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Biomedical subjects

A J Brucker

Publications and source records attributed to A J Brucker.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Perilimbal anesthesia for pars plana vitrectomy.

We attempted to determine the efficacy of perilimbal anesthesia with Monitored Anesthesia Care (intravenous sedation with monitoring of the patients' vital signs by anesthesia) in patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy. We selected 15 patients who were screened for any physical condition that would preclude them from lying supine and motionless for the duration of the surgery. Patients with complicated vitreoretinal abnormalities and patients who required reoperations were excluded. The patients ranged in age from 55 to 79 years and included three with nonclearing vitreous hemorrhage, seven with macular hole, three with macular pucker, one with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and one with endophthalmitis. Total operating time ranged from 45 to 135 minutes (mean, 102.3 +/- 22.0 minutes). No complaints of discomfort were reported. All operations were completed without additional anesthetic. Our findings demonstrate that pars plana vitrectomy using perilimbal anesthesia with monitored anesthesia care is effective in selected patients. This form of anesthesia administration eliminates the risks of inadvertent globe perforation associated with retrobulbar and perilimbal anesthesia and the risks of general anesthesia.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Hypopyon uveitis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome treated for systemic Mycobacterium avium complex infection with rifabutin.

OBJECTIVE: Iridocyclitis has been identified as a dosage-dependent side effect in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) who are treated for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection with systemic rifabutin. We reviewed cases of acute hypopyon uveitis occurring in patients with AIDS to establish whether there was an association. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Outpatient clinic and inpatient hospital-based ophthalmology referral practice and infectious disease specialty service. PATIENTS: Seven patients with AIDS, aged 10 to 40 years, presenting with acute unilateral hypopyon mimicking infectious endophthalmitis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Findings from complete ophthalmological evaluation and ancillary laboratory testing. RESULTS: At the time of presentation, all seven patients were receiving treatment for MAC infection with rifabutin (dosage range, 300 to 600 mg/d) and clarithromycin. Results of microbiological investigations in five patients were negative. Iridocyclitis became bilateral in all seven patients, and hypopyon developed in the contralateral eye in five of seven patients. Hypopyon resolved rapidly with intensive topical corticosteroid therapy. Residual inflammation responded to topical corticosteroids with or without reduction of the rifabutin dosage. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant use of rifabutin, clarithromycin, and fluconazole may precipitate hypopyon uveitis in patients with AIDS being treated for MAC infection.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1994

Drainage of subretinal fluid in retinal detachment surgery with the El-Mofty insulated diathermy electrode.

PURPOSE: A technique that uses the El-Mofty/Schepens diathermy tip (MIRA, Inc.) to effect drainage of subretinal fluid during scleral buckling surgery is described. The efficacy of this drainage technique and its complication rate in a series of consecutive patients is discussed. METHODS: The study included all of the scleral buckling procedures performed at the Retina Service for retinal detachments in which this technique was used. The El-Mofty/Schepens diathermy tip was first used to cauterize the choroid at the drainage site at low power, thus rendering it avascular, and then at higher power, to cause vaporization of the choroid, and allow spontaneous drainage of subretinal fluid. The success rate and all intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS: This technique achieved successful spontaneous drainage in 53 (82.8%) of 64 consecutive cases. Complications that are occasionally associated with the drainage of subretinal fluid, including iatrogenic retinal holes, choroidal hemorrhage, and retinal incarceration in the sclerotomy site, were not seen in any of the cases. CONCLUSION: This method provides a simple and safe technique for the drainage of subretinal fluid that obviates the need to directly perforate the choroid.

Body Fluids↗
PubMed1994

Strict metabolic control and retinal blood flow in diabetes mellitus.

The effects of strict diabetic control on retinal haemodynamics were studied to elucidate whether such effects are associated with retinopathy changes. In 28 patients with poorly controlled insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and non-proliferative retinopathy, retinal haemodynamics were investigated at baseline, 5 days, 2 months, and 6 months after the institution of strict diabetic control using the bidirectional laser Doppler velocimetry technique and monochromatic fundus photography. Changes in retinal blood flow measured in a major retinal vein (Q) on the fifth day of strict diabetic control correlated significantly with changes in retinopathy level observed at the end of the 6 months of this study (rank correlation 0.65, p < 0.01). On the fifth day of strict diabetic control, 16 out of 20 eyes that showed no progression (NP) of retinopathy at the end of the study had decreases in Q, whereas six out of eight eyes that showed progression (P) had increases in Q. The difference in these changes in Q between P and NP eyes was statistically significant (one way analysis of variance, p = 0.001). No significant changes in Q were detected at 2 months or 6 months. Following the institution of strict diabetic control, no significant changes in time were detected in the regulatory response to 100% oxygen breathing characterised as the percentage decrease in Q at 4-6 minutes of oxygen breathing (analysis of variance, p = 0.36). Changes in Q following institution of strict diabetic control are associated with progression of retinopathy. Measurements described in this study may help identify diabetic patients at risk of progression when their metabolic control is improved.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Chorioretinal folds. A comparison of unilateral and bilateral cases.

We retrospectively reviewed the records, photographs, and fluorescein angiograms of patients with chorioretinal folds to compare features of unilateral and bilateral involvement. We studied 78 eyes of 54 patients and found that 30 (56%) of these patients had unilateral folds and 24 (44%) had bilateral folds. No significant difference was found in comparing visual acuity, refractive error, age, or race in the unilateral vs the bilateral cases. There were significantly more women in the bilateral group (P = .043). The frequency of causes of unilateral cases differed from bilateral cases, but this could not be statistically proven owing to our small sample size. This analysis contains the largest number of chorioretinal folds reported in the literature, and is the first attempt to compare unilateral and bilateral cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

"Landmark injection" for localization of choroidal lesions using indocyanine green angiography.

To localize choroidal lesions demonstrated by indocyanine green (ICG) angiography, retinal blood vessels must be identified. Since retinal blood vessels are seen in early-phase ICG angiography and the choroidal lesions are best seen on the late-phase images, a technique has been developed to demonstrate retinal blood vessels in the late phase of the ICG angiography study. The technique requires the injection of 0.3 mg of ICG dye mixed in 3.0 cc of diluent. This injection is given between 30 and 40 minutes into the ICG angiogram. This technique allows visualization of retinal blood vessels, which can be used as landmarks to localize choroidal lesions. Additionally, this technique, when combined with newly developed computer software programs, permits the mapping and tracing of choroidal lesions of the fundus.

Angiography↗
PubMed1993

Retinal hemodynamics in proliferative diabetic retinopathy. A laser Doppler velocimetry study.

PURPOSE: This study investigated retinal hemodynamic changes associated with different pathologic features observed on fundus color and fluorescein angiography in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: Retinal circulatory characteristics were investigated in 25 eyes of 23 diabetic patients with proliferative retinopathy using a combination of bidirectional laser Doppler velocimetry and monochromatic fundus photography. RESULTS: Eyes with severe capillary nonperfusion had 32% less average volumetric blood flow rate (Q) than eyes with less severe nonperfusion (P = 0.0005). In addition, eyes with severe vessel staining with fluorescein had 20% less average Q than eyes without staining (P = 0.0508). Eyes with severe fluorescein leakage in the macula had a 17% larger total venous cross-section than eyes with milder leakage (P = 0.027). Eyes with clinically significant macular edema had 11% larger average venous diameter than eyes without this feature (P = 0.0085). CONCLUSIONS: Severe capillary nonperfusion and vessel staining with fluorescein are associated with decreased retinal blood flow rates. Vasodilatation may be an important factor for increased vascular permeability and macular edema in proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Total retinal volumetric blood flow rate in diabetic patients with poor glycemic control.

Total retinal volumetric blood flow rate was measured in 12 normal subjects and 18 poorly controlled diabetic patients with background diabetic retinopathy. Maximum or center-line erythrocyte velocity (Vmax) was assessed by bidirectional laser Doppler velocimetry in four to five major retinal veins of one eye of each subject. Venous diameter (D) was measured from monochromatic fundus photographs. Total venous cross-section and measured total retinal volumetric blood flow in the diabetic patients were significantly larger than normal (P = 0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively). A positive linear correlation was found between Vmax and D in normal and diabetic eyes. Volumetric blood flow rate, Q, varied with D at a power of 2.87 in normal eyes. Total volumetric blood flow correlated with total venous cross-section. It was found that Q in the temporal retina was significantly larger than in the nasal retina in normal subjects (P = 0.0008) and diabetic patients (P = 0.0002). A significant difference in Q was observed between the superior and inferior retina in diabetic patients (P = 0.03) but not in normal subjects. The retinal vascular regulatory response to 100% oxygen breathing was reduced (P = 0.019) in diabetic patients and correlated with the level of background diabetic retinopathy. A close estimate of total volumetric blood flow may be obtained from blood flow measurement in one major retinal vein and the determination of total venous cross-section. This may be important for clinical studies in which measurements of all individual retinal veins may not be feasible.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Electroretinogram interpretation in central retinal vein occlusion.

The authors report electroretinogram (ERG) data from the initial clinic visit of 39 patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). No patient had signs of neovascular complications or had received treatment at the time of the ERG examination. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to compare effectiveness of the 4 ERG parameters (Rmax, Log K, b/a wave ratio, and 30 Hz implicit time) in separating those patients who went on to iris neovascularization from those who did not. Rmax is the maximum saturated b-wave amplitude and Log K is the half saturation constant of the Naka-Rushton curve fit to the intensity response data. Discriminant scores, derived using multiple discriminant analysis, were calculated for the total patient groups, CRVO eye alone, and intereye difference. These scores also were compared with the four individual ERG parameters using ROC analysis. Parameters based on amplitude of ERG response, Rmax, and b/a wave ratio are as effective predictors of neovascular response as those interpreted as indicators of retinal sensitivity, such as 30Hz implicit time or Log K. The authors present evidence that loss of b-wave amplitude is not necessarily associated with irreversible loss of inner retinal function.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Ocular thrombosis associated with antiphospholipid antibodies.

Four patients with isolated acute ocular ischemic syndromes also had circulating antiphospholipid antibodies. Two patients had vaso-occlusive retinopathy and two, anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (which was successive in one). Extensive clinical laboratory evaluation identified vascular risk factors in two patients. One patient had essential thrombocytosis, confirmed by bone marrow biopsy; the other had stable hypertension and a history of coronary artery disease. These cases suggest that small vessel thrombosis in situ may be a mechanism for antiphospholipid-associated ocular and cerebral ischemia.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Epithelial downgrowth following the removal of iris inclusion cysts.

We present three patients in whom epithelial downgrowth occurred following the excision of iris inclusion cysts. The sheet-like downgrowth was aggressively treated and successfully eradicated in two of the three patients. Early identification and prompt therapy are essential.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

A simple method for practicing unimanual pars plana vitrectomy with the binocular indirect ophthalmoscope.

Bimanual vitrectomy has become the method of choice for performing closed vitrectomy. In certain situations, visualization is improved by using indirect ophthalmoscopy to see the vitrectomy instrument. A simple method using a +20.00-diopter condensing lens is described as a means of practicing the initially difficult unimanual technique, which requires working in an inverted operative field.

Fundus Oculi↗
PubMed1990

Diabetic glycemic control and retinal blood flow.

The effect of strict glycemic control on retinal volumetric blood flow rate (Q) was investigated in 13 insulin-dependent diabetic patients with laser Doppler velocimetry and monochromatic fundus photography. Strict glycemic control was achieved by glucose monitoring and four daily insulin injections. Q was determined in a major retinal vein at baseline and then 5 days, 2 mo, and 6 mo after the institution of strict control. Level of retinopathy was assessed from stereocolor fundus photographs taken at baseline and 6 mo. After 6 mo of strict diabetic control, five eyes demonstrated progression (P) by one or more retinopathy levels, and eight eyes showed no progression (NP). At 5 days, there was a significant decrease in Q of 1.4 +/- 0.9 microliters/min (P less than 0.005) in NP eyes and a nonsignificant increase in Q of 1.2 +/- 1.7 microliters/min in P eyes. Changes in Q from baseline observed at 5 days were strongly correlated with changes in retinopathy level at 6 mo (r = 0.79, P less than 0.005). No significant changes in Q from baseline were observed at 2 and 6 mo. A lack of decrease in Q at 5 days was associated with the progression of retinopathy that occurs in some patients after the institution of strict glycemic control and may serve as a predictor for progression of retinopathy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Scleral fixation suture for dislocated posterior chamber intraocular lens.

The posterior dislocation of an intraocular lens is a serious complication of extracapsular cataract extraction with implantation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens. We describe a method of repositioning and suturing such a lens, using pars plana techniques. The method we recommend has several advantages over previously described methods, including the use of radially oriented scleral fixation sutures.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

The posterior uveal bleeding syndrome.

Eight patients were observed who suffered varying degrees of visual loss secondary to multiple recurrent hemorrhages or serous fluid beneath the retinal pigment epithelium and neurosensory retina in the posterior fundus. Vitreous hemorrhage occurred in two patients. In all patients, hemorrhages or exudates were associated with orange subretinal lesions of which the clinical and fluorescein angiographic appearances were not previously familiar to the authors. Six of the eight patients were female, and all but one was black. Ages ranged from 40 to 79 years (median, 57 years). Final visual acuities ranged from 20/40 to hand motions. The term "posterior uveal bleeding syndrome" is proposed to describe these findings.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Retinal blood flow regulation and the clinical response to panretinal photocoagulation in proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Bidirectional laser Doppler velocimetry and monochromatic fundus photography were used to investigate retinal hemodynamics before and after panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) in 25 eyes of 23 diabetic patients with proliferative retinopathy. After PRP, there was a significant decrease in retinal volumetric blood flow rate and an increase in the retinal vascular regulatory response to hyperoxia (R). A significant association was found between the presence or absence of regression of neovascularization and the increase or decrease in R after PRP. Eyes that showed regression of neovascularization had significantly larger average R after PRP than eyes that did not show regression. Lack of improvement in R after PRP may be related to the presence of remaining ischemia or hypoxia in eyes that continue to show proliferation after PRP.

Adult↗