Lux study: Contribution of a three-dimensional, high dynamic range, ultra-high-definition heads-up visualization system to a significant delivered light intensity decrease during different types of ocular surgeries.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the hypothesis that using a large, three-dimensional (3D), ultra-high-definition (4K), heads-up display (HUD) system in a real-life setting may be associated with a significant reduction in light intensity (LI) delivered during various types of eye surgery. METHODS: Single center, post-learning curve observational study of 142 independent consecutive cases: 73 cataracts and 69 vitrectomies (VR). For each group, the only variable setting was the LI. The LI delivered by each source was calibrated in lumens (lm). RESULTS: In the VR group, the delivered LI dramatically decreased from the 80% reference to 27.8%±13.2% (P<0.0001) (4.3 to 1.5lm). Among these surgeries, 91.3% needed 40% or less LI (2.3lm). The corneal transparency and quality of pupil dilation showed some correlation with the results. In the cataract group, the difference was even more spectacular, from 80% to 15%±11.3% (P<0.0001) (2.5 to 0.3lm). Among these surgeries, 80.8% required less than 20% LI (0.5lm). The surgical time, LI variations and type of cataract seemed to influence the results, down to 9.6%±5.4% (P<0.0001) (0.22lm) for nuclear cataracts, which represented 63% of the cataract sample. CONCLUSION: The digital signal amplification with this HUD system allows comfortable posterior as well as anterior segment surgery despite the decrease in incident light, suggesting an unprecedented reduction in the risk of phototoxicity compared to conventional systems as well as a likely improvement in patient comfort.

Results of proton therapy of uveal melanomas treated in Nice.

PURPOSE: To present the first results of uveal melanomas treated with the Medicyc Cyclotron 65 MeV proton beam facility in Nice, analyzing the factors that affect the cause-specific survival (CSS), metastatic rate, and reporting the visual outcome. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This study concerns 538 patients referred by French institutions between June 1991 and December 1996. The eye and tumor parameters were measured using ultrasonography and angiography. Since 1994, CT scans were performed in most patients to help determine the axial length and the shape of the ocular globe. Tantalum clips were inserted around the tumor by the referring ophthalmologist. There were 349 posterior pole tumors (64.9%), 130 equatorial tumors (24.1%), and 59 ciliary body tumors (11%). Two hundred four patients (37.9%) had T1 or T2 tumors, and 334 patients (62.1%) had T3 or T4 tumors. The median tumor diameter was 14.6 mm, and the median tumor height was 5.1 mm. All patients received 52 Gy (57.20 Gy Co-equivalent dose) on 4 consecutive days. The data were analyzed by December 1997. RESULTS: The CSS was 77.4% at 78 months, the overall survival was 73.8% and the local control was 89.0%. The CSS was not influenced by the patient age or the site of the tumor. It was 81.5% for T1 and T2 tumors, versus 75% for T3 and T4 tumors (P = 0.035). It was found that the tumor diameter, rather than the height, was the most important parameter affecting outcome. The metastatic rate was 8%. It depended on the T stage, tumor diameter and thickness, but not the tumor site. Thirty-eight enucleations were performed, most of them due to tumor progression and/or glaucoma. One-third of the patients in whom visual acuity was adequately scored before and after treatment had a stable, if not improved vision, and half the patients retained useful vision after treatment. CONCLUSION: The outcome of patients suffering from uveal melanoma and treated with high-energy protons compares favorably with other techniques of treatment. The tumor dimensions affected CSS and metastatic rate. Even though two-thirds of patients had posterior pole tumors, half of them retained useful vision.

[Anisocoria disclosing malignant lymphoma]. / Anisocorie révélatrice d'un lymphome malin.

Intraocular lymphoma is a rare disease. We present a patient in which anisocoria led to the diagnosis of iris lymphoma and systemic malignant non Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Isolated Kaposi sarcoma of the finger pulp in an AIDS patient.

A 63-year-old woman with long-standing AIDS and previous Kaposi sarcomas of the lower limb presented to our consultation complaining of a painful left ring finger with pulp enlargement. X-rays revealed an osteolytic lesion of the distal phalanx. We suspected an isolated osseous Kaposi sarcoma and at surgery we found a hemorrhagic lesion with bone extension into the phalanx. Bone involvement is rare in Kaposi sarcoma and even rarer in patients without a cutaneous location.