The Microbiome of Temporal Arteries.

Objective: A role for microorganisms in giant cell arteritis (GCA) has long been suspected. We describe the microbiomes of temporal arteries from patients with GCA and controls.

Methods: Temporal artery biopsies from patients suspected to have GCA were collected under aseptic conditions and snap-frozen.

Dural Arteriovenous Fistula Presenting with Purely Contralateral Ophthalmic Manifestations.

Purpose: To report a case of dural arteriovenous fistula presenting with purely contralateral ophthalmic manifestations.

Design: Interventional case report.

Results: A 70-year-old male presenting with right-sided proptosis, injection, and choroidal effusions with a completely quiet fellow eye was found to have a left-sided dural arteriovenous fistula.

Varicella Zoster Virus and Large Vessel Vasculitis, the Absence of an Association.

Objective: It is controversial whether microorganisms play a role in the pathogenesis of large and medium vessel vasculitides (eg, giant cell arteritis [GCA], Takayasu arteritis [TAK] and focal idiopathic aortitis [FIA]). Recent studies have reported the presence of Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) within formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded temporal arteries and aortas of about three-quarters or more of patients with these conditions, and in a minority of controls. In a prospective study, we sought to confirm these findings using DNA extracted from vessels that were harvested under surgically aseptic conditions and snap frozen.

Optic Nerve Assessment Using 7-Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to correlate high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histologic findings in a case of juxtapapillary choroidal melanoma with clinical evidence of optic nerve invasion.

Methods: With institutional review board approval, an enucleated globe with choroidal melanoma and optic nerve invasion was imaged using a 7-tesla MRI followed by histopathologic evaluation.

Results: Optical coherence tomography, B-scan ultrasonography, and 1.

Iris varix: report of a case and review of iris vascular anomalies.

Iris vascular anomalies are rare benign vascular tumors and simulating lesions of the iris stroma. These can be classified into five distinct, clinicopathological entities: iris capillary hemangioma, iris cavernous hemangioma, iris microhemangioma, iris arteriovenous malformation, and iris varix. We have reviewed all reported cases of iris hemangiomas since 1970, as prior cases have been extensively reviewed by Ferry.

Effectiveness of botulinum toxin administered to abolish acquired nystagmus.

We injected botulinum toxin into the horizontal rectus muscles of the right eyes of 2 patients who had acquired pendular nystagmus with horizontal, vertical, and torsional components. This treatment successfully abolished the horizontal component of the nystagmus in the injected eye in both patients for approximately 2 months. Both patients showed a small but measurable improvement of vision in the injected eye that may have been limited by coexistent disease of the visual pathways.

Rapid response of syphilitic optic neuritis to posterior sub-tenon's steroid injection.

An HIV-positive man with subacute syphilitic meningitis developed severe bilateral visual loss from optic neuritis. His visual acuity improved remarkably within 24 hours after single posterior sub-Tenon's injections of triamcinolone (Kenalog) were given. Periocular steroid injections should be considered as an adjunctive treatment of syphilitic optic neuritis.