[Retinopathy of prematurity complicated by late glaucoma: a case report]

INTRODUCTION

We report the case of an acute rise in intraocular pressure occurring decades after the treatment for prematurity (ROP).

CASE REPORT

A 54-year-old preterm woman presented an acute rise in intraocular pressure in her right amblyopic eye. Prominent dilatation of iridal vessels was noted. Fundus was not visible at that time because of corneal edema. Ocular echography was normal. The fellow eye showed temporal attraction of temporal vessels suggestive of retinopathy of prematurity at the cicatricial stage. Neovascular glaucoma was postulated and pressure control was obtained after cyclodestruction and transscleral cryoapplication. After resolution of corneal edema, fundus examination revealed extensive peripheral retinal photocoagulation scars. Iridocorneal angle presented extensive iridocorneal synechias without true new vessels. Visual acuity remained limited to hand motion.

CONCLUSION

Prominent iris dilatation seen in some preterm patients can mimic rubeosis, and, in the present case, mislead to a diagnosis of neovascular glaucoma. Diagnosis can be difficult if the patient is not specifically asked for a history of prematurity. The case underlines the notion that ROP patients may present very late complications of the disease.

Deep burn of the hands: Early surgical treatment avoids the need for late revisions?

An eight years experience in the management of deep hand burns is presented. We reviewed 116 cases of patients surgically treated with escarectomy and skin autograft. Seventy eight of them underwent early surgery within the first 4-6 days from injury, while 38 were conservatively treated in the fist stage and only lately surgery was performed (usually after the 14th day). In all patients, we applied the same post operative topic treatment and rehabilitation protocol. Several months after first admission, only 6(7.7%) of early treated patients needed secondary correction for unaesthetic and functionally debilitating scars versus 14(36.8%) of the late treated group. Our review confirm the importance of performing early surgery of deep burns of the hands, whenever possible, in order to achieve best results and shows it's utility in reducing re-admissions for secondary revisions.