Seema Kashyap

Invasive Aspergillosis of Orbit in Immunocompetent Patients: Treatment and Outcome

OBJECTIVE Invasive sino-orbital aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients is a rare clinical entity and often misdiagnosed. Invasive sino-orbital aspergillosis is potentially fatal; however, mortality may be avoided with timely treatment. Presently, there are no universal guidelines for its treatment. We present the clinical features, treatment, and outcome in 15 cases of invasive sino-orbital/orbital aspergillosis in healthy individuals. DESIGN Retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS Fifteen cases of invasive sino-orbital/orbital aspergillosis in immunocompetent individuals. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed all patients with sino-orbital/orbital aspergillosis who were treated at the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Center for Ophthalmic Sciences between June 1999 and September 2009. Diagnosis was based on histopathologic documentation of tissue invasion by septate fungal hyphae with acute angle branching and presence of granulomatous inflammation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Treatment outcome in terms of patient survival, resolution of symptoms, and resolution of orbital mass on imaging. RESULTS Fifteen patients (11 male and 4 female) were studied. Mean age of patients was 35 years. One patient declined treatment. Surgery was performed for orbital disease in 6 patients. Medical therapy consisted of intravenous amphotericin B followed by itraconazole in 10 patients, itraconazole alone in 2 patients, and voriconazole followed by itraconazole in 2 patients. Eleven patients are alive without recurrence at a median follow-up of 20 months. Of these patients, 5 had residual mass on imaging at last follow-up. One patient died of progressive disease. CONCLUSIONS This is a large case series of orbital aspergillosis reported in healthy individuals. The role of orbital surgery is not clear in treatment of this entity and requires further evaluation. Newer antifungal agents alone seem to be effective in controlling the infection.

Clinical predictors of high risk histopathology in retinoblastoma.

Previous studies show that clinical features at presentation, in retinoblastoma patients, like glaucoma and neovascularization of iris are associated with a higher incidence of high risk histopathology findings (HRF) in enucleated eyes. Herein, we analyze association between clinical features at time of enucleation and occurrence of HRF including invasion of anterior chamber, iris, ciliary body, choroid (massive), sclera, extrascleral tissue, optic nerve beyond lamina cribrosa, and optic nerve cut end, in a large series of eyes enucleated for retinoblastoma.

Atypical presentations of retinoblastoma

PURPOSE To study the atypical presentations of retinoblastoma in our institution. METHOD Retrospective, clinical study. RESULTS A total of 392 cases of retinoblastoma were reviewed; 72.2% of the patients had leukocoria, 13% had proptosis, 10% had strabismus, 1.5% were asymptomatic (detected on screening), and 3.3% had atypical presentations. Fourteen different atypical findings were observed including endophthalmitis (0.76%), secondary glaucoma (0.76%), uveitis (0.5%), corneal edema (0.5%), phthisis bulbi (0.5%), orbital cellulitis (0.5%), cataract (0.25%), pseudohypopyon (0.25%), iris nodules (0.25%), hyphema (0.25%), iris neovascularization (0.25%), microphthalmos (0.25%), exposure keratopathy (0.25%), and corneal blood staining (0.25%). All of the patients had Reese-Ellsworth grade V disease. On histopathology, invasion of neighboring structures was seen in 10 patients. All patients underwent enucleation with adjuvant radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or both. CONCLUSIONS Retinoblastoma can mimic any orbital or ocular pathology. Atypical presentations of retinoblastomas are usually associated with advanced disease. The possibility of ocular tumor should be entertained whenever there is an unusual presentation that is unresponsive to the usual therapy. Ultrasonography and computed tomography should be performed in all such patients, especially if the posterior segment is not visible.

Early predictors of traumatic glaucoma after closed globe injury: trabecular pigmentation, widened angle recess, and higher baseline intraocular pressure.

OBJECTIVE To prospectively analyze the clinical and ultrasonographic biomicroscopy (UBM) features in eyes with closed globe injury, at the initial examination, that would predict the occurrence of chronic traumatic glaucoma during a 6-month follow-up. METHODS Forty consecutive eyes with closed globe injury and a chronically elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) of at least 21 mm Hg for a minimum of 3 months were diagnosed as having traumatic glaucoma and compared with 52 eyes with closed globe injury and no evidence of glaucoma. RESULTS The median grade of trabecular pigmentation on gonioscopy in eyes with traumatic glaucoma was 3 compared with 2 in eyes without glaucoma (P = .001). On UBM findings, 18 eyes with closed globe injury without glaucoma showed evidence of cyclodialysis, compared with 7 eyes with glaucoma (P = .001). The relative risk of developing traumatic glaucoma was also significantly higher with hyphema, elevated baseline IOP, angle recession of more than 180 degrees, lens displacement, and wider angles on UBM. CONCLUSIONS Clinically, the presence of increased pigmentation at the angle, elevated baseline IOP, hyphema, lens displacement, and angle recession of more than 180 degrees were significantly associated with the occurrence of chronic glaucoma after closed globe injury. On UBM findings, a wider angle and the absence of cyclodialysis were significant predictors for the subsequent development of traumatic glaucoma.

Correlation between Clinical Features, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Histopathologic Findings in Retinoblastoma: A Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE To correlate clinical features with histopathology findings in advanced intraocular retinoblastoma and to determine the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting tumor invasion. DESIGN Prospective, nonrandomized case series. PARTICIPANTS We included 75 patients with group E retinoblastoma. METHODS Demographic and clinical features were recorded at presentation. Contrast-enhanced MRI was performed to study tumor characteristics and extent of invasion. Primary enucleation was performed and histopathologic features noted. Statistical analysis was done using the Kruskal-Wallis test to determine correlation between clinical features and histopathology. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MRI in detecting tumor invasion were determined. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Significant associations between clinical findings at presentation and high-risk histopathology, and correlation between MRI results and histopathologic evidence of tumor invasion. RESULTS A significant association was found between iris neovascularization and choroidal invasion (P = 0.032), intraocular pressure and optic nerve invasion (P = 0.034), and shallow anterior chamber and iris invasion (P = 0.021). Corneal diameter did not show any significant correlation with high-risk histopathology. On MRI, tumor volume showed a significant association with optic nerve invasion (P = 0.023). The accuracy of MRI in detecting choroidal invasion was 68% (sensitivity, 60%; specificity, 80%). Prelaminar invasion was correctly identified in 9 out of 15 eyes (accuracy, 84%; sensitivity, 60%; specificity, 90%), whereas the accuracy of MRI in detecting postlaminar invasion was 76% (sensitivity, 61.9%; specificity, 81.5%). Ciliary body invasion was correctly identified in 5 out of 7 eyes (accuracy, 93.3%; specificity, 95.6%) and scleral invasion in 5 out of 6 eyes (accuracy, 98.7%; specificity, 100%). CONCLUSIONS As far as we are aware, this is the first prospective study on the correlation of clinical features and MRI findings with histopathologic risk factors in eyes primarily enucleated for retinoblastoma. Neovascularization of iris, intraocular pressure, shallow anterior chamber, and tumor volume correlated well with high-risk histopathology. Because MRI has limitations in reliably predicting microscopic infiltration of the choroid and optic nerve, decision in favor of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the basis of suspected postlaminar invasion on MRI is not justified in the absence of histopathologic evidence of disease.

Culture of corneal limbal epithelial stem cells: experience from benchtop to bedside in a tertiary care hospital in India.

Purpose: To standardize the technique of ex vivo culture of limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) using locally available adapted methods and evaluate the outcome of transplantation in patients with limbal stem cell deficiency. Methods: Limbal tissue specimens were isolated from cadaveric corneoscleral rims, living related donors, or contralateral eye of the patients. Harvested tissue was cultured on denuded human amniotic membrane (dHAM) using various techniques to stabilize dHAM. The optimization of in vitro culture conditions was achieved by modifications in culture media (culture media 1 and 2). The LESCs were cultured in both types of media for 2 weeks, and growth patterns were observed. Expanded cells were further characterized by immunocytochemistry (K3/12, K19, and ABCG2) and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (K12, Cx43, Pax6, ABCG2, p63, and K19). The cultivated epithelium was transplanted in 50 patients with total and partial limbal stem cell deficiencies. Results: Stabilization of dHAM was successfully achieved using coverslips. The outgrowth was observed within 1–3 days of culture using both types of culture media (P = 0.20), but cultures in culture medium 1 reached confluency faster than cultures in culture medium 2 (P = 0.0004). Histopathological analysis showed multilayer formation and immunostaining, and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction data confirmed the expression of both stem cell markers (K19, p63, and ABCG2) and differentiation markers (K3, K12, and Cx43). Patients who had undergone limbal stem cell transplantation showed a stable ocular surface with improved visual acuity over a long-term follow-up period. Conclusions: LESCs were successfully cultured using locally available adapted methods, and their clinical benefits verified by transplantation.

A histopathologic analysis of eyes primarily enucleated for advanced intraocular retinoblastoma from a developing country.

CONTEXT In eyes enucleated for retinoblastoma, presence of histopathologic high-risk factors is associated with a higher risk of local recurrence and systemic metastasis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate histopathologic features in children with retinoblastoma in our population and establish relationship between age, tumor differentiation, and high-risk features. DESIGN Retrospective histopathologic analysis of 609 consecutively enucleated eyes for advanced intraocular retinoblastoma during a 10-year period. A nonparametric test was used to establish relationship between age, differentiation, and high-risk features. RESULTS Poorly differentiated retinoblastoma presented in 80.3% and well-differentiated in 19.7% of eyes. Well-differentiated tumors presented earlier (median 1.2 years) than poorly differentiated tumors (median 2.5 years) (P < .001). One hundred fourteen eyes (18.7%) had 1 and 138 (22.7%) had at least 2 high-risk histopathologic factors. Invasion of anterior chamber was found in 10.0%, iris in 10.7%, ciliary body in 6.7%, sclera in 13.7%, massive choroid in 24.6%, postlaminar optic nerve in 16.1%, resected margin of the optic nerve in 7.4%, and extrascleral tissue in 4.1% of eyes. Extensive necrosis was seen in 31.0% of eyes. Poorly differentiated tumors were significantly associated with presence of more than 1 high-risk histopathologic feature (P < .001) and extensive necrosis (P < .001). CONCLUSION Poorly differentiated tumors present at a later age and are associated with presence of multiple high-risk factors and extensive necrosis. In our population, high-risk histopathologic factors are present in a significant number of eyes. Because we have included only primarily enucleated eyes, this could truly represent the distribution of high-risk histopathologic factors in children with retinoblastoma.

Pattern of orbital exenteration in a tertiary eye care centre in India

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the clinical indications for orbital exenteration, profile of these patients and clinicopathological correlations, and to compare these results with previous published data.

Orbital schwannoma with cystic degeneration.

Background:  Schwannoma is a benign, slowly growing, painless, peripheral nerve sheath tumour that is uncommon in orbit. Longstanding tumours may develop degenerative changes. Extensive cystic change in orbital schwannoma is quite rare. We conducted this study to analyse the cases of orbital schwannoma, which were predominantly cystic and describe their clinical, imaging and histopathological features.

Pleomorphic adenomas of the lacrimal gland: a clinicopathological analysis

Purpose: To analyse retrospectively 32 cases of pleomorphic adenoma of the lacrimal gland diagnosed over a 10‐year period in a tertiary referral eye centre from North India.