Clinical observation of local resection or enucleation for uveal melanoma

BACKGROUND

Local resection is an effective method for treating the uveal melanoma. The aim of this study is to evaluate the survival and clinical outcomes of patients with uveal melanoma treated by local resection or enucleation.

METHODS

Totally, 167 consecutive patients with uveal melanoma were recruited for the study, of whom 57 patients were treated with local resection and 110 patients were treated with enucleation. The main outcome was measured by the visual acuity, local recurrence, eye retention, metastases, and melanoma-related mortality.

RESULTS

There were statistically significant differences in the largest basal diameter of the tumor (t = -3.441), the tumor thickness (t = -4.140), the ciliary body infiltration (χ(2) = 8.391), and the duration of follow-up (Z = 3.995) between the two groups (P < 0.05). The univariate survival analysis showed that the method of treatment was not significantly associated with metastases. The Cox proportion hazard analysis showed that the risk factors for metastasis involved the age at the time of diagnosis (RR = 1.752, 95% CI 1.066-2.880, P = 0.027), the largest basal diameter of the tumor (RR = 3.508, 95% CI 1.934-6.336, P = 0.000), and the histological type (RR = 2.444, 95% CI 1.106-5.877, P = 0.046). The 5-year metastases rate was 18.60% for the group with local resection and 27.81% for enucleation (χ(2) = 1.214, P > 0.05); the 5-year melanoma-related mortality was 16.27% for the group with local resection and 25.33% for enucleation (χ(2) = 1.304, P > 0.05). The 5-year local tumor recurrence rate was 29.50% and the 5-year accumulated eye retention rate was 69.00% after local resection. The visual acuity which light perception or better of 60 months after local resection was observed in 25 (92.60%) among persons retaining eye.

CONCLUSIONS

The survival outcomes of the patients with local resection were not worse than that of the patients with enucleation, and local resection could make the patient retain eye and partial visual functions. Hence, local resection may be an effective method for patients with uveal melanoma eligible for operation.

[Implants in ophthalmology and potential of visual control]

Results of complex ultrasonic examination in different time after socket reconstruction using biomaterial "Alloplant" are presented. Modified technique of primary socket reconstruction showed good cosmetic result.

[Using the superficial temporal fascia flap in orbital surgery]

The superficial temporal fascia flap gives a fine malleable well vascularized tissue and can be used as a pedicled or a free flap to cover large areas of loss of substance. Its dissection needs a period of training. Its use in orbital surgery is rare. However when it is about an anophthalmic socket following radiotherapy with orbital retraction syndrome, it provides tissue of good quality. This could allow later reconstruction by mucous grafts. When used on cavities of exenteration it allows fast re-epithelialisation even post-radiotherapy, while allowing the monitoring of the cavity and in particular the early detection of any tumor recurrence. Its use is advantageous in unfavorable conditions especially after radiotherapy.

Creb is modulated in the mouse superior colliculus in developmental and experimentally-induced models of plasticity

In the central nervous system long-term plastic processes need the activation of specific gene expression programs and the synthesis of new protein in order to occur. A transcription factor fundamental for several plasticity mechanisms in various CNS areas is the cAMP response element-binding protein, CREB. This factor is activated through phosphorylation at its Serine 133 residue by multiple signaling pathways. Little is known about CREB role in the superior colliculus, a midbrain area considered an experimentally useful model for the study of neuronal plasticity processes. In the present work we studied by Western blot analysis the modulation of CREB expression and activation in the mouse superior colliculus in three models of neuronal plasticity: (1) developmental plasticity; (2) lesion-induced plasticity; (3) and fluoxetine-induced restored plasticity. We used an antibody that detects endogenous level of the total CREB protein (anti-TCREB) to identify possible modulations at CREB expression level, and a second antibody (anti-PCREB) that detects endogenous level of CREB only when it is phosphorylated at Ser133, to identify modifications of CREB activation state. The results showed that: (1) the expression and activation of CREB increase during the development of the superior colliculus in temporal correlation with the plastic process of refinement of retino-collicular projections; (2) the activation of CREB is induced by a monocular lesion performed during the critical period for plasticity in young animals but not when performed in less plastic juvenile mice; (3) the expression and activation of CREB increase in adult animals treated with fluoxetine, known to restore high levels of plasticity in adult animals. These results suggest that CREB transcription factor plays a fundamental role in plasticity processes also at the level of the mouse superior colliculus.

[Morphogenesis of complications after long-term intraocular silicon oil filling (clinical histopathological study)]

The question of necessity and time of silicon oil (SO) removal after tamponade for traumatic retinal detachment (TRD) is still controversial. So the study of changes in the eye filled with SO for a long time is of great interest. Histopathologic analysis of 9 enucleated eyes filled with SO for TRD during long-time period (from 6 months till 30 years) was performed. The characteristic change was inflammatory reaction with fibrin membranes surrounding silicon drops and development of proliferative vitreoretinopathy and tractional retinal detachment in the following. In 2 cases the inflammatory process around SO was associated with bone formation. The most severe complication was the imbibition of retina with SO in a vacuole-like manner associated with total atrophy of neural structures. Obtained data show that time for SO removal should be less than 6 months after surgery.

[Retrospective analysis of causes of enucleations after anti-glaucomatous surgery]

Proximate causes of intraocular pressure (IOP) decompensation accompanied with persistent pain syndrome were determined based on results of morphological examination of 59 eyes enucleated due to terminal previously operated glaucoma and medical history analysis. Excessive scarring, formation of solid hyalinized membrane in the site of filter pad, closure of anterior chamber angle with synechia as an outcome of chronic iridocyclitis and inappropriate surgical approach lead to increase in the resistance of the aqueous humor outflow and result in glaucoma decompensation causing complications that necessitate enucleation. The most common complications are the following: bacterial corneal ulcer with potential perforation and endophthalmitis, hemorrhagic choroidal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage, persistent pain syndrome and phthisis bulbi.

[Ligation of the retrobulbar vascular-nervous bunch during performance of evisceration and enucleation using titanic clips in ophthalmic surgery]

The efficacy of hemostasis achievement during conduction of a retrobulbar vascular-nervous bunch ligation (RVNBL), using titanic clips while evisceroenucleation performance, was studied up. A comparative analysis of clinical and functional results of surgical treatment of 36 patients, suffering terminal dolorous glaucoma and disaster of a sympathetic ophthalmia complication after an eye penetrating wounding occurrence. In 16 patients (the first group) a standard method of a hemostasis achievement was used while doing evisceroenucleation - a deep orbital tamponade for 5 minutes. In 20 patients (the second group) a procedure of RVNBL was conducted, using titanic clips before the bunch transsection doing. There was established, that while doing a RVNPL using titanic clips, a hemorrhage never occurs, a retrobulbar hematoma do not formated, the soft tissues reaction in the early postoperative period is less pronounced, and the patients postoperative rehabilitation period shortens.

Snare Technique for Enucleation of Eyes With Advanced Retinoblastoma

Retrospective analysis of surgical outcomes for enucleation in pediatric retinoblastoma stage 5B using the snare wire loop (n = 55) and standard curved enucleation scissors (n = 22) revealed that a statistically significant longer mean optic nerve length was obtained with the snare (13.35 mm) compared with scissors (11.05 mm; P = .005). Four scissor cases had prolonged bleeding and required thrombin (18.2%), but no snare cases had difficulty with hemostasis (P = .005). More crush artifact was seen with the snare than with scissors (P<.001), but this did not affect the ability to determine tumor involvement at the surgical margin. The enucleation snare should be considered a valuable surgical instrument in the small pediatric orbit since obtaining the longest optic nerve segment has prognostic implications in retinoblastoma.

[Choroidal melanoma stage T2 higher than 6.0 mm: organ-preserving treatment with brachytherapy and transpupillary thermotherapy vs enucleation? Survival analysis]

The aim of the study was to compare survival rates of patients with stage T2 choroidal melanoma (CM) with prominence more than 6.0 mm after eye-preserving treatment using Ru-106 brachytherapy (BT) combined with transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) and after primary enucleation. The main group included patients treated with BT alone or combined with simultaneous TTT. Patients with CM after primary enucleation served as control. The groups were standardized in terms of age (p = 0.063), mean prominence (p > 0.149), mean maximal base diameter (p > 0.85), number of unfavorable localized tumors (juxtapapillary and ciliochoroidal) (p = 0.246), follow-up duration (p > 0.23). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed 5 year level of metastasing after eye-preserving treatment as high as 16%, after enucleation--13% (p > 0.96). Eye-preserving treatment using BT combined with TTT in patients with CM with prominence less than 10.0 mm (T2N0M0) allows to preserve eye as an organ and to save some degree of useful visual acuity. This treatment strategy can be considered an appropriate option.

[Rationale for implant insertion after enucleation of eyes with uveal melanoma]

Results of retrospective analysis of medical charts of 328 patients after enucleation due to uveal melanoma (UM) are represented. Our study showed that recurrent tumor occurs in 2.44% cases. The main reasons of recurrence are scleral invasion or tumor damage during surgery. After enucleation due to juxtapapillary UM recurrence is rare and occurs after long-term follow-up. Thus after enucleation due to UM implant insertion is possible in case of scleral integrity and absence of macroscopically apparent tumor extension beyond sclera.

The eye amputated - consequences of eye amputation with emphasis on clinical aspects, phantom eye syndrome and quality of life

In this thesis the term eye amputation (EA) covers the removing of an eye by: evisceration, enucleation and exenteration. Amputation of an eye is most frequently the end-stage in a complicated disease, or the primary treatment in trauma and neoplasm. In 2010 the literature is extensive due to knowledge about types of surgery, implants and surgical technique. However, not much is known about the time past surgery.

THE PURPOSE OF THE PHD THESIS WAS

To identify the number of EA, the causative diagnosis and the indication for surgical removal of the eye, the chosen surgical technique and to evaluate a possible change in surgical technique in Denmark from 1996 until 2003 (paper I); To describe the phantom eye syndrome and its prevalence of visual hallucinations, phantom pain and phantom sensations (paper II); To characterise the quality of phantom eye pain, including its intensity and frequency among EA patients. We attempted to identify patients with increased risk of developing pain after EA and investigated if preoperative pain is a risk factor for a later development of phantom pain (paper III); In addition we wanted to investigate the health related quality of life, perceived stress, self rated health, job separation due to illness or disability and socio-economic position of the EA in comparison with the general Danish population (paper IV).

THE STUDIES WERE BASED ON

Records on 431 EA patients, clinical ophthalmological examination and an interview study of 173 EA patients and a questionnaire answered by 120 EA patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The most frequent indications for EA in Denmark were painful blind eye (37%) and neoplasm (34%). During the study period 1996-2003, the annual number of eye amputations was stable, but an increase in bulbar eviscerations was noticed. Orbital implants were used with an increasing tendency until 2003. The Phantom eye syndrome is frequent among EA patients. Visual hallucinations were described by 42% of the patients. The content were mainly elementary visual hallucinations, with white or colored light as a continuous sharp light or as moving dots. The most frequent triggers were darkness, closing of the eyes, fatigue and psychological stress. Fifty-four percent of the patients had visual hallucinations more than once a week. Ten patients were so visually disturbed that it interfered with their daily life. Approximately 23% of all EA experience phantom pain for several years after the surgery. Phantom pain was reported to be of three different qualities: (i) cutting, penetrating, gnawing or oppressive (n=19); (ii) radiating, zapping or shooting (n=8); (iii) superficial burning or stinging (n=5); or a mixture of these different pain qualities (n=7). The median intensity on a visual analogue scale, ranging from 0 to 100, was 36 [range: 1-89]. One-third of the patients experienced phantom pain every day. Chilliness, windy weather and psychological stress/fatigue were the most commonly reported triggers for pain. Factors associated with phantom pain were: ophthalmic pain before EA, the presence of implant and a patient reported high degree of conjunctival secretion. A common reason for EA is the presence of a painful blind eye. However, one third of these patients continue to have pain after the EA. Phantom sensations were present in 2% of the patients. The impact of an eye amputation is considerable. EA patients have poorer health related quality of life, poorer self-rated health and more perceived stress than does the general population. The largest differences in health related quality of life between the EA patients and the general population were related to role limitations due to emotional problems and mental health. Patients with the indication painful blind eye are having lower scores in all aspects of health related quality of life and perceived stress than patients with the indication neoplasm and trauma. The percentage of eye amputated which is divorced or separated was twice as high as in the general population. Furthermore, 25% retired or changed to part-time jobs due to eye disease and 39.5% stopped participating in leisure activities due to their EAs.

Modified enucleation for choroidal melanoma with large extrascleral extension

PURPOSE

To report the technique and the outcome of modified (enlarged) enucleation via lateral orbitotomy for choroidal melanomas with massive extrascleral extension.

METHODS

5 patients with choroidal malanoma with massive, circumscribed perioptic/posterior extrascleral extension underwent modified enucleation via lateral orbitotomy. After lateral orbitotomy and orbital mass exposure with direct tumor visualization, a long optic nerve stump was cut and the orbital component of the tumor was completely (macroscopically) removed along with the globe in all cases. After haemostasis and orbital reconstruction an orbital implant was then placed. Follow-up was longer than 12 months.

RESULTS

Excellent cosmetic outcome was acheived in all patients (100%) without operative or postoperative complications. At pathologic examination, tumors were completely removed in all cases (100%).

CONCLUSIONS

Modified (enlarged) enucleation via lateral orbitotomy for selectd choroidal melanomas with massive, circumscribed perioptic/posterior extrascleral extension allows complete tumor removal and placement of an orbital implant, avoiding the long healing process of orbital exenteration with excellent clinical and cosmetic outcome.

[Enucleation in patients with intraocular melanomas]

This paper analyzes the data available in the literature on the incidence of uveal melanomas. It historically describes enucleation and the specific features of its performance in patients with and without uveal melanoma. The specific features of enucleation in patients with uveal melanoma, indications for locomotor stump formation, and procedures for calculating the parameters of an implant are considered. Analysis of the data available in the literature shows that there is presently no unambiguous opinion as to the most rational enucleation modes and as to the capacities and types of used implants as a whole. This primarily applies to enucleation used in patients with intraocular neoplasms.

Iridociliary melanoma associated with ocular melanocytosis in a 6-year-old boy

A previously healthy 6-year-old boy presented to the ophthalmologist and was found to have congenital ocular melanocytosis associated with uveal melanoma. He was treated with enucleation of the affected eye and has shown no evidence of tumor recurrence or metastasis through over 20 years of postenucleation follow-up. Ocular melanocytosis can be associated with uveal melanoma even in young children.

Surgical implications of the superior oblique frenulum

BACKGROUND

The superior oblique frenulum is a fascial membrane that prevents substantial separation of the superior rectus muscle and SO tendon.

METHODS

In three patients, the superior rectus muscle was disinserted and temporarily suspended 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 mm in random order from its insertion. The change in position of the anterior edge of the superior oblique tendon from the superior rectus muscle insertion was measured before and after severing the frenulum structure. In four other patients undergoing superior oblique recession, the superior oblique tendon was disinserted at its insertion temporally. The amount of recession that spontaneously occurred was measured before and after severing the frenulum.

RESULTS

In the first group, there was essentially a one-to-one correlation between the posterior movement of the superior oblique tendon and the amount of superior rectus recession for recessions up to 10 mm. After severing the frenulum, the anterior portion of the superior oblique tendon was positioned less posteriorly. It measured less than 1.2 mm for superior rectus recessions up to 14 mm. For the second group, the mean suspension distance of the cut end of the disinserted superior oblique tendon was 2.4 +/- 0.4 mm before stripping the frenulum as compared with 8.5 +/- 0.7 mm after stripping the frenulum (Student's t-test, p = 0.0011).

CONCLUSIONS

The frenulum pulls the superior oblique tendon posteriorly as the superior rectus muscle is recessed and constrains the superior oblique tendon after disinsertion. How this connection is handled at the time of surgery may have implications for superior rectus recessions and superior oblique tendon surgery.

Providing compassionate care to the pediatric patient undergoing enucleation of the eye

This article focuses on the care of the pediatric patient undergoing enucleation of the eye. It discusses the diagnoses related to the surgical procedure including blind, painful eye and retinoblastoma. It describes the nursing considerations such as impact on both patient and family, postoperative nursing care, emotional issues, teaching and follow-up required to best care for the patient undergoing this life-altering surgery.

[Uveal melanoma in patients with ocular or oculodermal melanocytosis]

PURPOSE

To describe patients with ocular or oculodermal melanocytosis and uveal melanoma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In Departament of Ophthalmology in Krakow 4 patients with ocular and 1 with oculodermal melanocytosis and uveal melanoma were diagnosed.

RESULTS

In 4 patients with ocular melanocytosis and 1 with oculodermal melanocytosis the uveal melanoma was recognized and treated. Brachytherapy was used in 3 person, transcleral tumour resection in one case and in one enucleation was performed. During follow-up in two patients metastases to the liver were found.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with ocular and oculodermal melanocytosis should be regularly controled ophthalmoscopically for the occurrence of uveal melanoma.

Alteration of visual input results in a coordinated reorganization of multiple visual cortex maps

In the adult visual cortex, multiple feature maps exist and have characteristic spatial relationships with one another. The relationships can be reproduced by "dimension-reduction" computational models, suggesting that the principles of continuity and coverage may underlie cortical map organization. However, the mechanisms responsible for establishing these relationships are unknown. We explored whether removing one feature map during development causes a coordinated reorganization of the remaining maps or whether the remaining maps are unaffected. We removed the ocular dominance map by monocular enucleation in newborn ferrets, so that single eye stimulation drove the cortex in a more spatially uniform manner in adult monocular animals compared with normal animals. Maps of orientation, spatial frequency, and retinotopy formed in monocular ferrets, but their structures and spatial relationships differed from those in normal ferrets. The wavelength of the orientation map increased, so that the average orientation gradient across the cortex decreased. The decrease in the orientation gradient in monocular animals was most prominent in the high gradient regions of the spatial frequency map, indicating a coordinated reorganization between these two maps. In monocular animals, the orthogonal relationship between the orientation and spatial frequency maps was preserved, and the orthogonal relationship between the orientation and retinotopic maps became more pronounced. These results were consistent with detailed predictions of a dimension-reduction model of cortical organization. Thus, the number of feature maps in a cortical area influences the relationships between them, and inputs to the cortex have a significant role in generating these relationships.

Diagnosis and management of retinoblastoma

BACKGROUND

Retinoblastoma is a highly malignant tumor of the eye that manifests most often in the first 3 years of life.

METHODS

Published articles were reviewed to evaluate the clinical features and current methods of diagnosis and to assess the trends in management.

RESULTS

This malignancy leads to metastatic disease and death in 50% of children worldwide but in less than 5% of children in the United States and other developed nations with advanced medical care. Over the past decade, there has been a trend away from enucleation and external beam radiotherapy and toward chemoreduction followed by focal therapies. This is largely due to more effective chemotherapeutic regimens, improved focal treatment modalities, and the desire to avoid loss of the globe and/or exposure to radiotherapy. Chemoreduction and focal therapies are most successful for eyes with minimal to moderate retinoblastoma, with enucleation needed in less than 15% of cases. Eyes with very advanced retinoblastoma require enucleation in approximately 50% of cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Progress in the clinical recognition and management of retinoblastoma has led to high survival rates. Improved methods of treatment using chemoreduction and focal treatments without the need for external beam radiotherapy allow preservation of the eye in some cases, often with visual function.

[Echographic determination of the extent of intraocular tumors]

The capacities of current ultrasound technologies in determining the extent of intraocular tumors were clinically studied. The proposed algorithm of ultrasound study of intraocular tumors allows for not only making the exact measurements of a neoplasm, but also for determining the three-dimensional configuration of an object within the eye.

Clinicopathologic correlations in eyes enucleated after uveal melanoma resection with positive surgical margins

We identified three eyes that had undergone enucleation after transscleral resection of uveal melanoma. Two enucleated eyes with microscopically positive margins of resection exhibited no evidence of residual melanoma and these patients were alive without metastasis with at least four years′ follow-up. One eye with a transected melanoma contained residual melanoma and that patient died with metastatic melanoma to the liver three years after enucleation. There appear to be at least two general types of positive surgical margins of resection of uveal melanoma: microscopically positive margins and macroscopically positive (transected) margins of resection.

Posterior uveal melanoma treated with I-125 brachytherapy or primary enucleation

PURPOSE

To study the incidence, clinical findings, and tumour characteristics of posterior uveal melanoma in Western Norway, and to report the results of a consistent treatment strategy (I-125 brachytherapy or primary enucleation) over a 13-year period.

METHODS

The clinical records of all patients with posterior uveal melanoma referred between January 1993 and December 2005 were reviewed. Clinical data, radiation parameters, visual outcome, and mortality were analysed in a dedicated database.

RESULTS

The study included 111 consecutive patients. The annual age-adjusted incidence (per million population) of posterior uveal melanoma was 8.5 for women and 8.9 for men. Fifty-six patients underwent I-125 brachytherapy, 52 were enucleated, and three received no treatment. The median follow-up time was 36 months (mean, 52 months; range, 2 months to 13 years). In the brachytherapy group, two eyes were enucleated owing to tumour recurrence and two because of neovascular glaucoma. A visual acuity of 0.1 or better, present in 87% of the patients before brachytherapy, was retained in 40% after a median follow-up of 61 months. After brachytherapy, the 5- and 10-year melanoma-specific mortality rates were 13.4 and 23.8%, respectively. The corresponding mortality rates for patients treated with primary enucleation were 49.5 and 49.5%.

CONCLUSION

After brachytherapy, many patients lost useful vision due to radiation-induced complications. The probability of retaining the eye was high and only two patients experienced recurrent tumour growth. The mortality rates compare well with published series, and the differences in tumour size explain the difference in mortality between the two treatment groups.