a patient with ocular rosacea]. / Endophtalmie à staphylocoque après chirurgie de la cataracte chez un patient atteint de rosacée oculaire.

PURPOSE: To report staphylococcal endophthalmitis following cataract surgery in a patient with ocular rosacea. OBSERVATION: A 69-year-old man presented with decreased visual acuity in the right eye, a corneal abscess on the incision and hypopyon 2 weeks after phacoemulsification with intraocular lens placement. The patient was hospitalized. A diagnostic vitreous tap was performed. Antibiotic therapy was initiated both locally (two intravitreal shots + topical administration) and intravenously. RESULTS: Vitreal tap cultures indicated Staphylococcus aureus. The patient's clinical status improved 48 hours after the second intravitreal shot. The same bacterium was cultured from the patient's eyelids and incision abscess. Multilayer amniotic membrane transplantation enabled satisfactory healing of the corneal abscess, which had become perforative. CONCLUSIONS: The source of the S. aureus was the skin lesions on the patient's eyelids. Rosacea is a skin disease that frequently affects the face, nose and eyelids. Although good surgical techniques were performed, with the incision requiring suture, the risk of endophthalmitis after intraocular surgery was increased in the absence of proper preoperative treatment of the dermatological condition.

[Granulomatous uveitis and CREST syndrome: a case study]. / Uvéite granulomateuse et Crest syndrome. A propos d'un cas.

PURPOSE: To report a case of recurrent granulomatous panuveitis associated with CREST syndrome. OBSERVATION: A 74-year-old patient with CREST syndrome presented with unilateral granulomatous panuveitis in a pseudophakic eye. She had undergone cataract surgery 6 months before. The patient reported a vision loss that had been evolving for 1 month. Visual acuity was noted at 20/400. The initial clinical examination highlighted retrodescemetic precipitates and granulomatous precipitates on the IOL. A vitreous tyndall was noted. Funduscopic examination revealed papillary edema and cystoid macular edema, confirmed by fluorescein angiography. RESULTS: Topical treatment consisting in corticosteroid eye drops associated with mydriatics controlled uveitis in a few weeks. Visual recovery was 20/30. No granulomatous uveitis etiology could be highlighted. The diagnosis of chronic endophthalmitis was also ruled out. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis retained was uveitis associated with CREST syndrome. To our knowledge, this association has only been reported twice in the literature.

[Orbital extension of sinus plasmacytoma secondarily transforming into multiple myeloma: a case study]. / Extension orbitaire d'un plasmocytome sinusien secondairement transformé en myélome multiple. A propos d'un cas.

We report the case of a 39-year-old man who consulted for severe exophthalmia with diplopia associated with chronic sinusitis evolving over 6 months. A cervicofacial CT scan showed a tumoral mass invading the maxillary and ethmoidal left sinus and orbital cavity. A biopsy of the mass and general evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of extramedullary plasmocytoma. Secondarily it transformed into multiple myeloma. In light of this case of extramedullary plasmocytoma in a young subject, we discuss the clinical characteristics, ophthalmologic manifestations, and the various therapeutic modalities according to the stage of the disease and the ocular repercussions.

[Ophthalmological complications of the asphyxiophilic "scarf game" in a 12-year-old child]. / Complications ophtalmologiques du "jeu du foulard" chez un enfant de 12 ans.

PURPOSE: To report a first case of Terson-like syndrome associated with asphyxiophilic practices in an adolescent. METHODS: A 12-year-old boy was referred for decreased visual acuity in his right eye. His father had been diagnosed 3 weeks before with subarachnoidal hemorrhage. Fundus examination showed a dense preretinal hemorrhage in the right eye suggestive of Terson syndrome. RESULTS: Angio-magnetic resonance imaging eliminated aneurysm and arteriovenous malformation from the diagnosis. After questioning the boy further, he reported that he had participated in the "scarf game", a very popular (but lethal) asphyxiophilic practice in middle school, some hours before he noticed a sharp drop in the visual acuity of his right eye. After 2 months of follow-up, he recovered 20/20 vision in his right eye. CONCLUSION: Retinal hemorrhages are quite rare in children. When the cause is not clear (subarachnoidal hemorrhage, arteriovenous malformation, shaken baby syndrome), it must be determined whether the patient has participated in the asphyxiophilic "scarf game" in order to prevent its lethal consequences.

[Childhood Leber hereditary optic neuropathy. A case of a 6-year-old girl with loss of vision]. / Neuropathie optique de Leber de l'enfance. A propos d'un cas de baisse d'acuité visuelle chez une enfant de 6 ans.

Leber hereditary optic neuropathy, also known as hereditary optical atrophy, is passed on by the mother. It involves a papilledema and mostly affects young people. It is a mitochondrial DNA disease due to the mutation of the NADH dehydrogenase enzyme. Mutations are not sufficient to cause visual loss. Indeed, some individuals accommodate with mutations but do not express the disease. The heteroplasmic or homoplasmic character of the mutation among patients explains why they develop the disease or not even though they carry the mutation. Symptomatology starts with a central vision loss: a painless scotoma. The disease can progress either toward progressive vision loss, blindness, or spontaneous improvement. We report the rare case of a 6-year-old girl presenting a decline in central visual acuity. The genetic study revealed the presence of the G11778A primary mutation. The physiopathogenic mechanism, the genetic hypothesis of the female form, diagnostic means, and treatment options will be discussed.

[Lymphoma revealed by isolated obliquus inferior muscle involvement in exophthalmia]. / Lymphome révélé par une atteinte isolée du muscle oblique inférieur.

Orbital lymphomas account for 4% of nontraumatic orbital disorders. We report the case of a 54-year-old patient who presented with binocular diplopia associated with right exophthalmia with an isolated obliquus inferior localization. This lymphomatous localization was unexpected, as lymphomas are described more often in the rectus superior and inferior muscles. Pathological examination found a low-grade non-Hodgkin's MALT lymphoma. This case is the basis of a review of the various diagnoses and the necessity of a biopsy prior to surgical tumor ablation that may damage an oculomotor muscle. Treatment should be medical: first-intention surgery would have abolished obliquus inferior function.

[Leber's idiopathic stellate neuroretinitis: about two cases]. / Neuro-rétinite stellaire idiopathique de Leber. A propos de deux cas.

BACKGROUND: Described by Theodore Leber in 1916, this syndrome is characterized by unilateral visual loss, optic disc swelling and a stellate pattern of exudative deposits in the macula. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two young adults were examined for sudden unilateral visual loss preceded by a flu-like syndrome. Fundus examination revealed a swollen optic disc and a macular star, visualized on fluorescein angiography. Visual field, laboratory tests and cranial and orbital tomodensitometry were performed. RESULTS: Visual field examination showed a centrocecal scotoma. Laboratory tests showed inflammatory syndrome in one case. Serology testing (leptospirosis, cat scratch disease, toxoplasmosis and syphilis, etc.) were negative. Tomodensitometry of the brain and orbits gave normal results. One of the patients was treated with intravenous steroid boluses; the other received no treatment. A few weeks after the beginning of symptoms, the swelling of the optic disc seemed to have declined, leaving the macular star unchanged. CONCLUSION: These two cases typically describe Leber's idiopathic stellate neuroretinitis. The prognosis for visual recovery is usually reported to be excellent, but visual sequelae have been described.

[Atypical Cogan syndrome]. / Syndrome de Cogan atypique.

Atypical Cogan syndrome is a systemic vascular disease close to Cogan syndrome. It is characterized by different ocular manifestations associated with Ménière-like audiovestibulatory dysfunction with symptoms arising more than 2 years before or after the ocular abnormalities. We report the case of a 63-year-old woman whose ocular manifestations involved alternating scleritis, myositis and uveitis associated with audiovestibulatory signs, and the onset of ocular muscle and nerve palsies. In the light of this observation, we discuss the clinical characteristics, diagnostic means, differential diagnoses and therapeutic modalities of this syndrome.

[Endovascular treatment of sinus dural fistulas using vein catheterism]. / Traitement endovasculaire par voie veineuse des fistules durales du sinus caverneux.

PURPOSE: We report two techniques for treatment of dural arteriovenous fistulas using femoral vein catheterism and direct surgery via the superior ophthalmic vein. We will attempt to show the advantages of these new techniques instead of using the arterial pathway, which is currently the reference procedure. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Mrs G, 75 years old was sent by her ophthalmologist because of a suspected orbital tumor. Visual acuity: right eye: 3/10, exophthalmia, chemosis, with no thrill or murmur. The fundus examination was normal. The ultrasound exam with color Doppler imaging showed an arterialization of the superior ophthalmic vein compatible with an arteriovenous sinus dural fistula. Angio-MRI revealed a large left cavernous sinus, confirming the diagnosis. Considering the type of the fistula and the weak physical condition of the patient, we decided to attempt an endovascular embolization with coil placement, using femoral vein catheterism. Exophthalmia regressed within days. The fistula remains sealed 1 year after the procedure. Mr D, 40 years old, showed a similar clinical aspect of sinus dural fistula. We attempted an embolization with the femoral vein, which failed. We decided to embolize the cavernous sinus via the direct surgical pathway of the superior ophthalmic vein. Coils were placed and the fistula was sealed. CONCLUSION: These clinical cases show two less invasive alternatives giving better results than arterial embolization, the reference method (Brooks 1930; Spearmann 1964; Parkinson 1965), endovascular trapping, or surgery.

[Limbal stem cell deficiency associated with KID syndrome, about a case]. / Insuffisance limbique bilatérale associée à un syndrome KID. A propos d'un cas.

We report the case of a 30-year-old woman with KID (keratitis ichthyosis deafness) syndrome consulting for massive corneal neovascularization. She had already undergone two unsuccessful penetrating keratoplasties in her left eye. Visual acuity was limited to no more than light perception because of the opacity and neovascularization of the graft. In the light of this case of limbal cell deficiency, we discuss the ophthalmologic manifestations of KID syndrome as well as its clinical characteristics, physiopathology, and mode of transmission.

[Subconjunctival localization of a Wuchereria bancrofti adult female]. / Localisation sous-conjonctivale d'une femelle adulte de Wuchereria bancrofti.

The authors describe a case of conjunctival localization of a living adult Wuchereria bancrofti female observed in a 6 year old native Haitian girl, two years after her arrival in France. The adult was surgically removed from the conjunctiva. Microfilariae were evidenced in blood samples obtained at midnight. This is the first case of sub-conjunctival localization of W. bancrofti. This case stresses the necessity to identify the filaria by studying the microfilariae in blood samples obtained at different times of the nycthemere and/or by observing the adult after surgical extraction. The presence of a Loa, a Dirofilaria, a Mansonella, or a Wuchereria calls for different medical therapies.