Publications by authors named "Maximilian SchultheiSS"

Objective: To demonstrate the capability of a deep learning model to detect central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO), a retinal pathology with significant clinical urgency, using OCT data.

Design: Retrospective, external validation study analyzing OCT and clinical baseline data of 2 institutions via deep learning classification analysis.

Subjects: Patients presenting to the University Medical Center Tübingen and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany.

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Rationale: Meta-analyses of case series of non-arteritic central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) indicate beneficial effects of intravenous thrombolysis when initiated early after symptom onset. Randomized data are lacking to address this question.

Aims: The REperfusion therapy with intravenous alteplase for recovery of VISION in acute central retinal artery occlusion (REVISION) investigates intravenous alteplase within 4.

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The standard of care to treat small- and medium-sized macular holes (<400 µm diameter) consists of a conventional transconjunctival sutureless pars plana vitrectomy followed by ILM peeling and endotamponade, mainly with gas or in some cases with silicone oil, resulting in closure rates of over 90% and good functional results. Large (>400 µm diameter), chronic and persistent macular holes remain a surgical challenge since closure rates and functional results decrease with larger macular hole diameters. Various modifications of the conventional surgical technique were introduced to improve anatomic and functional success in refractory cases not suitable for conventional macular hole surgery.

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Background: Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the standard treatment for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The constitution of the vitreomacular interface varies greatly in cases of attached (with or without traction) or detached vitreous body, which can impact the effectiveness of the anti-VEGF treatment.

Objective: Based on the current literature this article displays the current state of the science on whether the constitution of the vitreous body has an effect on the anti-VEGF treatment.

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Age-related changes in vitreous molecular and anatomic morphology begin early in life and involve two major processes: vitreous liquefaction and weakening of vitreo-retinal adhesion. An imbalance in these two processes results in anomalous posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), which comprises, among other conditions, vitreo-macular adhesion (VMA) and traction (VMT). VMA is more common in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) than age-matched control patients, with the site of posterior vitreous adherence to the inner retina correlating with location of neovascular complexes.

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The structure of the vitreous body, its interaction with the retinal surface and tractive alterations of the vitreoretinal interface may play a role in the pathogenesis and the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). From clinical trials it can be concluded that posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) or vitreous removal may protect against the development of neovascular AMD. Vitreomacular adhesions may promote neovascular AMD and may have an impact on the efficacy and frequency of intravitreal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibition.

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Background: Cataract surgery induces corneal endothelial cell loss (ECL). This study investigates the relationship between bottle height (BH) and ECL induced due to irrigation and aspiration (I/A) in cataract surgery and quantifies protective effects of intraoperatively used ophthalmic viscoelastic substances.

Methods: Intermittent I/A without phacoemulsification was performed in porcine eyes for 10 min with varying BHs of 100 cm (BH100), 125 cm (BH125), 150 cm (BH150) or no treatment (control, no I/A).

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Background: The quality of the endothelial cell layer is a major criterion for the approval of organ-cultured human donor-corneas for transplantation. We wanted to compare the predictive capacities of initial endothelial density and endothelium cell morphology for the approval of donor corneas for transplantation and for the clinical outcome after transplantation.

Methods: The endothelial density and endothelium morphology in organ culture were examined by semiautomatic assessment of 1031 donor corneas.

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Purpose: To investigate the sensitivity and specificity of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO)-Detection Score in diagnosing CRAO questionnaire and without fundoscopy.

Methods: This prospective study enrolled 176 emergency patients suffering from acute visual loss, of whom 38 were suffering from CRAO. Before conducting any examination, we administered our questionnaire containing six questions, followed by a thorough ophthalmologic examination to make the diagnosis.

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Venous and arterial retinal vascular occlusions are age-related disorders, generally associated with classical cardiovascular risk factors, rather than an isolated ocular disease. As affected patients often also have an increased general risk for other vascular diseases, such as ischemic stroke, an interdisciplinary clarification of cardiovascular risk factors and systemic comorbidities is essential for all patients. Extended hemostaseological investigations may be recommended in those patients who do not match the typical risk profile.

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There are many disease patterns that are treated jointly by neurologists and ophthalmologists, for which optical coherence tomography (OCT) is of important differential diagnostic significance. In this context neurologists are mainly confronted by two patient collectives: patients with an acute ischemic event, who present with an acute but painless monocular visual deterioration (for central retinal artery occlusion) or with a monocular visual field defect (for arterial branch occlusion or anterior ischemic optic neuropathy). The second collective is patients without ophthalmological symptoms but with conspicuous optic nerve findings (papilledema or optic disc drusen).

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Purpose: To investigate inner retinal hyperreflectivity on optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a potential biomarker indicating acute central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO).

Methods: A total of 56 patients at two university hospitals with acute CRAO (symptom onset ≤48 h) were included in this retrospective study. The optical intensity of the inner retinal layers was determined in both eyes and the relationship between symptom onset and inner retinal layer optical intensity in OCT scans compared to the unaffected fellow eye was analyzed.

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There are many disease patterns that are treated jointly by neurologists and ophthalmologists, for which optical coherence tomography (OCT) is of important differential diagnostic significance. In this context neurologists are mainly confronted by two patient collectives: patients with an acute ischemic event, who present with an acute but painless monocular visual deterioration (for central retinal artery occlusion) or with a monocular visual field defect (for arterial branch occlusion or anterior ischemic optic neuropathy). The second collective is patients without ophthalmological symptoms but with conspicuous optic nerve findings (papilledema or optic disc drusen).

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Purpose: To investigate the efficacy and safety profile of retinal tacks (RTs) in cases of retinal detachment (RD) with advanced proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).

Materials And Methods: In this single-center, retrospective study medical record, optical coherence tomography and ultra-widefield fundus images of patients with complex PVR-related and RT surgery were reviewed. All cases underwent 23G pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), RT implantation, retinectomy, circumferential intraoperative laser retinopexy, and silicone oil tamponade.

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In the field of ophthalmology, central retinal artery occlusion is still one of the unsolved pathologies, as there is no widely accepted evidence-based therapeutic concept. Meta-analysis suggests that intravenous fibrinolysis might help to improve the outcome if performed within the first 4.5 hours after symptom onset.

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The retina is a complex neurological tissue and is extremely sensitive to an insufficient supply of oxygen. Hypoxia plays a major role in several retinal diseases, and often results in the loss of cells that are essential for vision. Cyclosporine A (CsA) is a widely used immunosuppressive drug.

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Background: Acute central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) represents an ophthalmological emergency with neurological implications, which must be immediately investigated and treated. Intravenous thrombolysis could improve the prognosis only within the first 4.5 h due to limited retinal tolerance to ischemia.

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Background: To date, no evidence-based treatment for acute non-arteritic central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) exists. Considering the limited ischemia tolerance of the retina and the results of multiple case series, increasing expectations are directed towards an early intravenous thrombolysis within 4.5 h after CRAO onset.

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Background: Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) represents a limiting visual perception for affected patients. In all efforts to improve function it must not be forgotten that in the vast majority of cases the cause is one or more severe vascular or cardiac diseases, which can cause RAO just as ischemic stroke and can also be life-threatening.

Objective: The aim of this article is to present the available literature and to explain the importance of an intensive neurological internal medical clarification in RAO patients.

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Acute central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) induces a time-dependent increase in retinal thickness. By manually measuring the relative retinal thickness increase (RRTI) in comparison to the contralateral eye based on optical coherence tomography (OCT), ischemia onset within the past 4.5 hours could be determined with 100% sensitivity and 94.

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Purpose: Presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in human retinal biopsies (RBs) was previously reported by us. In this consecutive study, we analysed RB and optic nerve biopsies (ONBs) in deceased patients with confirmed COVID-19 assessing viral RNA load, possible virus replication and infectivity.

Patients And Methods: In this case series, 14 eyes of 14 deceased patients with COVID-19 were enucleated during autopsy.

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Importance: Current recommendations are to avoid tissue for corneal transplant from donors with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or those who were recently exposed to COVID-19 owing to the lack of knowledge about the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in corneal tissues. Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 in corneal tissue would seem to have clinical relevance for corneal transplant.

Objectives: To investigate the presence of viral SARS-CoV-2 RNA in corneal discs of deceased patients with confirmed COVID-19 and assess viral genomic and subgenomic RNA load, possible infectivity, and histologic abnormalities.

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Background: Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease which leads to irreversible blindness. An elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is considered to be the main risk factor for the disease progression. It is known that retinal blood flow is altered in POAG eyes.

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