Dácio Carvalho Costa

Case-control study of subconjunctival triamcinolone acetonide injection vs intravenous methylprednisolone pulse in the treatment of endothelial corneal allograft rejection

PurposeTo assess the safety and effectiveness of treating corneal endothelial rejection with a subconjunctival injection of 20 mg triamcinolone acetonide in combination with topical application of 1% prednisolone acetate, as compared to treatment with an intravenous pulse of 500 mg methylprednisolone in combination with topical application of 1% prednisolone acetate.MethodsA case–controlled study including a literature review was performed. Patients who presented with an initial episode of corneal endothelial rejection were treated with subconjunctival injection of 20 mg triamcinolone in combination with topically applied 1% prednisolone and were retrospectively matched for age and diagnosis to patients who received a single intravenous injection of 500 mg methylprednisolone in combination with topical 1% prednisolone. Patients were analysed regarding reversion of the rejection episode, intraocular pressure, and visual acuity after 1 year.ResultsOverall, the triamcinolone group had a better outcome regarding reversion of corneal transplant rejection (P=0.025), with 15 of 16 patients in the triamcinolone group having clear grafts, compared to only 10 of 16 patients in the methylprednisolone group. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was increased in both groups at day 30 (P=0.002), although there was no statistically significant difference in IOP between the groups (P=0.433). Visual acuity improved in both groups after 1 year (P=0.049), although slightly more improvement was observed in the triamcinolone group (P=0.002).ConclusionsThe results observed in this case–controlled study suggest that the use of subconjunctival triamcinolone acetonide may benefit patients with corneal transplant rejection.

Intralenticular metal foreign body: case report

Intralenticular foreign bodies comprise about 5% to 10% of all intraocular foreign bodies and can result in serious complications. The management depends on some factors like size, location, material type and the risk of infection. We present a patient with an intralenticular metal foreign body in the left eye that, following initial treatment with topical steroid and antibiotic, underwent lens aspiration with removal of the intralenticular foreign body and insertion of a posterior chamber intraocular lens with good visual outcome.

Use of oral ivermectin in a patient with destructive rhino-orbital myiasis

98: 76–85. 3 Lamprecht P, Voswinkel J, Lilienthal T, Nolle B, Heller M, Gross WL et al. Effectiveness of TNF-alpha blockade with infliximab in refractory Wegener’s granulomatosis. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2002; 41: 1303–1307. 4 Bartolucci P, Ramanoelina J, Cohen P, Mahr A, Godmer P, Le Hello C et al. Efficacy of the anti-TNF-alpha antibody infliximab against refractory systemic vasculitides: an open pilot study on 10 patients. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2002; 41: 1126–1132. 5 Stone JH, Uhlfelder ML, Hellmann DB, Crook S, Bedocs NM, Hoffman GS. Etanercept combined with conventional treatment in Wegener’s granulomatosis: a six-month openlabel trial to evaluate safety. Arthritis Rheum 2001; 44: 1149–1154.

Rejeição de transplantes de córnea: tratamento tópico vs. pulsoterapia - resultados de 10 anos

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous 500 mg methylprednisolone in addition to topical treatment with 1% prednisolone in the treatment of the first episode of corneal endothelial rejection in patients that were submitted to corneal allograft transplantation. METHODS: Retrospective case-control study with 81 patients that presented the first episode of corneal endothelial rejection and were treated within the first 15 days of the onset of symptoms. RESULTS: 67 patients were treated with 1% topical prednisolone acetate and pulsed intravenous methylprednisolone 500 mg at the diagnosis of corneal allograft rejection. Fourteen patients were submitted to topical treatment only, thus forming the control group. Forty-one of 67 patients (61.2%) that were submitted to pulsed steroid had good outcome and 26 (38.8%) presented corneal graft failure while only 4 of 14 patients (28.57%) that received only topical steroids evolved with clear grafts and the remaining 10 patients (71.43%) with graft failure. Chi-square showed statistically significant association (p<0.05) to greater success with pulsed methylprednisolone. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the use of 500 mg intravenous methylprednisolone in addition to 1% topical prednisolone acetate for the treatment of endothelial corneal allograft rejection presents better outcomes in reverting corneal allograft rejection when compared to isolated use of 1% topical prednisolone acetate.

Corneal Transplant Rejection

Corneal transplant rejection is an immunological cellular process that attacks the donor cornea and may cause its failure. It is the most common cause of corneal transplant failure. The most common factors for rejection are corneal neovascularization, previous graft failure, anterior synechiae, large or descentered graft, intraocular inflammation and previous anterior segment surgeries. It commonly presents with hyperemia, ocular pain, corneal edema, and anterior chamber inflammation. Corneal graft rejection can be classified as epithelial rejection, subepithelial rejection, stromal rejection, endothelial rejection, combined stromal and endothelial rejection, and rejection in a repeat graft. Prevention of immunemediated graft rejection can be achieved through meticulous surgical technique, lamellar surgery, enhanced compatibility between donor tissue and receptor cornea, and pharmacologic strategies. Corticosteroids are still the gold standard therapy in corneal rejection management and can be used in many different dosages and routes of administrations. The authors propose a protocol for the treatment of corneal allograft rejection.Corneal transplant rejection is an immunological cellular process that attacks the donor cornea and may cause its failure. It is the most common cause of corneal transplant failure.The most common factors for rejection are corneal neovascularization, previous graft failure, anterior synechiae, large or descentered graft, intraocular inflammation and previous anterior segment surgeries. It commonly presents with hyperemia, ocular pain, corneal edema, and anterior chamber inflammation. Corneal graft rejection can be classified as epithelial rejection, subepithelial rejection, stromal rejection, endothelial rejection, combined stromal and endothelial rejection, and rejection in a repeat graft. Prevention of immune-mediated graft rejection can be achieved through meticulous surgical technique, lamellar surgery, enhanced compatibility between donor tissue and receptor cornea, and pharmacologic strategies. Corticosteroids are still the gold standard therapy in corneal rejection management and can be used in many different dosages and routes of administrations. The authors propose a protocol for the treatment of corneal allograft rejection.

Rejeição de transplante de córnea

Corneal transplant rejection is an immunological cellular process that attacks the donor cornea and may cause its failure. It is the most common cause of corneal transplant failure. The most common factors for rejection are corneal neovascularization, previous graft failure, anterior synechiae, large or descentered graft, intraocular inflammation and previous anterior segment surgeries. It commonly presents with hyperemia, ocular pain, corneal edema, and anterior chamber inflammation. Corneal graft rejection can be classified as epithelial rejection, subepithelial rejection, stromal rejection, endothelial rejection, combined stromal and endothelial rejection, and rejection in a repeat graft. Prevention of immunemediated graft rejection can be achieved through meticulous surgical technique, lamellar surgery, enhanced compatibility between donor tissue and receptor cornea, and pharmacologic strategies. Corticosteroids are still the gold standard therapy in corneal rejection management and can be used in many different dosages and routes of administrations. The authors propose a protocol for the treatment of corneal allograft rejection.Corneal transplant rejection is an immunological cellular process that attacks the donor cornea and may cause its failure. It is the most common cause of corneal transplant failure.The most common factors for rejection are corneal neovascularization, previous graft failure, anterior synechiae, large or descentered graft, intraocular inflammation and previous anterior segment surgeries. It commonly presents with hyperemia, ocular pain, corneal edema, and anterior chamber inflammation. Corneal graft rejection can be classified as epithelial rejection, subepithelial rejection, stromal rejection, endothelial rejection, combined stromal and endothelial rejection, and rejection in a repeat graft. Prevention of immune-mediated graft rejection can be achieved through meticulous surgical technique, lamellar surgery, enhanced compatibility between donor tissue and receptor cornea, and pharmacologic strategies. Corticosteroids are still the gold standard therapy in corneal rejection management and can be used in many different dosages and routes of administrations. The authors propose a protocol for the treatment of corneal allograft rejection.