Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of intraluminal brachytherapy (ILBT) in prolonging survival and the period free of symptoms for patients with unresectable bile duct cancer. Methods We searched MEDLINE (1977 to May 2007), CNKI (1979 to May 2007) and CBM Disk (1979 to May 2007). The qual ity of included studies was assessed according to the guidance in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Results One randomized controlled trial involving 42 patients with unresectable bile duct cancer fulfilled the inclusion criteria. This found that the median survival time was longer for patients treated with endoprostheses and ILBT compared to those treated with endoprostheses alone (387.9 days versus 298.0 days, Plt;0.05). The stent patency time in patients who were treated with endoprostheses and ILBT was longer than for those treated with endoprostheses alone (378.4 days versus 245.5 days, Plt;0.01). The reductions in bil irubin (mol/l) and alkal ine phosphatase (kat/l) before and after drainage in patients who were treated with endoprostheses and ILBT were similar to those treated with endoprostheses alone (Mean ±SD of bil irubin: before: 219.3 ± 40.5, after: 23.1 ± 37.1 versus before: 227.3 ± 39.8, after: 22.5 ± 44.2; Mean ± SD of alkal ine phosphatase: before: 10.3 ± 5.1. after: 3.6 ± 2.9 versus before: 11.7 ± 5.8, after: 3.7 ± 2.9). No severe adverse effects were observed in the trial. Conclusion Current evidence suggests that ILBT for unresectable bile duct cancer may improve the survival time of patients, prolong the time they spend symptom free, improve their quality of l ife and reduce the burden of treatment. However, it may increase toxicity in normal tissues, which can be managed by adjusting radiation dosage. No serious adverse effects were observed in the 42 patients in the trial in this review. More randomized controlled trials with large sample size are needed to provide rel iable results.
Coats disease is a relatively rare and idiopathic disorder characterized by retinal telangiectasia and massive intra-retinal and (or) sub-retinal lipid accumulation, resulting in complications including retinal detachment and neovascular glaucoma. Previous reports have revealed that Coats disease can be associated with other disorders, especially some inherited diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Coats disease associated with other inherited disorders is generally called Coats-like retinopathy, which has some unique features that differs from the classic Coats disease, for example there is no sex and age preference, more bilateral cases, more severe cases and more genetic factors involved. Patients of Coats-like retinopathy with RP and FSHD may have mutations in Crumbs homologue gene 1 and D4Z4 genes.
Intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF drugs for the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a hot topic of research, and it can be used to treat the ROP (Ⅰzone). The current anti-VEGF drugs include bevacizumab, ranibizumab, aflibercept and conbercept, etc. However, in recent years, several studies have confirmed that anti-VEGF drugs have an increased recurrence rate and a longer recurrence time than conventional laser photocoagulation therapy. The follow-up period should be extended and repeated injections may be required. Due to the lack of large-scale prospective clinical studies, the recurrence rate, time window of recurrence, risk factors and treatment methods of various anti-VEGF drugs for ROP are still unclear. Anti-VEGF drugs in the treatment of ROP needs to accumulate more evidence-based medical evidence.
Combined with leukemia is a risk factor for aggravating diabetic retinopathy. A combination of diabetic retinopathy and leukemia can be expected to have a rapid progression and patients often visit the department of ophthalmology first. In addition to the typical manifestations of diabetic retinopathy such as retinal venous tortuous dilation, microaneurysm, retinal hemorrhage and exudation, patients may also be associated with leukemic retinopathy. Areas of extensive capillary non-perfusion and neovascularization may appear in the early stage of mild microangiopathy. Moreover, severe complications such as vitreous hemorrhage, neovascular membranes and traction retinal detachment appear earlier, which may be a prognostic indicator for poor vision. The causes of leukemia aggravating diabetic retinopathy include retinal ischemia due to hyperviscosity, anemia and thrombocytopenia, direct infiltration of tumor cells, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, high level of vascular endothelial growth factor. In clinic, rapidly progressing diabetic retinopathy should alert the ophthalmologist to the underlying hematological disorder. Patients with both diabetes and leukemia need to be screened much earlier and followed up at shorter intervals. Early detection and aggressive management may help preserve visual acuity in such cases.
Objective To observe the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity(AP-ROP). Methods Thirty-five eyes (18 patients) diagnosed with AP-ROP were studied from January 2006 to January 2011. All the patients were examined by 28 D optical lens, sclera compressor and wide-angle digital retinal imaging system (RetCamⅡ). Laser photocoagulation with 532 nm wavelength using binocular indirect ophthalmoscope was used in all the infants within 12 hours after confirmed diagnosis. Thirteen eyes (37.1%) progressed to retinal detachment after laser photocoagulations were surgically treated, while 22 eyes (62.9%) underwent laser photocoagulation alone. Followup ranged from 6 months to 5 years, with a mean of 23.5 months. Results All AP-ROP lesions are located in zone 1 and posterior zone 2, with substantial dilated and tortuous retinal vessels. It is difficult to distinguish between the retinal vein and small arteries. There are shunts from vessel to vessel within the retina and no clear boundary between the vascularized and non-vascularized retina. Neovascularization lesions are flat and hard to be identified. There are no demarcation ridges. After laser treatment, 22 eyes achieved good outcomes. Among 13 eyes who received vitrectomy, 8 eyes achieved retinal reattachment after surgery, while 5 eyes developed total retinal detachment. Conclusion AP-ROP has specific clinical manifestations. Timely laser photocoagulation and early surgical treatment is necessary for AP-ROP.
Objective To evaluate the clinical and histopathological manifestations of sympathetic ophthalmia after pars plana vitrectomy. Methods The clinical data of 8 patients with sympathetic ophthalmia out of 13 000 who underwent pars plana vitrectomy from Jan 1998 to Dec 2004 were retrospectively analyzed. In the 8 patients, 3 evoked eyes underwent ophthalmectomy and were observed histopathologically. Results The incidence of sympathetic ophthalmia was 0.06%. The time from vitrectomy to the occurrence of sympathetic ophthalmia ranged from 7 to 150 days, with a median of (77.8plusmn;50.8) days. All patients had decrease of visual acuity of the sympathetic eye, visual distortion, red eye, and opthalmalgia. The visual acuity was hand moving to 0.5 in the sympathetic eyes, and no light perception to 0.04 in the evoked eyes. Other clinical manifestations included binocular mutton-fat keratic precipitates, anterior chamber flare and cells, vitreous opacity, optic-disc edema and hyperaemia, and retinal edema at the posterior pole; 2 sympathetic eyes had exudative retinal detachment. The visual acuity increased to 0.4-1.2 in sympathetic eyes and light perception -0.25 in evoked eyes in all of the patients after treatment with oral administration of prednisone 1.0-1.5 mg/kg. In the 3 patients who had undergone ophthalmectomy because of total loss of visual acuity, and the pathological examination revealed infiltrated and thickeduvea due to lymphocytes, epithelioid cell nodules, infiltration of lymphocytes to sclerotic passages, and ocular atrophy were observed. Conclusion The incidence of sympathetic ophthalmia is 0.06%, which happened within 3 months after vitrectomy. The clinical manifestations and results of histological examinations accords with the characteristics of sympathetic ophthalmia. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2007, 23: 112-114)
Objective To investigate the characteristics and risk factors of optic nerve atrophy in eyes with complicated retinal detachment after silicone oil tamponade during the procedure of vitreoretinal operation. Methods The clinical data of 97 patients with complicated retinal detachment who had optic nerve atrophy after silicone oil tamponade during the procedure of vitreoretinal operation were an alyzed retrospectively. Logistic regression analysis by SPSS statistical software was used to analyze the factors like age, disease history, primary diseases, preoperative ocular condition, complications in and after the operation, the time taking out the silicone oil, and emulsification of the silicone oil, and Ple;0.05 was considered to be the symbol of significant difference. Results All of the affected eyes had optic discs with clear border, including paler optic disc in 65 eyes, pale one in 21 eyes, and paler optic disc with enlargement of the cup/disc (ge; 0.6) in 11 eyes. The result of logistic regression analysis showed that the intraocular pressure (P=0.022) and the visual acuity (P=0.001) during the silicone oil removal were in the equation. Conclusion The risk factor of optic nerve atrophy is the chronic increase of intraocular pressure after silicone oil tamponade. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2006, 22: 305-307)
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effect of radial optic neurotomy (RON) for central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).MethodsThe clinical data of 5 patients with CRVO who had undergone RON after a standard three-port vitrectomy were analyzed retrospectively. In the 5 patents, CRVO was diagnosed in 2 before the surgery, and the examination of visual acuity, fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), color doppler imaging (CDI), and examination of perimeter and optic coherence tomography (OCT) were performed on them before and after the operations, respectively. Three patients underwent the operation because of the vitreous hemorrhage and CRVO was diagnosed during the surgery. All of the 5 patients suffered from severe macular edema. The results of post-operative visual acuities, fundus examination, fundus photography and OCT were compared with those of the pre-operative ones. The follow-up after the surgery was 12 months. ResultsThe visual acuities improved in 4 patients and decreased in 1. The results of fundus photography and (or) FFA, and OCT revealed that the macular edema was evidently alleviated 1 month after the surgery and the retinal hemorrhage was absorbed ultimately 2 months after the surgery. The result of examination of perimeter performed on 1 case showed the improvement of visual field. In addition, vitreous hemorrhage occurred in 1 patient postoperatively and hemorrhage occurred in 2 in the operation puncturing the optic disk.ConclusionsRON is helpful to ameliorate the macular edema, reduce the retinal hemorrhages, prevent the neovascularization and enhance the visual acuity to some extent, which maybe clinically feasible and valuable in treating CRVO，but more prospective, randomized, and multi-center researches are still needed to verify the efficacy.(Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2005,21:6-9)
ObjectiveTo evaluate the prognosis of photocoagulation and (or) cryotherapy for prethreshold type 1 and threshold disease of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).MethodsThe data of 29 eyes of 15 infants who were diagnosed as with prethreshold type 1 or threshold disease of ROP from Jan 30th, 2003 to Jan 13th, 2005 were retrospectively analysed. Pre- and post-operative conditions of ROP were compared in the follow up. Any related local and systemic complications were recorded.ResultsIn 29 eyes which had undergone photocoagulation and (or) cryotherapy, ROP regressed completely in 19 (65.5%), remained dragged retina was found in 7 (24.1%), and retinal detachment was seen in 3 (103%). ROP regressed completely in 12 eyes (41.4%) after the initial treatment and in 7 eyes (24.1%) after the secondary treatment. During the treatment, temporary corneal haze was found in 2 eyes, vitreous hemorrhage occurred in 1 eye, and inadvertent photocoagulation at macular area happened in 1 eye. No systemic complications were found in all cases.ConclusionTimely treatment of photocoagulation and (or) cryotherapy for prethreshold type 1 and threshold disease of ROP may lead to famous prognosis.(Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,2005,21:278-281)