Andrew W. Stacey

Management of Orbital and Periocular Vascular Anomalies.

Purpose: To review the treatment modalities available to clinicians who treat orbital and periocular vascular anomalies, with a focus on newer approaches. Methods: The authors’ experience, along with a literature review, was used to provide a concise summary of the available approaches to the treatment of periocular vascular anomalies. Emerging diagnostic tools and therapies are highlighted. Results: The treatment of orbital and periocular vascular anomalies, including vascular malformations and tumors, increasingly utilizes a multidisciplinary team and a combination of endovascular, percutaneous, and open surgical techniques. Conclusions: A growing reliance on new instrumentation and tools in a team-oriented approach to treatment may lead to better results with improved visual function and cosmesis and with reduced risk of complications.

Nasolacrimal System Aeration on Computed Tomographic Imaging: Sex and Age Variation.

Purpose: To investigate variation in aeration of the nasolacrimal drainage system between age groups and genders, and to report the reliability of repeated aeration grading and nasolacrimal canal measurements on CT. Methods: Retrospective review of CT images from 92 individuals, 60 female and 32 male, was conducted by 3 independent reviewers for the presence of air within the nasolacrimal drainage system. Diameter and area measurements were also obtained at the smallest identifiable portion of the nasolacrimal canal by 2 independent reviewers. Results: When air is present on CT, it is seen more fully throughout the nasolacrimal system in men as compared to women. Age data demonstrate that patients from the third and fourth decade have significantly more aeration than older patients. Diameter and area of the nasolacrimal duct within the canal at its narrowest point revealed no correlation with sex, age, or nasolacrimal system aeration. Inter-reviewer reliability shows strong repeatability of aeration grading and nasolacrimal duct measurements between multiple reviewers. Conclusions: The results suggest CT is reliable and repeatable modality to assess nasolacrimal system aeration and nasolacrimal duct diameter. Decreased aeration of the nasolacrimal system in females and the elderly mirrors epidemiologic trends for those at risk to develop primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Variables in nasolacrimal drainage system anatomy, specifically nasolacrimal duct diameter and area, did not vary between sexes or age groups, suggesting aeration may be an overlooked variable in nasolacrimal system function.

Vision loss caused by retinal and lateral geniculate nucleus infarction in H1N1 influenza

A 13-year-old girl developed encephalopathy and severe bilateral vision loss to the level of light perception within 24 hours of having fever and myalgias heralding H1N1 influenza A. Ophthalmoscopy demonstrated findings of confluent ischemic retinopathy. Brain MRI disclosed lateral geniculate body signal abnormalities indicative of hemorrhagic infarction. Despite aggressive treatment with intravenous corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and plasmapheresis, vision did not substantially improve. This case demonstrates that H1N1 can cause simultaneous retinal and lateral geniculate body infarctions, a combination of findings not previously described in any condition. We postulate an immunologic response to the virus marked by occlusive damage to arteriolar endothelium.

Risk of ocular blood splatter during oculofacial plastic surgery.

Purpose: To assess intraoperative blood splatter to the ocular surface and adnexa during oculofacial surgery. Methods: Four surgeons and multiple assistants at three separate locations wore a total of 331 protective eye shields during 131 surgeries. Postoperatively, a luminol blood detection system was used to identify blood splatter on the shields. In the event of positive blood splatter, the total number of blood spots was counted. Controls were used to verify the blood detection protocol. A postoperative questionnaire was given to all surgeons and assistants after each case, and they were asked whether intraoperative blood splatter was noticed. Results: Blood was detected on 61% of eye shields and in a total of 80% of surgical cases. However, only 2% of blood splatters were recognized intraoperatively by the surgical participants. There was no significant difference in the splatter rate between surgeons (64%), assistants (60%), and surgical technicians (58%) (p = 0.69). Shields worn during full-thickness eyelid procedures, direct brow lifting, orbitotomy with bony window, and orbital fracture repairs were more likely to be splattered (p = 0.03), and there was a significant difference between splatter rates among different surgeons (range, 29–90%; p = 0.0004), suggesting that blood splatter rate may be both procedure dependent and surgeon dependent. Conclusions: Mucocutaneous and transconjunctival transmission of human immunodeficiency virus and viral hepatitis has been documented. These results suggest that oculofacial plastic surgeons should consider eye protection for patients with known blood-borne diseases and in cases where blood splatter is expected. This precautionary practice is supported by the high incidence (98%) of undetected, intraoperative blood splatter.

Nasolacrimal system aeration on computed tomographic imaging: effects of patient positioning and scan orientation

Purpose To determine the impact of patient positioning and scan orientation on the appearance of air in the nasolacrimal drainage system on computed tomography (CT) imaging, and the repeatability of the observations. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of CT images for 92 patients. Results Air was found to be present more fully in the upright-position group as compared with the supine-position group. Comparing axial and coronal scan orientation, no difference in aeration was found, except for the nasolacrimal duct in the upright-position group. Conclusion Patient position should be accounted for in diagnostic conclusions and treatment decisions based on CT.

Simultaneous Versus Staged Balanced Decompression for Thyroid-Related Compressive Optic Neuropathy.

Purpose: To compare the visual and exophthalmometry outcomes of simultaneous versus staged balanced decompression in patients with thyroid-related compressive optic neuropathy (CON). Methods: All consecutive patients who underwent simultaneous or staged balanced decompressions for clinically diagnosed thyroid-related CON performed by 4 surgeons at the Kellogg Eye Center of the University of Michigan between 1999 and 2014 were included in the study. Demographic, medical, and surgical covariates were collected. Orbits were stratified by decompression technique. Primary outcomes were improvement in CON score (which quantifies visual dysfunction using logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, color vision, and Humphrey visual field mean deviation), and improvement in proptosis. The authors performed univariate and descriptive statistics to identify baseline differences and covariates associated with the outcomes of interest; multivariate mixed linear regression models (to adjust for interorbit correlation) were then constructed with inclusion of potential confounders with p value ⩽0.1. Results: In total, 80 orbits of 53 patients were included in the study. Of the 80 orbits, 61% underwent simultaneous balanced decompression, and 39% underwent staged balanced decompression. Mean CON score reduction was 6.12 ± 9.7 and mean proptosis reduction was 5.63 ± 2.6 mm. Staged balanced decompression was significantly associated with greater CON score reduction (p = 0.038). However, staged (vs. simultaneous) decompression technique did not remain an independent predictor (p = 0.950) after multivariate analysis adjusted for confounders. For proptosis reduction, there were no statistically significant differences between simultaneous and staged balanced decompression on univariate (p = 0.122) or multivariate mixed linear regression models (p = 0.812). Conclusion: Simultaneous and staged balanced decompression are equally efficacious in treating visual dysfunction and exophthalmos due to thyroid eye disease in patients with clinically diagnosed CON. Patient choice should be the primary consideration and care should be individualized. Further studies validating the CON score used in the study and comparative studies individualizing surgical treatment of thyroid eye disease are warranted.

A 6-year-old boy with Cornelia de Lange syndrome and Coats disease: case report and review of the literature.

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) can result in multiple congenital abnormalities and numerous ocular findings. We report the case of a 6-year-old boy with history of CdLS who presented with Coats disease. The findings in this case are compared to those found in the two previously reported cases of concomitant CdLS and Coats disease. The low incidence of these two disorders makes it highly unlikely that the connection is random in these 3 cases. The number of patients with both Cornelia de Lange syndrome and Coats disease is likely underestimated due to the difficulty in examining the peripheral retina in this patient population.

Hypertensive emergency presenting as blurry vision in a patient with hypertensive chorioretinopathy

A 42-year-old man presented with 3 weeks of blurry vision in the right eye. His exam was significant for decreased vision in the right eye, diffuse retinopathy in both eyes, and serous retinal detachment in the right eye. The patient was found to be hypertensive with blood pressure of 256/160 mmHg. He was diagnosed with hypertensive emergency with end-organ damage due to features of hypertensive chorioretinopathy. He was admitted with abnormal urinalysis, elevated troponin, and abnormal EKG. After appropriate control of his blood pressure, his vision and his labs normalized. Hypertensive emergencies can be manifested first in the eyes. When the choroid is associated, the hypertensive event is often more acute and associated with increased morbidity. It is imperative to obtain a fundus exam in any patient with elevated blood pressure and concomitant vision complaints.

Serial Intravitreal Bevacizumab Injections Slow the Progression of Radiation Maculopathy Following Iodine-125 Plaque Radiotherapy.

Background and Objective: To assess the outcomes of intravitreal bevacizumab injection in the management of radiation maculopathy secondary to plaque radiotherapy, and to identify optimal treatment strategies. Study Design: A retrospective review of all choroidal melanoma patients at one referral center who were treated with plaque radiotherapy, subsequently developed radiation maculopathy, and received intravitreal bevacizumab. Results: A total of 31 patients were identified. The mean visual acuity decreased three Snellen lines in the year leading up to the first bevacizumab injection. After initiating injection therapy, the mean visual acuity remained stable for 9 months. The change in visual acuity of patients who received injections within 90 days of previous injections was significantly better than the visual acuity of those who received injections more than 90 days apart (p=0.0003). Patients who demonstrated late-phase macular leakage on fluorescein angiography at the time of the first bevacizumab injection had better long-term visual acuity outcomes than patients who had no evidence of macular leakage (average of one line improvement of vision vs. ten line loss of vision, p=0.03). Conclusions: Intravitreal bevacizumab injection was effective in stabilizing visual acuity in patients with radiation maculopathy. Patients benefited most from injections administered every 90 days or sooner. Fluorescein angiography can help identify patients who will respond favorably to treatment.