Soft Tissue Robotic Assisted Orbital Surgery Using da Vinci SP: A Cadaveric Experience.

PURPOSE: Robotic surgical techniques have transformed many surgical specialties however robotic techniques and applications have been much more limited in ophthalmology. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of robotic assisted orbital surgery using a single-port novel robotic platform, the da Vinci SP. METHODS: A series of orbital procedures were performed in cadaveric specimens utilizing the da Vinci SP robotic system. The procedures performed included lacrimal gland dissection and biopsy, medial and lateral orbital wall dissections, enucleation, and lid-sparing orbital exenteration. Successful completion of each procedure was defined by the operating surgeon and was considered the primary outcome and marker of feasibility. RESULTS: Seven cadaveric procedures were performed in 3 cadaveric specimens. All 7 procedures were completed successfully without complication. Setup optimization occurred throughout the study and setup and operative times were acceptable. Three instrument arms and 1 endoscope were utilized throughout the study allowing 3 arm operating and dynamic retraction. Instrument size was found to limit surgical access and precision particular at the orbital apex. CONCLUSIONS: This preclinical study demonstrates that the da Vinci SP can be utilized within the orbit and is feasible for several applications. Robotic surgical systems offer significant advantages over conventional techniques and should be embraced. However, current commercially available robotic platforms are not optimized for the orbit and have their limitations although they may be suitable for some clinical applications.

Ophthalmic Assessment and Management in Acute Facial Palsy.

This article aims to provide insights into emerging concepts in ophthalmic manifestations in patients with facial palsy and discusses considerations used to develop patient-specific management plans in acute management.

Ophthalmic Presentation and Outcome for Sinonasal Mucoceles.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate ophthalmic features and outcomes for patients who present with sinonasal mucoceles expanding into the orbit. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective chart review for patients seen in a specialist orbital clinic over 25 years, with a review of demographics, clinical characteristics, imaging features, and outcomes after treatment. RESULTS: Sixty patients (38 males; 63%) presented at a mean age of 51 years (range 3-89). Symptom duration was extremely variable (1 week-15 years) with a mean of 14 months and median of 4 months-the commonest being periorbital swelling (33/62 orbits) or ache (20 orbits), proptosis (30 orbits), and diplopia (19/50 patients without visual impairment; 38%). Of mucoceles affecting orbital function, 60/62 (97%) were of frontal and/or ethmoid sinus origin, and probable predispositions included past trauma (12/62 orbits) or prior ipsilateral sinus surgery (14 orbits). Forty-two of the 59 (71%) patients who underwent sinus surgery had complete resolution of symptoms within 6 months. Of 10 orbits presenting with moderate to severe visual loss (Snellen 20/60 or worse), the acuity improved in 7/10 (70%) of these after sinus surgery. Although 12/62 (19%) of eyes presented with epiphora, this persisted after sinus surgery in 9 orbits, and areas of occult malignant change were found in 3/9 (33%). CONCLUSION: Sinus mucoceles expanding into the orbit can cause significant globe displacement, dysmotility, or visual impairment. Symptoms usually resolve within several months after functional sinus surgery, but where symptoms persist (particularly periorbital swelling or epiphora) this might indicate underlying secondary causes, such as occult malignancy.

Orbital Exenteration for Advanced Periocular Adnexal Malignancies: Curative Versus Palliative Surgical Intent.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the survival benefit of orbital exenteration in periocular malignancy, taking account of preoperative intent. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing exenteration had retrospective chart review for demographics, clinical features, radiology, histology, and outcome. Based on systemic tumor status, the patient was either "Class I" (with absent or well-controlled systemic disease) or "Class II" (incurable active metastatic disease), and based on the extent of orbital disease and exenteration intent , was classed as either "Group A" (locally curative) or "Group B" (locally palliative). RESULTS: One hundred thirty-three patients (78 females; 59%) underwent exenteration at an average age of 61 years (median 64; range 5-91) for sebaceous, squamous and basal cell carcinomas, or for melanoma (22%, 19%, 11%, and 28%, respectively). There were 20% systemically incurable patients (26/133; Class II), and incurable local disease ("Group B") in 5% (5/107) of Class I and 15% (4/26) Class II patients. The overall survival (OS) was 88% at 12 months, 57% at 5 years, and 41% at 10 years, prognosis being worse with age more than 70 years ( p = 0.005), prior local radiotherapy ( p = 0.005) or positive resection margins ( p = 0.002). The mean OS for Type IA exenteration (145 months; 95% CI 122-168) was significantly different to 50 months for Type IB (95% CI 22-79; p = 0.02); likewise, OS for Type IIA procedures (31 months; 95% CI 11-51) was different to Type IIB (19 months; 95% CI 2-36) ( p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Exenteration confers a significant survival with advanced periocular malignancies, even in patients with uncontrollable systemic disease, or where the local disease is deemed incurable.

Ocular Complications in the Prone Position in the Critical Care Setting: The COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: Ocular complications are common in the critical care setting but are frequently missed due to the focus on life-saving organ support. The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a surge in critical care capacity and prone positioning practices which may increase the risk of ocular complications. This article aims to review all ocular complications associated with prone positioning, with a focus on challenges posed by COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature review using keywords of "intensive care", "critical care", "eye care", "ocular disorders", "ophthalmic complications," "coronavirus", "COVID-19," "prone" and "proning" was performed using the electronic databases of PUBMED, EMBASE and CINAHL. RESULTS: The effects of prone positioning on improving respiratory outcomes in critically unwell patients are well established; however, there is a lack of literature regarding the effects of prone positioning on ocular complications in the critical care setting. Sight-threatening ophthalmic disorders potentiated by proning include ocular surface disease, acute angle closure, ischemic optic neuropathy, orbital compartment syndrome and vascular occlusions. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 patients may be more susceptible to ocular complications with increased proning practices and increasing demand on critical care staff. This review outlines these ocular complications with a focus on preventative and treatment measures to avoid devastating visual outcomes for the patient.

Routine Postoperative Management of Blepharoplasty: A Review of Current Evidence-Based Practice.

Advances in blepharoplasty have resulted in an improved understanding of preoperative risk factors, intraoperative hemostasis, and wound closure. This has reduced the risk of severe adverse events. The aim of this review is to determine the current evidence base for routine postblepharoplasty management. A literature review was performed using MEDLINE, PUBMED, and EMBASE databases. Expanded search criterion "bleph*" was combined with individual terms assessing postoperative management. Articles were assessed and qualified as per Oxford Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine levels 1 to 5 (1 = highest level of evidence). A total of 47 unique articles matched our search strategy. Most articles were a description of individual expert opinion, surveys of practice, or case series (level 4-5 evidence). Few randomized controlled trials were performed (level 2). Many articles describe the clinical experience of senior facial plastic surgeons. Our review found some evidence for postoperative cooling and preincision antisepsis to be effective. This review highlights the need for higher-quality studies to improve the evidence base for routine postoperative management.

The Role of Virtual Consultations in Plastic Surgery During COVID-19 Lockdown.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has led to government enforced 'lockdown' in the UK severely limiting face-to-face patient interaction. Virtual consultations present a means for continued patient access to health care. Our aim was to evaluate the use of virtual consultations (VCons) during lockdown and their possible role in the future. METHODS: An anonymous survey was disseminated to UK and European plastic surgeons via social media, email sharing and via the European Association of Societies of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery newsletter. Uptake of VCons, modality, effectiveness, safety and future utility were assessed. RESULTS: Forty-three senior plastic surgeons responded to the survey. The majority of the respondents (97.7%) reported using VCons during COVID-19 lockdown, of which 74.4% had no prior experience. Two-thirds of surgeons utilised commercial platforms such as Zoom, FaceTime and Skype, 38.1% of respondents did not know about or were unsure about adequate encryption for health care use, and just under a half (47.6%) reported they were unaware of or lacking GDPR compliance. Most (97.6%) say they are likely to use virtual consultations after lockdown. CONCLUSION: Virtual consultations have had a crucial role in patient care during UK lockdown. It is clear that they will serve as an adjunct to face-to-face consultation in the future. Further regulation is required to ensure platforms offer adequate safety and security measures and are compliant with relevant data protection laws. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Poppers maculopathy missed in a patient with cataract highlights the importance of preoperative optical coherence tomography.

Poppers maculopathy is a complication of alkyl nitrate (poppers) inhalation. It presents with non-specific symptoms and variable signs, which can make it difficult to diagnose. We present a case of coexisting cataract and poppers maculopathy in a patient. He had vague visual symptoms that were attributed entirely to his cataract and he went on to have cataract surgery. Suboptimal postoperative visual acuity and normal clinical examination triggered further investigation with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), after which poppers maculopathy was diagnosed. We highlight the importance of performing OCT in the preoperative assessment of a cataract patient, especially where the cataract is mild and may not fully account for symptoms. The patient showed complete visual recovery on drug cessation despite ongoing maculopathy on OCT scans.

Robotic assisted orbital surgery for resection of advanced periocular tumours - a case series report on the feasibility, safety and outcome.

PURPOSE: Orbital surgery benefits from well-designed instrumentation that offers gentle tissue manipulation, high manoeuvrability and control. Nevertheless, in confined spaces, tissue manipulation must be accomplished with exceptionally high accuracy and precision. This is where robotic surgery offers an advantage. We aimed to evaluate a robotic-assisted surgical system's feasibility, safety and outcome in assisting tumour clearance. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A case series of patients with advanced periocular tumours undergoing robotic-assisted globe-sparing resection was performed using the DaVinci XI system (Intuitive Surgical, Inc). Institutional ethics and multidisciplinary approval were sought in all cases. RESULTS: Four patients with advanced periocular tumours underwent robotic-assisted orbital surgery at a mean age of 63 years (range 42-86). Two patients were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, and two had basal cell carcinoma. One patient was found to have positive lymph nodes at the time of surgery and underwent simultaneous parotidectomy and lymph node clearance. Clear resection of the primary tumour was achieved in all patients; three patients underwent further resection due to narrow margins prior to reconstruction. Patients were follow-up for at least one year, and three remained disease-free. One patient with pre-existing extra-orbital disease developed metastatic disease four months post-op. All patients preserved vision peri-operatively, with no complaints of diplopia. Moderate ocular surface disease was noted in two patients. CONCLUSION: Our series highlights the potential advantage of three-dimensional optics, multi-directional instrumentation and motion scaling technology to achieve globe-sparing tumour resection in advanced periocular tumours. However, further robotic instrumentation development is required for orbital surgery.

The Segment, Slice, and 3D Print (SS3DP) Workflow of 3D Printing Eye Anatomy for Clinicians: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

3D printing is becoming increasingly important as time passes, with the latest technologies driving innovation in many fields, including ophthalmology. However, more is needed to know how clinicians can become innovators in their daily practice without needing expert engineering knowledge of the underlying technologies. We aimed to address that shortcoming by developing a pipeline clinicians can use to 3D print. This workflow was named SS3DP: Segment, Slice, and 3D Print. It was tested by fabricating a 3D-printed eyeball. In terms of the results of this work, we observed that the segmentation process was imperfect due to the difficulty of segmenting small structures. The learning curve was steep initially, but the technique improved the more time spent on the segmentation platform. No quantitative analysis was carried out. Innovation in medicine is stifled if its leading participants, clinicians, cannot engage with it due to a lack of knowledge.

Unilateral Posterior Uveitis in a Patient Receiving Nivolumab for Malignant Melanoma.

Patients using immunotherapies like immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can develop ocular immune-related adverse effects (irAEs). Nivolumab (Opdivo®;Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York, NY, USA) is a commonly used ICI used to treat malignancies. A 75-year-old woman presented to our eye clinic with sudden loss in vision in the right eye. She had started nivolumab monotherapy 10 days before the onset of symptoms for the treatment of melanoma. Examination showed low visual acuity (20/170) in the right eye with few reactive cells and macular oedema and swelling in the anterior and posterior segments, respectively. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the right eye showed intra-retinal and sub-retinal fluid and multiple hyperreflective inner retinal round foci in the areas of inflammation. The differential diagnoses were infectious uveitis, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada-like syndrome or masquerade retinopathy. After a full work-up, the patient was diagnosed with unilateral posterior uveitis. The patient responded to topical steroid therapy with improved vision (20/30). Uveitis is listed as an adverse effect on the prescribing list of the drug Opdivo®. Although not reported before, our case demonstrated unilateral involvement. We thus recommend clinicians to be wary after complaints of side effects from their patients; ocular toxicities should be considered.

A lack of an association between COVID-19 vaccination and corneal graft rejection: results of a large multi-country population based study.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to present the rates of corneal transplant rejection from 2018 to 2022 at both Moorfields Eye Hospital UK, and Ospedali Privati Forli (OPF) "Villa Igea", Italy and evaluate the purported association between COVID-19 vaccination and rejection. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of rejection cases presenting to the two units. Monthly rates were correlated against regional vaccination programme rates. At OPF, conditional Poisson regression model was employed to estimate the incidence risk ratio (IRR) of graft rejection following COVID-19 vaccination risk period compared with the control period. RESULTS: Between January 2018 and March 2022, there were 471 (Moorfields), 95 (OPF) episodes of rejection. From the start of vaccination programme in the UK in late January 2021, the median number of graft rejections per month at Moorfields was 6 (range: 5-9), which was not significantly different to post-lockdown, pre-vaccination programme (March 2020-January 2021), p = 0.367. At OPF, the median rates of rejection before and after initiation of the vaccination programme were not significantly different (p = 0.124). No significant increase in incidence rate of rejection in the risk period following COVID-19 vaccination was found (IRR = 0.53, p = 0.71). CONCLUSION: No notable increase in rates of transplant rejection was noted in year 2021 when COVID-19 vaccination was broadly implemented. The apparent temporal relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and corneal graft rejection highlighted in several case reports may not represent a causative association.

Development of a low-cost strabismus surgery simulation model.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Strabismus surgery training has historically focussed on the "see one, do one and teach one" approach. Simulation training offers an alternative to practice surgical skills without direct patient involvement. However, current simulation models for strabismus surgery are limited due to concerns regarding use of animal or human tissue and financial cost limiting practice. Our aim was to build and validate a low-cost model for obtaining the core skills required in strabismus surgery. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A low-cost strabismus model was developed using commercially available materials. Ophthalmic trainees, fellows and consultants were surveyed using a questionnaire to assess the realism and training utility of the model using a five-point Likert scale (1 = unacceptable, 2 = poor, 3 = acceptable, 4 = favourable and 5 = excellent) whilst simulating a horizontal muscle resection task. RESULTS: Forty-two ophthalmologists completed the questionnaire. The model scored highly for muscle securing and suturing (median: 4.00) and suturing. Muscle dissection and conjunctiva were considered poor (median: 3.00, 2.50, respectively). Overall, participants felt that the model simulated strabismus surgery well (median: 4.00) and was comparable to other dry simulation models (median: 4.00). CONCLUSION: Our study describes a favourable training model that can be used for independent practice of core strabismus surgical techniques. However, it remains a technical challenge to replicate certain ocular anatomy using commercially available materials.

The quality of online information regarding non-surgical aesthetic procedures.

BACKGROUND: The rapid growth of non-surgical aesthetics has led to a scarcity of regulation that raises concerns for serious consequences to public health. Services are advertised primarily through websites which are not necessarily centrally monitored or maintained to a set gold standard. We quantitatively assess the quality of online information regarding non-surgical procedures in order to promote patient safety and informed decision making. METHODS: Google and Bing, search engines that represent 95.27of global searches, were queried with the expanded search terms "facial filler" and "Botox". The top 100 results were sampled and two validated tools were used to assess the quality of healthcare information retrieved; the DISCERN instrument and the JAMA benchmark criteria. RESULTS: Once duplicates were removed, a total of 77 unique websites were retrieved by the search. The majority of websites were published by private marketing firms. The median score for website quality across all included websites was 'fair' (42) when assessed according to the DISCERN instrument, and 'poor' (1) when assessed against the JAMA criteria. Private websites had the lowest quality of information online and institutional websites had the highest. CONCLUSION: Non-surgical aesthetics are becoming increasingly popular with patients and clinicians due to their convenience, scope of treatment, and novel and strategic marketing. Online information available to patients, however, is often of poor quality, dominated by private clinics and commercial entities, and thus presents a significant risk of misinforming patients desiring to undertake these procedures. Significant reform and regulation of information is required in order to make this industry safer for patients.

Acquisition of basic microsurgery skills using home-based simulation training: A randomised control study.

INTRODUCTION: Acquisition of fine motor skills required in microsurgery can be challenging in the current training system. Therefore, there is an increased demand for novel training and assessment methods to optimise learning outside the clinical setting. Here, we present a randomised control trial of three microsurgical training models, namely laboratory tabletop training microscope (Laboratory Microscope, LM), low-cost jewellers microscope (Home Microscope, HM) and iPad trainer (Home Tablet, HT). METHODS: Thirty-nine participants were allocated to four groups, control n = 9, LM n = 10, HM n = 10 and HT n = 10. The participants performed a chicken femoral artery anastomosis at baseline and at the completion of training. The performance was assessed as follows: structured assessment of microsurgery skills (SAMS) score, time taken to complete anastomosis and time for suture placement. RESULT: No statistically significant difference was noted between the groups at baseline. There was a statistically significant improvement in all training arms between the baseline and post-training for SAMS score, time taken to complete the anastomosis and time per suture placement. In addition, a reduction was observed in the leak rate. No statistical difference was observed among the training arms. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that at the early stages of microsurgical skill acquisition, home training using either the jewellers microscope or iPad produces comparable results to laboratory-based training using a tabletop microscope. Therefore, home microsurgical training is a viable, easily accessible cost-effective modality that allows trainees to practice and take ownership of their technical skill development in this area.

Tablet based simulation provides a new solution to accessing laparoscopic skills training.

AIM: Access to facilities that allow trainees to develop their laparoscopic skills is very limited in the hospital environment and courses can be very expensive. We set out to build an inexpensive yet effective trainer to allow laparoscopic skill acquisition in the home or classroom environment based on using a tablet as a replacement for the laparoscopic stack and camera. METHODS: The cavity in which to train was made from a cardboard box; we left the sides and back open to allow for natural light to fill the cavity. An iPad 2 (Apple Inc.) was placed over the box to act as our camera and monitor. We provided 10 experienced laparoscopic surgeons with the task of passing a suture needle through 3 hoops; then they filled in a questionnaire to assess Face (training capacity) and Content (performance) validity. RESULTS: On a 5-point Likert scale, the tablet-based laparoscopic trainer scored a mean 4.2 for training capacity (hand eye coordination, development, and maintenance of lap skills) and for performance (graphics, video, and lighting quality) it scored a mean 4.1. CONCLUSIONS: The iPad 2-based laparoscopic trainer was successfully validated for training. It allows students and trainees to practice at their own pace and for inexpensive training on the go. Future "app-"based skills are planned.