PURPOSE: This study examines the changes in axial length after trabeculectomy and Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation surgery. METHODS: In the forty three eyes of the 42 patients who had the uncontrolled glaucoma, 22 eyes of 21 patients having trabeculectomy and 21 eyes of 21 patients having Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation from October 2004 to September 2005 at Kim's Eye Hospital were analyzed prospectively. These patients had IOP and axial length measurements preoperatively, at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery and refractive power measurements preoperatively, at 3 months after surgery. Axial length was measured by IOL Master(R). RESULTS: There was a statistically significant reduction in IOP after 3 months of 26.6+/-11.2 mmHg overall, 22.4+/-8.4 mmHg following trabeculectomy, and 30.9+/-12.3 mmHg after Ahmed glaucoma valve implatation (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant reduction in axial length after 3 months of -0.24+/-0.10 mm overall, -0.21+/-0.1 mm after trabeculectomy and -0.28+/-0.1 mm after Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation. CONCLUSIONS: There was a statistically significant decrease in axial length after both trabeculectomy and Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation. We must consider the influence of axial length change on refraction in planning combined glaucoma and cataract surgery or future IOL implantation.
Cataract ; Glaucoma* ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Trabeculectomy*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Quickert-Rathbun suture to correct involutional entropion. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of 132 consecutive patients (132 lids, male 58, female 74) with involutional entropion who underwent correction from September 2001 to June 2004 at Kim's eye hospital. All surgical corrections were performed with the Quickert-Rathbun suture technique. The average follow-up period was 9 months (1~17 months). RESULTS: The average length of follow-up time was 14 months (6~22 months). There were no long-term complications like lagophthalmos or ectropion. Surgery was successful in 102 (77.2%) of the 132 eyelids in the first Quickert-Rathbun suture. The second Quickert-Rathbun suture was performed to 17 out of 30 recurred patients, One of whom was noted to have recurrent entropion at 12 months. The final success rate of Quickert-Rathbun suture was 89.3%. The average length of recurrence time was 9.1+/-8.4 months. CONCLUSIONS: The Quickert-Rathbun suture described is simple, straightforward and reliable for the correction of involutional entropion primarily.
Female ; Male ; Humans

PURPOSE: To report a case of bilateral spontaneous anterior lens dislocation associated with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). METHODS: A 45-year-old male with RP presented with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in the right eye and was treated with laser iridotomy (LI). After LI, complete crystalline lens dislocation into the anterior chamber occurred. Surgical intervention, including anterior vitrectomy, intracapsular cataract extraction (ICCE), and IOL scleral fixation was performed. Two years later, the same episode occurred in his left eye and a similar treatment was done. RESULTS: Surgery was successful in both eyes. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of bilateral spontaneous anterior lens dislocation in a RP patient.
*Anterior Chamber ; Cataract/complications/diagnosis ; Cataract Extraction ; Electroretinography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Iris/surgery ; Laser Therapy/adverse effects ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular/methods ; Lens Subluxation/diagnosis/*etiology/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ocular Hypertension/complications/physiopathology/surgery ; Retinitis Pigmentosa/*complications/diagnosis/surgery ; Sclera/surgery ; Suture Techniques ; Visual Fields ; Vitrectomy

PURPOSE: To study the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the aqueous humor before and after intracameral injection of bevacizumab in eyes with neovascular glaucoma, and to detect the duration of an anti-VEGF effect of bevacizumab in the anterior chamber. METHODS: In this prospective interventional case series, 1.25 mg of bevacizumab was injected into the anterior chamber of five eyes in five neovascular glaucoma patients. Aqueous humor samples were obtained just before intracameral injection of bevacizumab and two weeks after injection. The concentrations of VEGF in the aqueous humor were measured using ELISA. To investigate corneal endothelial damage after intrecameral bevacizumab injection, specular microscopy was performed before injection and two weeks after injection. Slit lamp photo and iris fluorescent angiography was performed to determine the regression of iris neovascularization. RESULTS: After injection, substantial regression of neovascularization or fluorescein leakage was seen in all treated eyes. The VEGF concentrations in the aqueous humor in eyes with NVG were 1181.8+/-1248.3 pg/mL before intracameral injection of bevacizumab. Two weeks after injection, the VEGF concentrations decreased to 33.2+/-12.2 pg/mL (p=0.04, Wilcoxon signed rank test). There were no significant changes in IOP or corneal endothelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: Intracameral bevacizumab injection can remarkably reduce iris neovascularization in neovascular glaucoma patients. VEGF levels were significantly decreased two weeks after injection and corneal toxicity was not observed during short term follow-up.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors/*administration & dosage ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/*administration & dosage ; Aqueous Humor/*metabolism ; Eye ; Glaucoma, Neovascular/*drug therapy/*metabolism ; Humans ; Injections ; Middle Aged ; Osmolar Concentration ; Prospective Studies ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/antagonists & inhibitors/*metabolism

Purpose: We investigated the treatment response and prognosis using the neutrophil-tolymphocyte ratio (NLR) and standardized uptake value (SUV) of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ( 18F-FDG PET) in neoadjuvant settings. Methods: Baseline NLR and maximum SUV (SUVmax ) were retrospectively analyzed in 273 females with breast cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery.Of these, 101 patients underwent 18F-FDG PET after 3–4 neoadjuvant chemotherapy cycles, which allowed the measurement of ΔSUVmax , an early reduction in SUVmax . NLR and early SUVmax reduction (ΔSUVmax) were classified as low and high, respectively, relative to the median values. Results: The mean NLR was lower, and the mean ΔSUVmax was higher in patients with pathologic complete response (pCR) than in those with residual tumors. The ΔSUVmax was an independent variable associated with pCR. Furthermore, the high NLR group had poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival. Among patients with ΔSUVmax data, high NLR (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.82; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.26–6.28; P = 0.016) and low ΔSUVmax (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.07–5.34; P = 0.037) were independent prognostic factors for poor RFS. The categorization of the patients into four groups according to the combination of NLR and ΔSUVmax showed that patients with high NLR and low ΔSUVmax had significantly poorer RFS. Conclusion Baseline NLR and ΔSUVmax were significantly associated with the prognosis of patients with breast cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. These results suggest that metabolic non-responders with defective immune systems have worse survival outcomes.

Obstructive jaundice primarily results from choledocholithiasis, neoplasm, inflammation and infection such as primary sclerosing cholangitis, postsurgical stricture, AIDS cholangiopathy, extrinsic compression of the biliary trees. However, obstructive jaundice secondary to foreign bodies is rare. Especially, shrapnel induced biliary obstruction is very rare and has never been reported in Korea. We report a patient who had biliary obstruction due to metal shrapnel. He had shrapnel injury 52 year ago during the Korean War. For a long time, he had had no symptoms. He was admitted to our hospital for epigastric pain and jaundice. Abdominal CT scan showed a metallic foreign body in the common bile duct. The patient underwent ERCP, and the shrapnel and several stones were successfully extracted with a basket.
Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangitis, Sclerosing ; Choledocholithiasis ; Common Bile Duct ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Jaundice ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Korea ; Korean War ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have a chance of developing liver involvement in their lifetime. The main cause of liver involvement in SLE patients is previous treatment with hepatotoxic drugs or hepatotropic viral hepatitis. Wilson's disease is a hereditary disorder and is usually diagnosed in patients presenting either neuropsychiatric disorders or manifestations related to chronic liver disease. Fulminant hepatic failure as the initial manifestation of Wilson's disease is rare. The relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus and Wilson's disease has not been established. We report a case of a 12-year-old girl with SLE who presented fulminant hepatic failure as an initial manifestation of Wilson's disease. The diagnosis was established with decreased serum ceruloplasmin level and the presence of Kayser-Fleischer ring. We treated with repeated plasma exchange. Despite repeated plasma exchange she died of multi-organ failure on the 16th hospital day. Considering this case, Wilson's disease should be considered as a cause of fulminant hepatic failure, especially in juvenile age cases.
Child ; English Abstract ; Female ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration/*complications ; Human ; Liver Failure/*etiology ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/*complications