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Biomedical subjects

R H Markham

Publications and source records attributed to R H Markham.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Results of intraocular lens implantation in paediatric aphakia.

Intraocular lenses were implanted in 16 eyes of 13 patients with congenital cataract, and visual progress was plotted using a preferential-looking technique. Initial surgery was by lens aspiration with preservation of the posterior capsule, and subsequent posterior capsulotomy without anterior vitrectomy. Poly-HEMA posterior chamber lenses were used, usually as a primary procedure but in four cases as a secondary procedure after contact lens failure. No serious complications were encountered. Most eyes achieved a very significant visual improvement, and none were worse than preoperatively. Residual refractive error was highly unpredictable, but did not exceed 6 dioptres. The importance of rigorous occlusion therapy is stressed. With close follow-up, this procedure offers an effective and safe method for the correction of unilateral paediatric aphakia, and, in selected cases only, for bilateral aphakia.

Cataract

Retinal detachment surgery without cryotherapy.

The authors have performed 43 retinal detachment operations omitting the use of cryotherapy or any other type of retinal adhesion. Only a full thickness buckling procedure has been performed with drainage of subretinal fluid in some cases. The cases were carefully selected and the follow-up period has been from 1 to 3 1/2 years. Redetachment has not occurred if the original hole was free of traction (round holes) but has so far occurred in 3 cases where traction was present.

Cryosurgery

Severe persistent inclusion conjunctivitis in a young child.

A 14-month-old girl had inclusion conjunctivitis although there had been no signs or symptoms that required medical attention in her first year. By 2 1/2 years of age, the child had extensive pannus and corneal scarring that severely reduced vision. The infection was caused by a genital strain of Chlamydia trachomatis, TRIC type E, that was probably acquired at birth. Although genitally transmitted chlamydial strains normally cause a self-limiting inclusion conjunctivitis in areas where trachoma is not endemic, this case illustrates that they may occasionally cause severe trachoma. Possibly local idoxuridine (IDU) treatment (administered to this patient before the correct diagnosis was made) contributed to the severity of this infection.

Child, Preschool

Retinal detachment surgery. Buckling procedures and drainage of subretinal fluid.

The encircling procedure, while still an important part of succesful retinal detachment surgery, has been found to be unnecessary in a wide variety of retinal detachments which can be more simply treated by local buckles. A much more important aspect of the detachment procedure, however, is the avoidance where possible of drainage of subretinal fluid.

Drainage

Double--blind clinical trial of adenine arabinoside and idoxuridine in herpetic corneal ulcers.

The results are reported of a fully controlled randomized double-blind clincial trial of adenine arabinoside and idoxuridine ointment in sixty patients with herpetic ulceration of the cornea. Although both antivirals showed a trend towards superiority over placebo, the therapeutic effect did not reach statistical significance in spite of the known efficacy in laboratory animals. Further studies in rabbits are reported; these indicate that systemic immunity may play a role in combating virus proliferation in recurrent disease, and it is considered this disguises the efficacy of topical antiviral therapy in clinical trials, thus necessitating an estimated requirement for approximately fifty patients per treatment group to obtain significant effects. It is concluded that an antiviral is valuable in the treatment of ulcerative herpetic keratitis, particularly in primary disease and in the presence of systemic and local immunosuppression after the use of topical adrenocorticosteroid. In recurrent disease, where a trigger factor is known, experience has shown that therapy can be profitably administered before the onset of clinical disease.

Adolescent

Current status of prophylaxis of retinal detachment.

Our indications for prophylaxis may be summarized as follows: (1) All symptomatic holes. (2) All holes in aphakic eye. (3) All holes in fellow eyes. (4) Lattice degeneration in fellow eyes, even when holes are not present. (5) Holes in snail-track degeneration. (6) The fellow eye of one with a giant tear. (7) Asymptomatic holes in myopic eyes except those within the vitreous base. (8) Some large asymptomatic holes in non-fellow or aphakic eyes.

Cataract