Robert J. Derick

Hemorrhagic ocular complications associated with the use of systemic thrombolytic agents

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to report three patients with hemorrhagic ocular and orbital complications associated with the use of systemic thrombolytic agents. DESIGN The study design was a retrospective small case series. PARTICIPANTS Three eyes of three patients were studied. INTERVENTION Surgical procedures to reduce intraocular pressure or relieve optic nerve compression were performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Visual acuity and intraocular pressure were measured. RESULTS Three patients received an intravenous thrombolytic agent on diagnosis of an acute myocardial infarction. One patient had a spontaneous suprachoroidal hemorrhage develop with secondary acute angle closure glaucoma shortly after receiving tissue plasminogen activator. Another patient had an orbital hemorrhage develop on receiving tissue plasminogen activator 4 days after an uncomplicated cataract extraction. The third patient experienced an orbital hemorrhage while receiving streptokinase 1 day after undergoing an external levator resection. Two patients suffered significant visual loss due to glaucoma or compressive optic neuropathy. CONCLUSIONS The onset of eye pain or visual loss after the administration of a systemic thrombolytic agent should alert the physician to the possibility of an ocular or adnexal hemorrhage. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can improve the likelihood of a favorable visual outcome.

Combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy versus trabeculectomy alone: a comparison study using mitomycin-C.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE To compare the results of combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy (PEM/TRAB) plus mitomycin-C with those of trabeculectomy alone (TRAB) plus mitomycin-C. PATIENTS AND METHODS The authors retrospectively reviewed 42 eyes in 38 consecutive patients who underwent combined PEM/TRAB with mitomycin-C. An age-matched control group of 42 patients who underwent TRAB with mitomycin-C during the same time period was randomly selected from 248 consecutive patients. All patients had a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. RESULTS Mean preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) and number of glaucoma medications were similar for the two groups (22.8 +/- 6.9 mm Hg vs 22.9 +/- 6.8 mm Hg, 2.12 +/- 0.8 vs 2.26 +/- 1.0 medications, combined PEM/TRAB vs TRAB, respectively). Postoperative IOP was significantly lower at all follow-up intervals. At final follow-up after a mean of 21.8 +/- 6.0 months, IOP averaged 13.9 +/- 5.1 mm Hg in the PEM/TRAB group and 12.3 +/- 4.7 mm Hg in the TRAB group. Bleb survival was excellent in both groups, although slightly higher in the TRAB group (37 of 42 PEM/TRAB vs 41 of 42 TRAB). Both groups required significantly fewer glaucoma medications at final follow-up (0.38 +/- 0.6 vs 0.5 +/- 0.8, PEM/TRAB vs TRAB). Complications were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION The success rate for combined PEM/TRAB appears to approach that of TRAB alone.

Late Argon Laser Suture Lysis after Mitomycin C Trabeculectomy

BACKGROUND Argon laser suture lysis has been effectively used in the early post-operative period to enhance filtration after trabeculectomy. The most substantial reductions in intraocular pressure (IOP) occur when laser suture lysis is performed during the first 2 postoperative weeks, and virtually no effect has been reported after the fourth postoperative week. Mitomycin C, used as adjunct therapy, improves the success rate of trabeculectomy in high-risk eyes and may change the time course for effective suture lysis. METHODS The authors used late laser suture lysis in five high-risk patients after mitomycin C trabeculectomy. The mean patient age was 66.8 +/- 15.7 years, and laser suture lysis was performed an average of 13 +/- 5.8 weeks (range, 7-21 weeks) after surgery. RESULTS The mean IOP before suture lysis was 20.2 +/- 3.8 mmHg. The average IOP reduction immediately after suture lysis was 11.4 +/- 3.9 mmHg. The average IOP 3 to 4 months after laser suture lysis was 9.4 +/- 3.4 mmHg. CONCLUSION The authors postulate that adjunctive mitomycin C therapy markedly delays wound healing and appears to extend the period that laser suture lysis is clinically effective.