A retrospective review of cases preoperatively diagnosed by radiologic imaging as cavernous venous malformations.

The purpose of this study is to examine orbital lesions identified on preoperative radiologic imaging as cavernous venous malformations (CVMs), identify their imaging characteristics, and determine if these may help differentiate CVMs from other intraorbital masses. An IRB-approved retrospective chart review over 30 years was undertaken identifying lesions "consistent with cavernous hemangioma" on radiologic studies, which were subsequently surgically resected with a tissue diagnosis. All radiologic images (CT and MRI) obtained preoperatively were re-reviewed by a single masked neuroradiologist. The pattern of contrast enhancement on sequential MRI views was used to determine whether the enhancing characteristics helped identify CVMs compared to other intraorbital masses. Fifty-seven orbital lesions consistent with a CVM were identified on imaging. Fourteen (25%) of them were resected, of which nine (64%) were found to be CVMs on pathologic examination. Five (36%) were found to be a different lesion, most commonly schwannoma (21%). On imaging, CVMs tended to display heterogeneous progressive enhancement, whereas other tumors, in particular schwannomas, enhanced at their maximum level immediately. Based on these characteristics, on re-review, the masked neuroradiologist was able to differentiate a CVM versus other tumors for all 14 imaging cases. This study suggests that examining the pattern of contrast enhancement may help to correctly differentiate a CVM from other isolated, encapsulated orbital lesions on CT/MR imaging.

Potential correlation between menopausal status and the clinical course of orbital cavernous hemangiomas.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical course of radiologically diagnosed orbital cavernous hemangiomas in the setting of presumed changes in estrogen/progesterone levels. METHODS: An institutional review board-approved retrospective cohort chart review of patients from January 1, 1983, to January 1, 2013, was undertaken searching both outpatient ophthalmology diagnoses and radiologic diagnoses, identifying 32 orbital cavernous hemangiomas, which were subsequently divided into group 1, presumed to have stable levels of estrogen/progesterone, and group 2, presumed to have decreasing levels of estrogen/progesterone. Patients were then categorized as having short-term, mid-range, or long-term follow up. Serial imaging studies were evaluated and graded as having increased, decreased, or remained stable in size. RESULTS: In group 1, no lesions decreased in size, 69% remained stable, and 31% increased in size. In group 2, no lesions increased in size, 45% remained stable, and 55% decreased in size. When evaluating only those patients with long-term follow up, many masses in group 1 increased in size, while the majority in group 2 decreased in size. CONCLUSIONS: In this study evaluating orbital cavernous hemangiomas over a span of 30 years, the authors found that in postmenopausal women with assumed decreasing levels of circulating estrogen/progesterone, the vast majority of lesions either remained stable or decreased in size, suggesting the effect of hormone levels on such vascular lesions and supporting the role for observation in asymptomatic individuals in this patient population.

Indications and outcomes of amniotic membrane transplantation in the management of acute stevens-johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis: a case-control study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the indications and outcomes of amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) performed within the first 2 weeks of presentation in the management of patients with acute Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). METHODS: A retrospective chart review from January 1998 to May 2011 identified 128 SJS/TEN patients admitted to Loyola University Medical Center Burn intensive care unit. The degree of initial ocular surface inflammation was graded as mild, moderate, or severe within the first 2 weeks of admission. Patients were managed either medically or with amniotic membrane (AM). Outcomes were graded as good [best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA)>20/40], fair (BCVA 20/40 to 20/200 or with ocular surface discomfort, requiring contact lens or reconstructive surgeries), or poor (BCVA<20/200). RESULTS: Of the 182 eyes (91 patients) with documented inpatient eye examinations, 108 eyes (59.4%) had mild or no initial ocular involvement, 37 eyes (20.3%) had moderate, and 37 eyes (20.3%) had severe inflammation. Of the 29 patients (58 eyes) with greater than 1 month of follow-up, 17 patients (33 eyes) were treated with medical management and 13 patients (25 eyes) were treated with early AM. One of the 23 eyes with moderate or severe presentation treated with early AMT (4.3%) resulted in a poor outcome within 3 months compared with 8 of 23 eyes (34.8%) that were medically managed (P=0.022). CONCLUSIONS: We present the first case-control study of the use of AM in the management of acute SJS/TEN. Early use of AMT prevents severe vision loss in SJS/TEN patients with initial moderate or severe ocular surface inflammation.