Acute dacryocystitis: changing practice pattern over the last three decades at a tertiary care setup.

AIM: To compare the demographics, clinical features, and changes in the management pattern of acute dacryocystitis at a tertiary care eye institute. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of electronic medical records of all patients diagnosed with acute dacryocystitis from January 2013 to January 2023. Data retrieved include demographics, history, presenting symptoms, duration of symptoms, surgical interventions, associated systemic conditions, management, complications, and outcomes. A successful anatomical outcome was defined as patency on lacrimal irrigation, and a successful functional outcome was defined as the resolution of infection and epiphora. The data parameters obtained were compared with the historical published data of the earlier two decades from the same Institute. RESULTS: A total of 363 eyes of 349 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. The median age was 45 years (range: 19-94 years). There were 216 (62%) females and 133 (38%) males. Surgery was performed in 320 (88%) patients. Needle aspiration or incision and drainage were performed in 102(32%) patients with lacrimal abscesses. Of the 320 patients, an endoscopic DCR was performed in 138 (43%) patients and an external DCR in 182 (57%). Of the 320 patients who underwent DCR surgery, 308 (96%) demonstrated anatomical and functional success at 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: There is a changing trend towards endoscopic DCR being incorporated as the primary procedure for managing acute dacryocystitis with the advantages of quicker resolution and reduced morbidity. There is a trend for choosing needle aspiration over the traditional incision and drainage in the initial management of lacrimal abscess.

Frontal osteomyelitis post-COVID-19 associated mucormycosis.

Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is the most commonly noted form of mucormycosis, which is the most common secondary fungal infection following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Osteomyelitis is one of the rare sequelae of ROCM, frontal osteomyelitis being the rarest. We present four patients of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated mucormycosis, who presented with frontal bone osteomyelitis after being treated for ROCM surgically and medically. This is the first case series highlighting this complication in post-COVID-19 mucormycosis patients and needs utmost attention as it can be life-threatening and can cause extreme facial disfiguration. All four patients are alive with salvage of the affected globe and vision being preserved in one patient. If identified early, disfiguration of face and intracranial extension can be avoided.

Age-Related Changes in the Lacrimal Punctum Morphology in a Normal Population: Punctum Update (PUP) Study-Paper 1.

PURPOSE: To define the clinical and optical coherence tomography (OCT) morphology of the lacrimal punctum and assess the age-related changes across 8 decades of life in a normal population. METHODS: A total of 1310 high-magnification slit-lamp, Fourier-domain OCT (FD-OCT), and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images were obtained from 320 puncta of normal asymptomatic individuals representing the Indian population. The punctum and peri-punctal area were defined with the help of 2 rims (inner punctal rim and outer punctal rim ) and 3 zones (white zone [Wz], separation zone [Sz], and peri-punctal vascularity). FD-OCT images were used to measure the external punctal diameters and internal lacrimal punctal diameters and the reflectivity patterns of the 3 punctal layers. OCTA was used to assess the branching and extent of vascular networks. RESULTS: The upper puncta were narrower and more circular than the lower puncta across the decades. The elevation of the punctal papilla began in the upper puncta in the fifth decade, involved the lower puncta in the sixth decade, and gradually became exaggerated by the eighth decade. A typical punctal narrowing in previously wide puncta began to appear in the sixth decade of life, peaks in the seventh decade, and reverses gradually and spontaneously by the end of the eighth decade of life. The third and fourth decades saw a narrowing of the Sz with prominent vascularity crossing the Sz to reach the Wz. The Sz became indistinct in the fifth and sixth decades of life. The FD-OCT showed gradual thickening and dominance of the fibrous layer from the fifth to eighth decade of life. The clinical vascularity in the peri-punctal region increases from the third decade onwards, with vascular networks becoming increasingly dense, intricate, and branched as the age progresses. CONCLUSION: The present study defined and characterized the involutional changes in a normal population's first-eighth decades of life. Significant morphological changes were noticed across the different age groups with several clinical implications.

Endoscopic and radiological evidence refuting intra-abscess septae.

PURPOSE: To investigate the presence of septae within the lacrimal abscess and to explore simple aspiration as an alternative to the traditional management by incision and drainage. METHODS: Prospective, interventional pilot study involved eight lacrimal sac abscesses of eight patients over a period of three months. All patients underwent a pre-operative MRI with surface coils followed by aspiration of the abscess (n = 4) or incision and drainage of the abscess (n = 4). An intra-sac endoscopic evaluation was performed during the abscess drainage. Primary outcome measures - presence or absence of septae on MRI scan images and endoscopic evaluation of the abscess cavity. Secondary outcome measures - relief from pain and symptoms following aspiration and anatomical patency following definitive management. RESULTS: Eight patients underwent either aspiration (n = 4) or incision and drainage of the abscess (n = 4). Mean age of the patients 43.3 years and male to female ratio was 1:1. Left eye involvement was more common (Right: left = 1:3). Average duration of acute symptoms - 3.75 days. High resolution MRI showed a well- defined abscess cavity with few undulations which on endoscopic evaluation correlated with oedematous mucosal folds. There was absence of a loculi or septae within the abscess cavity. Definitive surgery in the form of endoscopic DCR was performed for all the patients with post-operative FICI grading was +5. CONCLUSION: The present study refutes the presence of septae within the abscess cavity and proposes aspiration of the lacrimal sac abscess as a minimally invasive procedure with minimal logistics and a shallow learning curve.

Update on the Long-Term Outcomes Following the Management of Incomplete Punctal Canalization.

PURPOSE: To study the clinical profile, associated lacrimal disorders, and long-term outcomes following a membranotomy, in patients with incomplete punctal canalization (IPC). METHODS: Retrospective interventional study was performed of all the patients diagnosed with IPC during the study period over 5 years from January 2015 to December 2020. The diagnosis of IPC was made based on the earlier published guidelines. A combination of rapid and slow taper Nettleship's punctal dilators were used for an effective membranotomy, followed by further assessment of the lacrimal drainage passage. Appropriate interventions for associated lacrimal disorders were performed. Data collected on chart reviews include demographics, clinical presentation, laterality, type of IPC, associated lacrimal anomalies, management modalities, and long-term outcomes. RESULTS: Ninety-eight puncta of 62 eyes of 46 patients with IPC were examined in the clinic. Incomplete punctal canalization-external membrane variant was seen in 62% (61/98) and internal membrane variant in 38% (37/98). Seventy-eight puncta (78/98, 79.5%) in 39 patients underwent membranotomy using Nettleship's punctal dilator. Associated lacrimal drainage pathway deformities were seen in 31% of patients (12/39). Three puncta had mini-monoka insertion for associated canalicular stenosis and canalicular obstruction. Five patients with associated congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction underwent probing, of which 3 patients needed dacryocystorhinostomy for complex congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Associated punctal agenesis was noted in 3 patients involving the other punctum of the same eye. Canalicular wall hypoplasia involving 3 walls of the canaliculus was seen in 1 patient. At a mean follow up of 28 months, the anatomical and functional outcomes were noted in 100% and 97.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term outcomes of membranotomy for IPC are excellent. Associated congenital lacrimal drainage anomalies are common with IPC.

Perceived difficulties and complications in learners of phacoemulsification: A principal component analysis model.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the difficulty perceived of each step of phacoemulsification and analyze the factors affecting them. METHODS: Overall, 12 trainee residents were allotted 10 cases of phacoemulsification of eyes with senile cataract, under a single observer, and the steps of each surgery were rated from very easy to very difficult with a questionnaire. The completion rates of steps and complications of each surgery were noted. Principal component analysis of the responses to the difficulty level questionnaire was conducted to obtain factors resulting in the perceived difficulty. RESULTS: The lowest difficulty scores were for initial step of incision creation (1.63 ± 0.84), followed by intraocular lens insertion (2.51 ± 0.8). The most difficult step was divide/chop of the nucleus (3.74 ± 0.97) followed by phacoemulsification (3.32 ± 0.82). Highest completion rates were seen for the initial steps of the surgery and the lowest for divide/chop. We identified two major patterns of difficulty among the trainees - one for steps involving high amount of binocularity and the other, for steps involving high precision of hand control. The rate of complication of our study was within acceptable range. CONCLUSION: Although trainees have practiced phacoemulsification steps on simulation, real-life situation may bring in unprecedented level of difficulty and challenges, which may be documented and used for targeted improvement of surgical skills. Stereopsis and hand control training should form a major part of training modules of cataract surgery both on simulation and real-life scenarios.