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Biomedical subjects

H Towler

Publications and source records attributed to H Towler.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Posterior uveitis in Hodgkin's disease.

PURPOSE: To describe the features of posterior uveitis in patients who either developed or were known to have, biopsy-proven Hodgkin's disease (HD). METHODS: Four patients were identified who were attending the uveitis clinic. Their charts were reviewed retrospectively and information on their HD was obtained from other hospitals where necessary. Their case histories are presented. RESULTS: Two patients presented with uveitis prior to the diagnosis of HD and in the other two, the HD was thought to be in remission. The commonest ocular signs were of vitritis and discrete, white, chorioretinal lesions. No difference in the ocular findings were apparent between those who had a known diagnosis of HD and the those that did not. CONCLUSIONS: HD can occur in the eye and can mimic posterior uveitis. In two of the patients, the uveitis preceded the diagnosis of HD and at the time of presentation all investigations were normal. No specific diagnostic features were apparent, though three of the patients had vitritis and chorioretinal lesions.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Immunopathology and altered immunity in posterior uveitis in man: a review.

Posterior uveitis is thought to be a T-cell mediated disease since active foci of inflammation, identified in eyes enucleated for the complications of intraocular inflammation, are found to be predominantly composed of CD4+ T-cells. Few B-cells and little immunoglobulin are found suggesting that antibody and immune complex deposition do not play a major role in perpetuating the inflammatory process. As ocular biopsy is not a feasible method for monitoring disease activity and response to treatment, parameters of T-cell activation and retinal damage have been studied in the peripheral blood. These have included antibody and T-cell sensitisation to retinal S-antigen, serum soluble IL-2 receptors and IL-2 receptors on activated T-cells. none of these parameters, however, have been found to be useful in the monitoring of ocular disease activity alone or in the prediction of disease relapse.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1991

Acanthamoeba keratitis: experience in a non-specialist microbiology laboratory.

Acanthamoeba keratitis is an unusual complication of wearing soft contact lenses: a case was diagnosed by culturing corneal scrapings. Acanthamoeba are tolerant of variations in osmolarity in the culture media. Page's saline, recommended for culture agar plates, can easily be substituted with salines which are suitable for cell culture media, thereby avoiding the cumbersome manufacture of special saline. Early diagnosis as a result of successful isolation may avoid the need for keratoplasty.

Acanthamoeba↗
PubMed1990

Comparison of clinical and experimental uveitis.

Uveitis is a term which encompasses many clinical syndromes which would appear to be discrete entities. Both clinically and experimentally, the separation of uveitis affecting only the anterior segment from that affecting the posterior segment has a sound pathogenetic basis. However, clear distinctions among the various forms of endogenous posterior uveitis are more difficult to maintain in the light of evidence from experimental models of autoimmune uveitis (EAU). EAU can be induced by a variety of retinal antigens and each antigen has been shown to induce somewhat different forms of EAU, depending on such factors as dose of antigen, species and strains of animal model, and the type(s) of adjuvant used. However, within each model a similar spectrum of uveoretinal responses can be induced by each antigen suggesting that the pathogenetic mechanisms are probably similar also. In addition, if these models are analogous to human disease, then each clinical entity within this apparently heterogeneous group of clinical posterior uveitis syndromes may represent one aspect of a general organ-specific uveoretinal response to autoantigens.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Self-sealing sclerotomies for sutureless pars plana vitrectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of self-sealing pars plana sclerotomies for vitrectomy and to identify complications associated with this new technique. METHOD: There were 150 self-sealing sclerotomies performed in 50 patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy between October 1996 and March 1998. RESULTS: Of the 150 sclerotomies, 115 (76.6%) did not require suturing while 35 (23.3%) were closed with one radial 7.0 vicryl suture. The scleral tunnel incisions ensured minimal loss of intraocular fluids during instrument exchange and scleral plugs were not required to avoid ocular hypotony during scleral indentation. Distortion of scleral flap incisions requiring a suture were commonly seen in procedures using multiple instrumentations and extensive explants. CONCLUSIONS: Sutureless sclerotomies are simple to perform, save operative time, and reduce the risk of peroperative hypotony following removal of instruments or the infusion cannula. The technique reduces postoperative inflammation, suture-related problems including astigmatism, and allows more rapid rehabilitation.

Adult↗