PURPOSE: The effects of AmniSite-Lens on wound healing were evaluated for a burn wound on a rabbit cornea. METHODS: A chemical burn was inflicted on the cornea of rabbits using 0.1N NaOH and a superficial keratectomy with trephine was performed. The control group consisted of rabbits with a bandage contact lens (Focus Lens) after the operation. In the other group, the AmniSite-Le was applied on the rabbits' cornea. The rabbits were evaluated for the following: 1) the time of epithelialization; 2) the grade of corneal opacity; and 3) the histological analysis by evaluation of inflammatory reaction and apoptotic keratocytes. RESULTS: In the alkali-burn model, the time of epithelialization in the AmniSite-Lens group was not statistically significant compared with the bandage contact lens group. There was no difference of corneal opacity at postoperative week 1. The corneal opacity in the AmniSite-Lens group was clearer than the bandage contact lens group at postoperative weeks 4 and 8 and the difference of corneal opacity was statistically significant. In the keratectomy model, the time of epithelialization in the AmniSite-Lens group was not statistically significant compared with the bandage contact lens group. The corneal opacity in the AmniSite-Lens group was clearer than the bandage contact lens group at postoperative weeks 1 and 4 and the difference of corneal opacity was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The AmniSite-Lens has both the wound healing effect of an amniotic membrane and the convenience of a bandage contact lens.
Amnion ; Bandages ; Burns ; Burns, Chemical ; Cornea ; Corneal Opacity ; Rabbits ; Wound Healing

PURPOSE: To analyze the autofluorescence (AF) properties of pinguecula using cobalt-blue and yellow filters and to investigate the nature and pathogenesis of pingueculae using histochemical and immunohistochemical staining. METHODS: Fifty pingueculae in 40 patients were included in this study. AF of the pingueculae was observed and analyzed using a cobalt-blue filter with an additional yellow filter on a slit-lamp. Hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemical stainings were performed on surgical specimens of pingueculae that were prepared from each patient. Immunohistochemical staining included Congo red, Oil Red O, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), Masson's trichrome, transglutaminase-2 (TG-2), mesenchymal stem cell markers CD29 (beta-1-integrin), and CD34. RESULTS: AF images revealed hyper-AF in the pinguecula area. The AF lesions of pingueculae showed superficial punctuate erosions and avascular lesions. Deposition of eosinophilic and amorphous materials in the subepithelial layer of the pinguecula were observed on hematoxylin-eosin staining. Historeactivities to Congo red, PAS, Oil Red O, alcian blue, and Masson's trichrome were not detected, but immunoreactivities to CD29, CD34, and TG-2 were detected in the pingueculae with AF. However, CD29, CD34, and TG-2 were not detected in the pingueculae without AF. CONCLUSIONS: The AF of pingueculae may be related to CD29, CD34, and TG-2. We suggest that pingueculae with AF have a different pathogenesis compared to pingueculae without AF.
Aged ; Coloring Agents/diagnostic use ; Female ; Fluorescence ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoxylin/*diagnostic use ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microscopy, Confocal/*methods ; Middle Aged ; Pinguecula/*pathology ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To report the use of amniotic membrane (AM) as a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) carrier in cornea perforation with severe limbal stem cell deficiency due to a chemical burn on both eyes. CASE SUMMARY: The patient in the present study is a 43-year-old man with a history of bilateral alkaline chemical injury six years previously. The patient suffered from total limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) in the injured eyes and underwent numerous operations including autologous conjunctival flap, AM graft, penetrating keratoplasty, keratolimbal autograft and ex vivo expanded limbal allogrft. However, the patient's ocular condition deteriorated due to persistent LSCD, which led to corneal perforation resulting in the need for an urgent therapeutic operation. In the patient's past ocular history, Ahmed valve implantation was performed for uncontrolled IOP. Revision of the Ahmed tube due to exposure and conjunctival erosion was performed again via placement of an AM over the exposed tube one year previous to presentation to our hospital. The authors performed a transplanted AM graft at the cornea perforation using sub-conjunctival AM believed to contain MSCs. Six months postoperatively, the ocular surface was well mainatained and the graft remained healthy. Transplanted AM showed morphological and immunohistochemical findings similar to those of MSCs. CONCLUSIONS: Results from the present study confirm that AM transplanted into the conjunctiva is a useful carrier of bone marrow-derived MSCs in severe ocular surface diseases.
Adult ; Amnion ; Burns, Chemical ; Conjunctiva ; Cornea ; Corneal Perforation ; Eye ; Humans ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Stem Cells ; Transplants

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between ocular discomfort and ocular Demodex infestation, and therapeutic effects of tea tree oil (TTO) in Demodex blepharitis patients. Three hundred and thirty-five patients with ocular discomfort were evaluated for ocular Demodex infestation and subjective symptoms with ocular surface discomfort index (OSDI) score. Among them, Demodex-infested patients were randomized to receive either eyelid scrubbing with TTO (TTO group,106 patients) or without TTO (Control group, 54 patients) for 1 month. Demodex were found in 84% of patients with ocular discomfort. The number of Demodex was significantly correlated with age (P = 0.04) and OSDI score (P = 0.024). After eyelid scrub treatment, Demodex count was reduced from 4.0 +/- 2.5 to 3.2 +/- 2.3 in the TTO group (P = 0.004) and from 4.3 +/- 2.7 to 4.2 +/- 2.5 in the control group (P = 0.27). Also, OSDI score was reduced from 34.5 +/- 10.7 to 24.1 +/- 11.9 in the TTO group (P = 0.001) and from 35.3 +/- 11.6 to 27.5 +/- 12.8 in the control group (P = 0.04). In conclusion, Demodex number showed a significant positive correlation with age and subjective ocular discomfort. The tea tree oil eyelid scrub treatment is effective for eliminating ocular Demodex and improving subjective ocular symptoms.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Animals ; Anti-Infective Agents, Local/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Blepharitis/*drug therapy/pathology ; Eye Infections, Parasitic/*drug therapy/parasitology/pathology ; Eyelids/parasitology/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mite Infestations/*drug therapy/parasitology/pathology ; Mites/drug effects ; Phytotherapy ; Tea Tree Oil/pharmacology/*therapeutic use ; Young Adult

URPOSE: To evalvate the role of double-phase spiral CT for T staging of gastric cancers with radiologic-pathologic correlation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Double-phase spiral CT images of 44 patients of gastriccancers proved by pathologic examination were retrospectively evaluated. We retrospectively classified spiral CTimages of gastric cancers ; classification was from S 0 to S 4 and was based on the degree of change in three multilayered patterns shown in normal gastric wall and whether or not tumor cells had invaded perigastric fattissue. Pathologic classification was based on the T staging of TNM classification for gastric cancers, and wethen correlated these results. RESULTS: In group S1, all of three cases(100%) were proved to be T1 and in groupS2, five(45.5%) of 11 cases were T2. Of five cases with S3 CT findings, three(60%) were proved to be T3s andtwo(40%) were T2. Of 22 cases with S4 CT findings, 19(86.4%) were T3p. Overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 60.3%, 88. 5%, and 86.9%, respectively. In 35 (79.5%) of the total of 44 cases, the lesions were more enhanced on venous than on arterial phase. CONCLUSION: The accuracy of double-phase spiral CT for T staging of gastric cancers was 86.9%, and in contrast to previous results for conventional or dynamic CT, this level of accuracy was thought to be relatively high. In conclusion, double-phase spiral CT images of gastric cancers were helpful in the diagnosis of T staging.
Classification ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

Fibrous dysplasia of bone is an uncommon condition of unknown etiology in which the bones become progressively thicker and lose their normal structure. The skull and the bones in other parts of the body are involed in a process characterized by small areas of bone destruction or massive sclerotic overgrowth. They appear denser, although actually are softer, and give a rather homogenous, smeary impression. There may be cyst like areas within the large, dense, homgenous-appearing amorphous bone. Although the skull may be the only area of involvement it is not uncommon to have similar but more cystic appearing lesions in many other bones. The authors report two cases of fibrous dysplasia involving frontal, orbital roof, ethmoid, zygoma and sphenoid bone in the left by which disfiguration of appearance of the face was resulted in association with exophthalmus.
Fibrous Dysplasia of Bone ; Orbit ; Skull ; Sphenoid Bone ; Zygoma

Purpose: To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Cataract-related Visual Function Questionnaire (CVFQ). Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study of 141 cataract patients was conducted from March 2022 to June 2022. The questionnaire was created based on a literature review and advice from an expert panel. This study determined its construct validity, criterion validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. Results: The CVFQ consists of 15 items distributed among five categories: overall visual quality, overall visual function, distance vision, near vision, and glare. In the exploratory factor analysis of validity, the first three principal components explained 77.8% of the variance. The p-values in the Spearman correlation test comparing the pre- and postoperative total CVFQ score and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were 0.006 and 0.004, respectively. In the reliability analysis, Cronbach’s alpha was > 0.9 for internal consistency and the p-values of each subcategory were all significant in the analysis of test-retest reliability. Conclusions Our results indicate that the CVFQ is useful for measuring the visual quality and visual function of cataract patients in Korea.

No abstract available.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gingival Crevicular Fluid* ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinases* ; Periodontitis*