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Biomedical subjects

Z N Zakov

Publications and source records attributed to Z N Zakov.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Extracapsular cataract extraction and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation in uveitis patients.

PURPOSE: Intraocular lens implantation in uveitis patients has been a controversial issue. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the visual and surgical outcomes of extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC IOL) implantation in a diverse group of uveitis patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The results of 39 cases of ECCE and PC IOL implantation in 30 patients with uveitis were retrospectively analyzed. Five patients (six eyes) had pars plana vitrectomies combined with ECCE and PC IOL implantation. Patient age ranged from 26 to 71 years (average, 53.0 years). Specific uveitic syndromes were determined for 22 patients (73.3%). The postoperative follow-up period ranged from 6 to 43 months (average, 20.3 months). RESULTS: Visual acuity improved postoperatively in 38 eyes (97.4%), and this improvement ranged from 1 to 11 Snellen lines (average, 7.5 Snellen lines). Visual acuity improved postoperatively to 20/40 or better in 32 eyes (82%). Seven eyes had visual acuity worse than 20/40, which was attributed to posterior segment abnormalities after ECCE and PC IOL implantation. Uveitis recurred in 20 eyes (51.3%), and postoperative cystoid macular edema (CME) was observed in 18 eyes (46.2%). In all cases, the recurrent uveitis and CME improved or resolved with corticosteroid therapy. CONCLUSION: These results suggest selected uveitis patients can have improved vision without unacceptable risk for 1 to 3 years after ECCE and PC IOL implantation.

Adult

Retinal pigment epithelium lesions as a biomarker of disease in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis. A follow-up report.

BACKGROUND: The sensitivity of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) lesions as a predictive congenital marker for the development of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is evaluated. METHODS: In a prospective study, 34 patients at 50% risk of inheriting FAP were examined. Based on the presence or absence of four or more RPE lesions, patients were categorized as those who had inherited or those who lacked the FAP genes. All patients received dilated fundus examinations with binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy and all RPE lesions were documented with fundus photography. All patients underwent annual sigmoidoscopy to determine the presence or absence of polyps. RESULTS: A 3-year follow-up analysis showed that 8 of 14 patients who were positive for RPE lesions later developed polyps. Of the 20 patients considered negative for FAP based on normal fundus examination, none has developed polyps. CONCLUSION: The authors urge all patient at risk of inheriting FAP to undergo dilated fundus examination with binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy and wide-angle fundus photography at the earliest age possible. All patients with 4 or more RPE lesions should undergo annual sigmoidoscopic examinations beginning before 10 years of age.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli

Intraocular reticulum cell sarcoma: a case report and literature review.

A 66-year-old white woman with a confusing spectrum of central nervous system signs and symptoms had a diagnostic enucleation of her blind left eye showing retinal infiltration. Histopathologic examination showed reticulum cell sarcoma involving the retina. The patient died one month later and autopsy revealed diffuse central nervous system reticulum cell sarcoma along with right eye and systemic involvement. A review of the literature indicates intraocular reticulum cell sarcoma to be an apparently uncommon occurrence, although ocular examination may be frequently overlooked.

Aged

Late diagnosis of choroidal malignant melanomas in eyes with clear media and low visual acuity.

Five patients seen in a one-year period with advanced malignant melanoma of the choroid in eyes with low visual acuity and clear media are reported. The low visual acuity appeared clinically to be antecedent to the malignant tumor; although in certain cases it may have been related to the occult melanoma, this was not appreciated clinically. Because of the low visual acuity, these patients did not have vision symptoms referable to the melanoma, and the malignancy was diagnosed late in its course. All five cases had extrascleral extension of the tumor at the time of surgical treatment; three are dead of metastatic disease, and two have undergone orbital exenteration with only brief follow-up periods. This experience suggests that eyes with clear media and low vision owing to presumably unrelated causes should undergo periodic examination to rule out the presence of a growing malignant melanoma and to prevent its late diagnosis.

Abdominal Neoplasms

New findings in the chromosome 13 long-arm deletion syndrome and retinoblastoma.

New clinical and pathologic findings in patients with deletion of the long arm of chromosome 13 (13q-) include optic nerve hypoplasia and retinal dysplasia. Fibroblasts derived from patients with a 13q- syndrome with and without retinoblastoma, as well as from familial and sporadic retinoblastoma, are a useful model for the study of genetic susceptibility to the development of spontaneous and radiation-induced cancers. Fibroblasts from patients with hereditary retinoblastoma appear more radiosensitive than fibroblasts from patients with sporadic retinoblastoma or normal control patients.

Abnormalities, Multiple

Orbitofacial mucormycosis with unusual pathological features.

A 52-year-old man with mild diabetes and acute stem cell leukaemia developed an orbitofacial mucormycosis. Cultures showed the fungus to be Rhizopus oryzae. Vigorous treatment with amphotericin B and other bactericidal and bacteriostatic antibiotics for a concurrent sepsis failed to suppress the infections, and the patient died. On post-mortem examination characteristic haematoxylin-staining, broad, aseptate fungal hyphae were found in the right eye, orbit, and lung. A striking and unusual feature of this case is the presence of brightly birefringent crystals within the severely degenerated eye. These were found by histochemical staining and x-ray diffraction studies to be calcium salts of fatty acids, apparently liberated from necrotic adipose tissue of the orbit.

Calcinosis

Scleral and choroidal calcifications in a patient with pseudohypoparathyroidism.

This case report suggests that calcifications in the sclera and choroid may be a feature of pseudohypoparathyroidism and shows a calcium distribution more extensive and severe than that characteristically seen in other metabolic conditions associated with calcium deposits in the eye. Ocular ectopic calcification is a part of the more generalised ectopic soft tissue calcification seen with pseudohypoparathyroidism. Evaluation of the contribution of the terminal renal failure and uraemia to the ectopic ocular calcification would require sequential evaluation of eyes with pseudohypoparathyroidism, but without the added complication of uraemia.

Adult

Vascular basophilia in ocular and orbital tumors.

The occurrence of vascular basophilia in ocular tumors has been a selective histologic feature of retinoblastomas. We recently observed a metastatic oat-cell carcinoma to the choroid which also demonstrated such a vascular hematoxyphilia. Histologic review of a variety of ocular and orbital metastatic carcinomas failed to yield a similar basophilic pattern. Examination of 100 consecutive retinoblastomas for vascular basophilia revealed an incidence of 6.0%. Similar material was not seen in any of 125 melanomas, including 10 with areas of necrosis. Histochemical studies showed the basophilic material to be DNA, and electron microscopy revealed the nuclear debris of pyknotic tumor cells to be continuous with identical material surrounding the adjacent blood vessels. The pathogenesis of vascular deposition of DNA in these two ocular tumors remains unclear. This finding most likely represents a form of tumor activity requiring comparatively healthy blood vessels to adequately precipitate liberated nucleic acids being filtered from the necrotic and degenerating tumor tissue.

Basophils

Iris fluorescein angiography in diabetic vitrectomy patients.

Preoperative iris fluorescein angiograms (IFA) and ophthalmic records of 34 diabetic patients who underwent vitrectomy were reviewed. Of 2 patients without clinically apparent rubeosis, 23 showed evidence of iris microvascular abnormalities or rubeosis on IFA. Patients with rubeosis (Grades III and IV) on IFA had a 63% incidence of postoperative neovascular glaucoma, thus isolating them as a high risk group. The visual outcome of patients developing neovascular glaucoma was poor.

Diabetic Retinopathy

False-positive 32P uptake tests.

Three patients had suspected choroidal melanoma and positive results for radioactive phosphorus (32P) uptake tests, leading to enuclearion in two of the patients. No malignancy was present on histopathologic examination. This experience reemphasizes the need for the ophthalmologist to evaluate the total clinical picture and not to give inappropriate consideration to a "positive" 32P uptake test in deciding for or against enucleation in a suspected choroidal melanoma. The positive 32P uptake test, even with high values, cannot be equated with malignancy, and a variety of nonmalignant lesions may give false-positive results.

Adult

Central retinal vascular occlusion associated with oral contraceptives.

A 40-year-old woman took oral contraceptives for four years. She developed a vascular glaucoma and one year later the eye was enucleated. No other apparent cause for the occlusion was present. The vascular occlusion consisted of a combined central retinal artery and vein occlusion with severe intimal hyperplasia. An intravascular granulomatous reaction is attributed to chronic vascular injury.

Adult

Corneal donor material selection.

Histologic study of eyes used as donor material for corneal transplant revealed one instance of massive leukemic infiltration with leukemic keratic precipitates on the fellow eye. In another eye, microabscesses composed of acute and chronic inflammatory cells containing Crytococcus neoformans were present. In a third patient metastatic anaplastic cells were present in the choroid. We think donor eyes are absolutely unacceptable if death was caused by any chronic neurologic disorder, unless clearly secondary to trauma. Eyes from patients with septecimia, hepatitis, jaundice and any evidence of any active viral infection, syphilis, and positive serology are also unacceptable. Extreme caution should be used in selecting eyes of patients with ocular or systemic malignancy, long-term diseases, particularly if immunosuppressive agents were used, where a history of eye disease exists, including corneal disease or dystrophy, iritis, absolute glaucoma or acute glaucoma, and eyes with a history of previous intraocular surgery.

Bacterial Infections