PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

J A Oosterhuis

Publications and source records attributed to J A Oosterhuis.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Transpupillary thermotherapy: results in 50 patients with choroidal melanoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of transpupillary thermotherapy in treating choroidal melanoma. METHODS AND PATIENTS: To perform transpupillary thermotherapy, infrared diode laser energy at 810 nm was used with a beam diameter of about 3 mm and 1-minute exposure time. All 50 patients had choroidal melanoma. We performed transpupillary thermotherapy in 21 tumors that had responded insufficiently to 800 Gy ruthenium 106 brachytherapy; it was combined with 800 Gy106Ru brachytherapy for 10 tumors greater than 5 mm in height and with 600 Gy for 19 tumors 5 mm or less in height. RESULTS: All but 1 tumor exhibited reduction in tumor height within a mean follow-up of 20.5 months (range, 6-49 months). In 41 eyes (82%), the tumor flattened completely. Visual acuity was 20/60 or better in 43 eyes (86%) before treatment and in 14 eyes (28%) at the last examination because of radiation vasculopathy. Neovascular glaucoma developed in 1 eye, and total retinal detachment developed in 2 eyes. Tumor recurrence was observed in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: Although long-term results are necessary to properly appraise this new therapy, transpupillary thermotherapy may be useful as a complementary modality to brachytherapy.

Adult

Function and morphology of the retinal pigment epithelium after light-induced damage.

The purpose of this study was to determine the threshold energy for light-induced functional damage of the retinal pigment epithelium at various wavelengths. Retinas of 58 pigmented and 21 albino rabbits were exposed to low intensity broadband blue light (400-520 nm), yellow light (510-740 nm), and narrowband blue light (408, 417, 439, 455, 485, 501 nm, respectively; deltalambda = 10-13 nm). The intensity values were 50, 280, and 5 mW x cm (-2), respectively, and the illumination time was 0.5 up to 5 h. The cumulative dose of light energy was calculated from these data (J x cm(-2)). The blood-retinal barrier dysfunction was evaluated in vivo using fluorophotometry to measure the leakage of fluorescein into the vitreous after intravenous injection and in vitro using light and electron microscopy after an in vivo intraarterial injection of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The threshold energy for fluorescein leakage was 50 J x cm (-2) for blue light and 1,600 J x cm(-2) for yellow light. After broadband blue light exposure, the HRP reaction product was seen in the cytoplasm of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and in the subretinal space but only if fluorescein leakage had been observed. Threshold energy and fluorescein leakage as a function of light energy were similar for albino and pigmented rabbits (P > 0.5). Only after yellow light exposure in excess of 3,700 J x cm(-2) was fluorescein leakage found. In that case complete disruption of the RPE was seen, but no HRP was observed in the RPE cytoplasm. Of the narrow-band blue light exposures, only that at lambda = 418 nm caused a significant increase in fluorescein leakage; the threshold energy was 18 J x cm(- 2). Blue light was found to be at least 30 times more efficient than yellow light in causing dysfunction of the blood-retinal barrier. The most efficient wavelength was 418 nm, corresponding with the absorption spectrum of cytochrome c oxidase. Melanin seemed to play no role. The presence or absence of melanin in the RPE appeared to have no influence on the threshold energy.

Animals

Histopathological findings in human choroidal melanomas after transpupillary thermotherapy.

AIMS: The effect of transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) on human choroidal melanomas was investigated by means of histopathology. METHODS: Before enucleation TTT was performed in 11 eyes with a xenon are photocoagulator with a red filter or a diode laser at 810 nm. The exposure time was 1 minute; the estimated temperature at the top of the tumour was about 65 degrees C. RESULTS: Seven of 11 tumours developed necrosis to a maximum depth of 3.9 mm with a sharp demarcation between the necrotic and the viable part of the tumour. The depth correlated with penetration of heat into the tumour. Scattered small haemorrhages in the transitional zone between the necrotic and the viable part of the tumour were observed in three eyes but large haemorrhages were absent. Ocular media were not affected owing to the low rate of absorption of radiation at 810 nm. TTT did not cause significant scleral damage. Intrascleral tumour cells with a viable appearance were observed in one eye, where the tumour was almost totally necrotic. CONCLUSION: Results show that TTT has potential as a conservative therapeutic treatment for choroidal melanomas.

Choroid Neoplasms

Familial central serous retinopathy.

PURPOSE: To study the familial occurrence of central serous retinopathy (CSR). METHODS: We pooled data from eight eye clinics in Western Europe. RESULTS: We collected 11 families that each had two to four members with CSR. In 10 families siblings and in one family a mother and son were affected. Sixty percent of the patients were male and 40% female. CSR was found in 55 (92%) of 60 eyes, 44 (80%) showing a chronic course. In 25 patients (83%) both eyes were affected. Most recent visual acuity was 0.5 or less in 17 (39%) and 0.2 or less in 8 (18%) of the eyes with chronic CSR. CONCLUSION: Our findings of familial occurrence and a chronic disorder that is progressive, diffuse, and bilateral suggest an inborn disposition to develop a clinically manifest disintegration of the retinal pigment epithelium in adulthood.

Adult

Transpupillary thermotherapy in choroidal melanomas.

OBJECTIVE: To determine safety and efficacy of transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) as a new treatment for choroidal melanoma. METHODS AND PATIENTS: To perform TTT, diode laser energy at 810 nm was used with a beam diameter of 1.5 to 4.5 mm for a 1-minute exposure. All 12 patients had choroidal melanoma. Six had had insufficient response to ruthenium 106 (106Ru) brachytherapy. Three patients with tumors more than 5 mm in height were treated simultaneously with 106Ru and TTT. Three patients with juxtapapillary or macular tumors were treated by TTT only. RESULTS: All but one tumor exhibited a reduction of tumor height in a follow-up period of 3 to 14 months. Side effects were minimal. Severe visual loss occurred in two patients due to radiation retinopathy, in two patients whose foveas were included in the TTT area, and in one patient resulting from a serous retinal detachment that extended over the posterior pole. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with TTT may be useful as a complementary modality to brachytherapy. A longer follow-up period is required for final evaluation.

Brachytherapy

Light and electron microscopic findings on experimental melanomas after hyperthermia at 50 degrees C.

The effect of hyperthermia, 50 degrees C applied for 5 min, on the development of lesions in hamster Greene melanomas was investigated. Hyperthermia was induced by a laser that produced radiation at 780-880 nm. Hamster melanomas were also examined after arrest of the blood circulation to differentiate between heat-induced lesions and those caused by ischaemia due to vascular occlusion. Tumours were removed 5 and 30 min and 1, 3, 6 and 24 h after thermotherapy. The cytotoxic effects of heat and ischaemia were examined by light and electron microscopy. Hyperchromatic nuclear staining, the first hyperthermia-induced lesion, was detected in the superficial layers of the tumour 5 min after heat treatment. The lesions had progressed to severe pyknosis and extended into deeper layers of the tumour 1 h after hyperthermia. At 24 h necrosis was observed at a depth of 6 mm. The hyperthermia-induced lesions differed markedly from the ischaemia-induced lesions, in that the latter showed early mitochondrial damage but nuclear pyknosis did not become manifest until 3 h after arrest of the blood circulation.

Animals

Blue-light-induced dysfunction of the blood-retinal barrier at the pigment epithelium in albino versus pigmented rabbits.

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of epithelial melanin in blue light phototoxicity of the retina. The first manifestation of the phototoxicity has been shown to be a breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier at the retinal pigment epithelium. The blood-retinal barrier function of six New Zealand albino rabbits was compared to that of four pigmented chinchilla rabbits after exposure to broad-band blue light (400-520 nm). Additionally, the spectral sensitivity of blood-retinal barrier dysfunction was determined by exposing 15 New Zealand albino rabbits to narrow-band blue light with peak intensity at lambda = 408 nm, 418 nm, 439 nm, 455 nm and 485 nm (bandwidth: 11.7-13.5 nm). The blood-retinal barrier function was evaluated with vitreous fluorophotometry. Ultrastructural changes and permeability of the retinal pigment epithelium for horseradish peroxidase were evaluated in the albino rabbits with electron microscopy. Exposure to broad-band blue light up to 832 J cm-2 demonstrated the blood-retinal barrier of albino and pigmented rabbits to be equally sensitive. Electron microscopy of albino rabbits exposed to above-threshold energy demonstrated an increase of inclusion bodies in the retinal pigment epithelium and vacuolation of the cytoplasm. Transcellular passage of intra-arterially administered horseradish peroxidase through the pigment epithelium into the subretinal space was seen. The narrow-band exposures demonstrated that light of 439 nm was more effective than the light of other wavelengths in inducing barrier dysfunction in albino rabbits. This implies that chromophores absorbing at 439 +/- 6 nm were responsible for the phototoxicity in albino rabbits. The results indicate that melanin does not have a damaging nor a protective role in phototoxicity since (1) the presence of melanin is not essential for blue-light-induced photochemical damage to the blood-retinal barrier at the retinal pigment epithelium, and (2) protection from this sort of damage is not greater in melanin containing epithelia than in non-melanin containing epithelia.

Animals

Analysis of tear fluid proteins in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Secretory immunoglobulin A, lactoferrin, lysozyme and tear specific pre-albumin were analyzed in stimulated tear fluid of 25 diabetic patients without retinopathy and in 29 diabetic patients with (pre) proliferative retinopathy using high performance liquid chromatography. Results were compared to those obtained in 26 healthy controls to determine the effect of diabetes mellitus on the exocrine function of the main lacrimal gland. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis onto minigels was performed on 20 tear samples for verification of high performance liquid chromatography fractions recorded. The mean total protein values in tear fluid (Bradford assay) of diabetics without retinopathy, with retinopathy and healthy controls did not differ significantly (mean in mg/ml +/- SD: 6.4 +/- 2.2, 5.9 +/- 2.0 and 5.7 +/- 1.7, respectively; Mann-Whitney; p > 0.02). High performance liquid chromatography showed an increased secretory immunoglobulin A and decreased peak 5 OD280 (+56% and -38%, respectively; p < 0.02) in patients without retinopathy, whereas in patients with retinopathy lysozyme was increased (+27%; p < 0.01) and tear specific pre-albumin and peak 5 OD280 decreased (-24% and -42%, respectively; p < 0.04), when compared to healthy controls. These inconsistent differences do not uniformly suggest an exocrine dysfunction of the main lacrimal gland in diabetic patients.

Adolescent

Possibilities and limitations of radioimmunoscintigraphy and conventional diagnostic modalities in choroidal melanoma.

A prospective clinical study to assess the value of immunoscintigraphy with a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) against high molecular weight melanoma associated antigen (225.28S) was performed in 43 patients with choroidal melanoma; in six patients with a lesion suspected of being choroidal melanoma, and in seven patients with a benign lesion simulating a choroidal melanoma. The results of immunoscintigraphy in choroidal melanoma were compared with results of conventional diagnostic modalities like ultrasonography and fluorescein angiography. Planar scintigraphy showed a detection rate of 49% which is comparable with other studies. The detection with scintigraphy was correlated to the size of the choroidal melanoma. The use of single photon computed tomography did not increase the sensitivity of immunoscintigraphy. Ultrasonography yielded a correct diagnosis in 37 of 42 melanomas (88%). With fluorescein angiography a correct diagnosis was obtained in 11 of 30 melanomas (36.6%). The value of immunoscintigraphy with MoAb 225.28S in small choroidal melanomas is limited; its reliability increases in large tumours. Immunohistochemistry with MoAb 225.28S showed antigen expression in 95% of the stained tissue specimens of choroidal melanoma.

Adult

Spectral sensitivity of the blood-retinal barrier at the pigment epithelium for blue light in the 400-500 nm range.

To specify the spectral sensitivity of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) for blue light damage, pigmented rabbits were exposed to light of 408, 418, 439, 455, 485, and 500 nm (half-peak bandwidth approximately 12 nm). The range of radiant exposure was 15-275 J cm-2 (1.7-19 mW cm-2 for 0.5-5 h). Vitreous fluorophotometry was used to functionally evaluate the blood-retinal barrier at the RPE in vivo, and electron microscopy to visualize RPE ultrastructure in vitro. A significant increase in permeability of the blood-retinal barrier was seen only after exposure to light of 418 nm. Radiant exposure at threshold for permeability increase was 18 J cm-2. Electron microscopy of the RPE demonstrated dispersion and clumping of melanin granules. The results suggest that the RPE is most sensitive to light in the range 412-425 nm, possibly due to damage-mediating chromophores such as cytochrome c oxidase and lipofuscin.

Animals

Results of ruthenium irradiation of uveal melanoma.

The follow-up results are presented for the radiotherapeutic treatment of 49 patients with uveal eye melanoma using ruthenium-106 (106Ru/106Rh) applicators. Graded doses were applied and the degree of regression was found to be correlated with the dose at the top of the tumour. Complete regression is found in 66% of the patients treated with a top dose above 150 Gy, in which case the initial tumour prominence diminishes in about three years to a stable disease or to a flat scar. At this dose a marginal increase in complications was observed as compared with lower dose groups. Useful vision could be preserved in 75% of the eyes.

Adult

Tapioca melanoma of the iris.

Clinical identification of tapioca melanoma of the iris is important because its medical treatment may differ from that of other malignant iris melanomas. The characteristic iris nodules must be differentiated from granulomatous uveitis, metastases, and Lisch nodules (neurofibromatosis). We will discuss the anterior segment findings, secondary glaucoma, and fluorescein iris angiographic and histopathologic data from two patients, one with a single nodular type and one with a seeding type of tapioca melanoma of the iris.

Adolescent

Transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) by infrared irradiation of choroidal melanoma.

We studied the destructive effect of hyperthermia at sub-photocoagulation level of 45-60 degrees C on melanomas. Optimal conditions for spreading of heat into tissue are a wavelength of 700-900 nm, a temperature of 45-60 degrees C, an exposure time of 1 minute or more, and a beam diameter of several millimeters. In hamsters with subcutaneous melanomas we obtained a tumour necrosis of 6 mm depth at 60 degrees C and one minute exposure time. We performed transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) with a diode laser at 810 nm in patients with choroidal melanomas prior to enucleation. Treatment is based on the fortunate situation that irradiation at this wavelength combines optimal tissue penetration with a low absorption by clear ocular media of 5% or less. In 3 TTT-treated eyes histopathology showed a depth of necrosis of 0.9, 3.4, and 3.9 mm. TTT may become a new useful treatment modality for choroidal melanoma but its ultimate value has yet to be assessed.

Animals

Dysfunction and repair of the blood-retina barrier following white light exposure: a fluorophotometric and histologic study.

The purpose of this study was to pinpoint the site of blood-retina barrier disruption after white light exposure and determine the course of barrier repair. The retinas of 25 anaesthetized pigmented rabbits were exposed for 1 hr to the light of a xenon arc lamp filtered to eliminate ultraviolet and infrared light. The light intensities selected were near the threshold intensity causing visible retinal lesions in order to evaluate the function of the blood-retina barrier (BRB) in this range. Functional assessment of the BRB was made with vitreous fluorophotometry (VF), and electron microscopy (EM) after intra-arterial administration of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as tracer. In 11 of the 14 rabbits exposed to threshold intensity (90-110 mW cm-2; retinal field of illumination, 0.64 cm2), a breakdown of the BRB was demonstrated by a 2-40-fold increase in the permeability of the BRB for fluorescein and by transcellular passage of HRP through the retina pigment epithelium (RPE). All 11 rabbits developed oedematous fundus lesions. Within a week, pigmentary alterations of the fundus were seen on ophthalmoscopy, while the BRB permeability for fluorescein and HRP had returned to normal. EM of the retina showed slight swelling of RPE during the period of increased permeability but no alterations of the neuroretina. After functional barrier repair, the RPE cells demonstrated irregularity of the melanin pigment alignment and some loss of the monocellular arrangement. In six rabbits exposed to subthreshold light intensity (65-89 mW cm-2) no fundus lesion developed and EM evaluation of the BRB was normal.2+ remains altered.

Animals

Echographic differentiation of intraocular melanomas by computer analysis.

The aim of this study was to assess the differentiation of histologically different types of choroidal melanomas by means of clinical and quantitative acoustic/texture parameters of echograms. Clinical parameters were graded by morphological, kinetic and quantitative statements about the A- and B-mode echograms by a skilled diagnostician. Acoustic/texture parameters were obtained by processing and analysing radio frequency, AM-demodulated and FM-demodulated echograms. The latter data were preprocessed to remove influence induced by beam diffraction and focusing. The best set of four clinical echographic parameters enabled a retrospective classification of spindle type melanomas vs. mixed+epithelioid type melanomas with an accuracy of 77% (area under the ROC-curve of 86%). The discriminant analysis performed with the best four acoustic/texture parameters (n = 30) yielded a sensitivity of 89%, a specificity of 92%, and an area under the ROC-curve which corresponds to a probability of correct classification of 96.6%. When using these data prospectively to classify tumours of unknown cell type (n = 21), this classification could be performed in 86% of cases.

Algorithms

X linked progressive cone dystrophy with specific attention to carrier detection.

We investigated 111 members of a five generation family with X linked cone dystrophy. The patients showed the characteristic picture of cone dystrophy. Routine ophthalmological examination of the carrier women showed no abnormalities. However, with detailed colour vision testing we were able to detect 87% of all obligate carriers.

Adolescent

Late onset dominant cone dystrophy with early blue cone involvement.

A dominant cone dystrophy spanning seven generations was found in a pedigree from the Netherlands. The onset of the decline of visual acuity started after the age of 20, while a near complete absence of blue cone function (a so-called tritan defect) already existed before the presence of any ophthalmological abnormalities.

Adolescent