This study reviewed the trabeculectomies (TEs) carried out in University Malaya Medical Center between 1994 to 1998. One hundred and nine of 132 eyes operated were in the primary glaucoma group of which 63 (47.7%) were of the open angle type and 46 (34.8%) were of the angle closure type. Twenty-three eyes belong to the secondary glaucoma group. Sixty-five eyes had plain or non-augmented trabeculectomy (TE) while 20 were augmented with mitomycin C (MMC) and 11 with 5 flourouracil (5FU). In 31 eyes the plain TEs were combined with extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and 4 with phacoemusification. One case had combined ECCE and augmented trabeculectomy with mitomycin-C. The patients were followed up at 1 month, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years. Ninety-four of 132 (71.2%) eyes had successful surgery with intraocular pressure (IOP) of less than 21 mmHg (tonometric success) at the end of 2 years. Four of these patients needed topical medication for the IOP control. More failures were seen in patients with cystic blebs than those with diffuse blebs. Complications include hypotony, shallow anterior chamber, cataracts and hyphaema. The majority of cases (53%) had no complications.
Secondary intraocular lens implantation after cataract surgery done in University Hospital between 1983 to 1993 were reviewed. Thirty three patients (37 eyes) underwent secondary intraocular lens implantation during this period. Twenty four eyes had secondary anterior chamber lens implantation while 13 had posterior chamber lens implantation. There was no case of secondary posterior scleral fixation lens implantation. Visual acuity of 6/9 or better was seen in 25 of 37 eyes (67%) in the series. Eyes seeing as good or better than before secondary implantation procedure were noted in 34 of 37 eyes (92%). Vision of 6/9 or better was seen in 9 of 13 eyes (70%) with posterior chamber implants and 16 of 24 eyes in (67%) with anterior chamber lenses. Complications including bullous keratopathy, uveitis and glaucoma were seen with anterior chamber implants of the rigid type resulting in poorer visual acuity than before the secondary procedure.
"Cauliflower Ears" describes the appearance of swelling of the auricular cartilage resulting in gross distortion of the auricle. The underlying pathology is inflammation of the auricular cartilage. We report a case of a patient who presented to the ophthalmology clinic with an ocular inflammation, whose subsequent diagnosis of replapsing polychondritis was clinched with the finding of "Cauliflower Ears". This case emphasizes the importance of an appropriate general examination of ophthalmic patients for early diagnosis and prompt institution of medical treatment, which may prevent life-threatening complications to the patient.
Study site: Eye clinic, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
We studied by scanning electron microscopy the effects of the repeated use of a newly-designed, disposable, suction trephine (Microsurgical, Ltd, Bedfordshire, England) on the nature of the cut of successive corneal buttons from sheep eyes. After the trephine was used more than nine times, the cut edge became more irregular as successive buttons were produced. Also, progressively greater degrees of endothelial cells adjacent to the cut edge were lost. Although the corneal buttons initially were circular, those produced after the 20th cut became more oval. These results suggest that a disposable corneal trephine should be reused no more than nine times.
A patient on oral contraceptives over several years developed unilateral proptosis, haemorrhagic retinopathy and increase in intraocular pressure. An orbital vein venogram confirmed the diagnosis of right superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis. There was complete resolution of thrombosis and eye signs and symptoms with discontinuation of the oral contraceptive.
A case of metastatic malignant schwannoma of the right orbit is presented here. Although the patient had disseminated disease, it was the eye problems which were striking and most symptomatic.
The orbital lesion was at first thought to be the primary tumour until a history of an excised right wrist mass was probed into and the histology traced.
This report is written as malignant schwannoma is an uncommon tumour. The difficulty in diagnosing malignant schwannoma is mentioned. The importance of diagnosis of an orbital metastatic lesion is also pointed out as this is often misdiagnosed.
A patient who was referred to the eye department for routine ocular assessment prior to commencement of antituberculous therapy was found to have periphlebitis in both eyes despite being visually asymptomatic. Fluorescein angiography confirms the presence of vasculitis without any retinal oedema or areas of non-perfusion, which may sometimes accompany the condition. Within 2 months of systemic treatment, the ocular signs regressed without any permanent effect on vision. This case highlights a rare ocular complication associated with systemic tuberculosis which fortunately did not result in loss of vision due to prompt treatment.
We have compared the effect of rocuronium and succinylcholine on intraocular pressure (IOP) during rapid sequence induction of anaesthesia using propofol and fentanyl, in a randomized double-blind study. We studied 30 adult patients, allocated to one of two groups. Anaesthesia was induced with fentanyl 2 micrograms kg-1 and propofol until loss of verbal response. This was followed by succinylcholine 1.5 mg kg-1 (group S; n = 15) or rocuronium 0.9 mg kg-1 (group R; n = 15). Laryngoscopy was performed 60 s later. IOP, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were measured before induction, immediately before intubation and every minute after intubation for 5 min. A Keeler Pulsair air impulse tonometer was used to measure IOP and the mean of two readings obtained in the right eye at each measurement time was recorded. Intubating conditions were evaluated according to a simple scoring system. IOP in the succinylcholine group was significantly greater than that in the rocuronium group (mean 21.6 (SEM 1.4) mm Hg vs 13.3 (1.4) mm Hg; P < 0.001). Intubating conditions were equally good in both groups. We conclude that with rapid sequence induction of anaesthesia using propofol and fentanyl, rocuronium did not cause as great an increase in IOP as succinylcholine and may be an alternative in open eye injury cases.