Flávio de Andrade Marigo

Ultrasound biomicroscopy in the comparison of the anterior segment morphometry before and after pars plana vitrectomy

PURPOSE To determine if pars plana vitrectomy induces long-term changes in the anterior segment anatomy by means of ultrasound biomicroscopy. METHODS A prospective case series study was undertaken of consecutive patients referred to a tertiary eye care centre for pars plana vitrectomy as the only procedure. Twenty eyes of 20 patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy alone were studied by ultrasound biomicroscopy. Silicone oil or scleral buckle was not used in any of the included cases. The following morphometric parameters were compared before and after 3 months of surgery: anterior chamber depth, angle-opening distance at 500 microm from the scleral spur, trabecular-ciliary process distance, ciliary body thickness at 1, 2 and 3 millimeters from the scleral spur and measurement of the supraciliary space thickness, when fluid was detected. RESULTS No statistically significant differences were found between the preoperative and the postoperative morphometric parameters. CONCLUSION Uncomplicated pars plana vitrectomy does not induce any long-term change on anterior segment morphometry. Based on these findings, the normal long-term pattern to be expected after pars plana vitrectomy is the conservation of the preoperative morphometry.

Reprodutibilidade intra-observador de medidas morfométricas do segmento anterior em olhos normais pela biomicroscopia ultra-sônica (UBM)

PURPOSE To systematically study the anterior segment morphometric measurements by ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in a large population of normal eyes, to evaluate their intra-observer reproducibility. Two new measurements are proposed and also tested concerning their intra-observer reproducibility. METHODS One hundred ninety eyes of 101 patients with normal ophthalmic examination were studied by UBM. Anterior chamber depth (ACD) along with 11 different morphometric parameters that characterize the anterior segment morphometry were measured in the superior, nasal, inferior and temporal meridians. All measurements were performed twice with a minimum interval of four weeks between them. RESULTS There were no statistical significant differences between the first (M1) and second (M2) measurements and regarding each studied parameter except for 2 variables in 2 meridians in the right eyes (OD) and 2 variables of one meridian in the left eyes (OS). Even in these cases, the largest difference between M1 and M2 was less than 0.006 mm, which was not clinically significant. The new tested parameters also presented a good intra-observer reproducibility. CONCLUSION This study confirmed the good intra-observer reproducibility of the variables that characterize anterior segment morphometry by UBM.

Neuroproteção: situação atual no glaucoma

Trabalho realizado no Serviço de Glaucoma do Hospital São Geraldo da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte (MG). 1 Doutor em Oftalmologia pela Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Pós-Doutorado, The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, New York Medical College, USA. 2 Professor Titular do Departamento de Oftalmologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. 3 Serviço de Glaucoma do Hospital São Geraldo da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. 4 Serviço de Glaucoma do Instituto da Visão, Minas Gerais. Os autores não têm interesse comercial ou financeiro em nenhum dos instrumentos ou técnicas descritas nesse trabalho.