PURPOSE: To introduce a more efficient and time-saving scleral fixation technique for a posterior chamber foldable intraocular lens and to report the clinical results. METHODS: A foldable acrylic 3-Piece IOL was sutured to the sclera via a small corneal incision. The guiding hollow needle was not used, which differs from other ab externo techniques. Instead, the curved long needle was directly pulled out through the cornea. The scleral flap was not used to bury the scleral suture knot; Instead, the scleral suture knot was translocated at the temporal area. RESULTS: A total of 30 cases were studied retrospectively. The mean follow-up period was 2 years. The IOL was correctly positioned in all cases. There were no major complications, such as endophthalmitis or suture erosion through the conjunctiva. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the authors' experience, the modified ab externo and one-knot technique is a faster and easier technique than the conventional ab externo technique.
Cornea ; Endophthalmitis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Needles ; Retrospective Studies ; Sclera ; Sutures

PURPOSE: To introduce a more efficient and time-saving scleral fixation technique for a posterior chamber foldable intraocular lens and to report the clinical results. METHODS: A foldable acrylic 3-Piece IOL was sutured to the sclera via a small corneal incision. The guiding hollow needle was not used, which differs from other ab externo techniques. Instead, the curved long needle was directly pulled out through the cornea. The scleral flap was not used to bury the scleral suture knot; Instead, the scleral suture knot was translocated at the temporal area. RESULTS: A total of 30 cases were studied retrospectively. The mean follow-up period was 2 years. The IOL was correctly positioned in all cases. There were no major complications, such as endophthalmitis or suture erosion through the conjunctiva. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the authors' experience, the modified ab externo and one-knot technique is a faster and easier technique than the conventional ab externo technique.
Cornea ; Endophthalmitis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Needles ; Retrospective Studies ; Sclera ; Sutures

PURPOSE: To report a case of a macular hole resulting from accidental exposure to tattoo removal by the Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser, which was treated successfully by vitrectomy and silicone oil infusion. CASE SUMMARY: A 33-year-old man presented with decreased visual acuity after accidental exposure to a Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser. According to fundus examination, vitreous hemorrhage and macular edema were observed. After 21 days, a macular hole had developed which was treated by standard pars plana vitrectomy and gas tamponade. Unfortunately, closure was not obtained on the first attempt. Therefore, a second attempt using silicone oil infusion was performed. Four months after the initial visit, BCVA had increased to 20/50, and anatomical occlusion was achieved. CONCLUSIONS: The authors of the present study experienced an unusual case of macular hole developed from the Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser used to remove a tattoo. A satisfactory visual acuity was achieved after silicone oil infusion despite failure in the first surgery.
Adult ; Humans ; Macular Edema ; Retinal Perforations ; Silicone Oils ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy ; Vitreous Hemorrhage

PURPOSE: To report the first domestic case of choroidal neovascularization in a choroideremia patient treated with intravitreal bevacizumab injection. CASE SUMMARY: A 29-year-old male presented with a sudden decline in vision in the left eye. Fundus examination revealed areas of choriocapillaries and retinal pigment epithelium atrophy with macular hemorrhage. Fluorescein angiogram revealed vascular hyperfluorescence in the juxtafoveal area. Neurosensory detachment around the macula and increased central macular thickness was also observed using optical coherence tomography. Upon the diagnosis of choroideremia with choroidal neovascularization, the patient was treated with 1.25 mg intravitreal bevacizumab. Visual acuity improved after four injections of intravitreal Bevacizumab with improvement in both detachment and fluorescein leakage. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with choroideremia presenting sudden decline in vision, ophthalmologists should detect for possible choroidal neovascularization. The results from the present study show that judicious use of intravitreal Bevacizumab may be effective in such cases. Further studies with a large sample size and sufficiently long follow-up periods are required.
Adult ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Atrophy ; Choroid ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; Choroideremia ; Eye ; Fluorescein ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium ; Sample Size ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Vision, Ocular ; Visual Acuity ; Bevacizumab

Repeated surgery of the lumbar spine after lumbar discectomy was not uncommon. Total 817 cases of lumbar disorders were carried out surgical intervention in author's clinic from Jan. 1993. to May 1997. Among them, 82 cases were reoperated cases after lumbar disc surgery. The causes, methods and outcome of reoperation were reviewed. The most common causes of reoperation was epidural adhesion, and the most frequent method of reoperation was the interbody fusion with adhesiotomy. Epidural fibrosis was the major problem and must be studied forward for preventing reoperaion.
Diskectomy ; Fibrosis ; Reoperation* ; Spine

Aspergillus funigatus and other pathogenic fungi synthesize a toxic epidithi-odiopiperzine (ETP) metabolite, namely gliotoxin. Gliotoxin commonly react with sulfhydryl groups, and then, forms hydrogen peroxide. These fungal toxins induce apoptotic cell death in various cells. Apoptosis induced by gliotoxin need calcium. Effect of calcium preconditioning was not reported in gliotoxin-induced apoptosis. To examine the effect of protein kinase C (PKC) and calcium which was regulate caspase-3, PKC and calcium preconditioning before gliotoxin treatment, apoptotic agents such as bcl-2 family, caspase-3 and DNA fragmentation in A7r5 cell line from rat smooth muscle cell were studied. These results showed that gliotoxin induces the expression of bad of bcl-2 family, caspase-3 activation and DNA fragmentation in A7r5 cells. Gliotoxin treatment followed by calcium and PKC preconditioning suppress the Bad of bcl-2 family, and inhibited caspase-3 activation, respectively. These results suggest that PKC and calcium preconditioning protect the gliotoxin-induced apoptosis, through the protection of pro-apoptotic bcl-2 family in A7r5 cells.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Aspergillus ; Calcium ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; DNA Fragmentation ; Fungi ; Gliotoxin ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Mycotoxins ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle* ; Protein Kinase C ; Rats*

Background: A precise anatomical understanding of the adductor canal (AC) and its neural components is essential for discerning the action mechanism of the AC block. We therefore aimed to clarify the detailed anatomy of the AC using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), histological evaluation, and immunofluorescence (IF) assays. Methods: Gross dissections of 39 thighs provided morphometric data relevant to injection landmarks. Serial sectional images of the AC were defined using micro-CT and ultrasonography. The fascial and neural structures of the AC proper were histologically evaluated using Masson’s trichrome and Verhoeff-Van Gieson staining, and double IF staining using choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and neurofilament 200 antibodies. Results: The posteromedial branch insertion of the nerve to vastus medialis (NVM) into the lateral border of the AC proper was lower (14.5 ± 2.4 cm [mean ± SD] above the base of the patella) than the origin of the proximal AC. The AC consists of a thin subsartorial fascia in the proximal region and a thick aponeurosis-like vastoadductor membrane in the distal region. In the proximal AC, the posteromedial branch of the NVM (pmNVM) consistently contained both sensory and motor fibers, and more ChAT-positive fibers were observed than in the saphenous nerve (27.5 ± 11.2 / 104 vs. 4.2 ± 2.6 / 104 [counts/µm2], P < 0.001). Conclusions Anatomical differences in fascial structures between the proximal and distal AC and a mixed neural component of the neighboring pmNVM have been visualized using micro-CT images, histological evaluation, and IF assays.