Evaluation of high-risk features of primary enucleation of patients with retinoblastoma in a tertiary center of a developing country in the era of intra-arterial chemotherapy.

Purpose: To evaluate the frequency of high-risk histopathologic factors in Turkish children enucleated for retinoblastoma and to analyze the association between growth pattern, rosetta formation, tumor thickness, presence of necrosis, calcification, neovascularization, rate of mitosis, and high-risk histopathologic factors.

Methods: Pathology reports of 59 eyes who had received enucleation for retinoblastoma were reviewed retrospectively. The histopathologic data included presence of choroidal invasion, optic nerve invasion, scleral extension, tumor thickness, presence of necrosis, calcification, neovascularization, rosetta formation and lymphocyte infiltration, rate of mitosis, and growth pattern.

Combined excision, cryotherapy, and intraoperative mitomycin C (EXCRIM) for localized intraepithelial and squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva.

Background: To report the results of patients undergoing combined excision, cryotherapy, and intraoperative mitomycin-C (EXCRIM) for primary ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) METHODS: A retrospective review of a non-comparative interventional case series. Histopathologically confirmed primary localized (less than four clock hours) OSSN treated with EXCRIM using adjuvant 0.02 % mitomycin-C (MMC) were included in the study.

[Malignant rhabdoid tumor of the orbit].

Malignant rhabdoid tumor is a rare and malignant tumor of childhood. Generally it originates from the kidney and central nervous system, but occasionally it may arise from the orbit. Differential diagnosis from other childhood soft tissue sarcomas should be done.

Gamma-knife-based stereotactic radiosurgery for medium- and large-sized posterior uveal melanoma.

Background: This study investigated the use of gamma-knife-based stereotactic radiosurgery (GKRS) for medium- and large-sized posterior uveal melanoma treatment.

Methods: We assessed 50 eyes from 50 consecutive patients with uveal melanoma who were treated with GKRS. All tumors met the criteria for medium- and large-sized uveal melanomas.

Gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery yields good long-term outcomes for low-volume uveal melanomas without intraocular complications.

We present the outcomes of 35 uveal melanoma patients treated with gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery. All cases were previously untreated. During follow-up, regular MRI examinations were used to detect any changes in tumor size and estimate the local long-term tumor control rate.

Retinoblastoma in Turkey: survival and clinical characteristics 1981-2004.

Background: In this study, the authors aim to describe the survival and clinical characteristics of 141 retinoblastoma cases treated at Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey, between 1981 and 2004.

Method: The authors retrospectively analyzed the clinical records of 141 children (177 eyes) diagnosed with retinoblastoma and treated between 1981 and 2004. Information on gender, laterality, age at diagnosis, presenting signs, spread of tumor, treatment modality, survival rate, and family history were collected.

Three-wall orbital decompression superiority to 2-wall orbital decompression in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy.

Purpose: We evaluated the results of the 2-wall and 3-wall orbital decompression in patients with Graves' disease.

Patients And Methods: In this study, we present a consecutive series of 12 patients (18 orbits) who were submitted to orbital decompression by endoscopic transnasal medial wall combined with transantral inferior wall approach and 7 patients (8 orbits) who were submitted to orbital decompression by endoscopic transnasal medial wall, transantral inferior wall combined with transcutaneous lateral wall approach. The degree of exophthalmos was evaluated with the Hertel exophthalmometer preoperatively and postoperatively in the 24th hour, and first, third, and ninth months.

Immunohistochemical analysis of orbital connective tissue specimens of patients with active Graves ophthalmopathy.

Purpose: To explore the immune mechanism of Graves ophthalmopathy (GO) by analyzing infiltrating cells in orbital connective tissue (OCT) specimens of patients with active GO using immunohistochemical methods.

Methods: Five OCT specimens obtained from patients with active GO and five control specimens obtained from forensic cadavers who died from nonmedical reasons were stained with anti-CD3, CD4, CD8, CD45RO, HLA-Dr, CD25, and TNF-alpha monoclonal antibodies. Positively stained cells were counted and results were interpreted as cell counts/mm2.

[Orbital decompression by endoscopic transnasal and transantral approach in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy].

Objectives: We evaluated the results of orbital decompression in patients with Graves' disease.

Patients And Methods: Orbital decompression was performed by endoscopic transnasal medial wall approach and transantral inferior wall approach in 18 eyes of 12 patients (8 males, 4 females; mean age 41 years; range 24 to 65 years). The degree of exophthalmos was evaluated with the use of the Hertel exophthalmometer preoperatively, and postoperatively in the 24th hour, first and third months.

Early surgery for dysthyroid orbitomyopathy based on magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Purpose: To investigate the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the determination of the fibrotic phase in dysthyroid orbitopathy, which may be an indication for early surgery.

Patients And Methods: Thirteen patients with dysthyroid orbitopathy who had vertical deviation in excess of 20 PD and associated diplopia in the primary position that did not respond to medical treatment were included in the study. On MRI, the absence of high-intensity foci in the T2 sequence, especially in the coronal planes, indicated that the extraocular muscles were not edematous.

Extraocular muscle surgery in dysthyroid orbitomyopathy: influence of previous conditions on surgical results.

Purpose: To determine the influence of previous treatments other than the surgical treatment of restrictive myopathy resulting from dysthyroid orbitomyopathy.

Methods: The outcome of 23 cases with dysthyroid orbitomyopathy was evaluated after extraocular muscle surgery.

Results: It has been observed that the duration of the orbitomyopathy, severity of myopathy of the deviation angle, and the modality of treatment prior to surgery (radiotherapy and corticotherapy) did not influence surgical outcome.

[Value of MRI in the treatment of Grave's disease orbital myopathy].

In order to evaluate the predictability of the results in the treatment of myopathy in cases with the clinical signs of muscle involvement, 177 extraocular muscles of 27 cases whose oedematous status was detected by MRI and who were given antiinflammatory treatment according to the data of this method, were studied. The nature of involvement was detected in respect with the signal intensity and thickness of each rectus muscle prior to the treatment and at the end of the sixth month following a three months' application of combined treatment of steroids and irradiation of 2000 rads. When the initial and final results were compared, the signal intensities of four involved recti showed significant decrease at the end of the treatment, as they were evaluated separately or together.

Subconjunctival cyst extending into the orbit.

A fourteen year old girl who had developed a large subconjunctival mass extending into the orbit is presented. The mass had appeared after a strabismus operation, and it caused a consecutive exotropia and decreased adduction in the affected eye. She had had this cyst for six years.

[Ocular site of pigmentation in oculodermal melanocytosis].

Sixteen patients with oculodermal melanocytosis (Nevus of Ota, congenital ocular melanocytosis) were investigated for the location and the density of the ocular pigmentation, the increase in intraocular location and the malignant transformation. In all cases, conjunctivo-scleral dispersion pattern appeared as dispersed patches without any predominant site but a diffuse involvement of the angle. This finding points out that ODM may exhibit a characteristic dispersion pattern of pigmentation which is characteristic for ODM.

The prevalence of Sjögren's syndrome in Behçet's syndrome.

Objective: The role of autoimmune mechanisms in Behçet's syndrome (BS) is debated. Sjögren's syndrome (SS) accompanies most autoimmune diseases. Thus we investigated the prevalence of SS in BS in a formal protocol.

[Malignant melanoma of the choroid in vivo. Comparative biometry using RX scanner and MRI].

Uveal melanomas are unique among the malignant tumors of the eye investigated by MRI in that both T1 and T2 are relatively shortened due to the paramagnetic effect of melanin. Bearing in mind this property, we conducted a comparative study between MRI and CT in 11 patients with histologically proven choroidal malignant melanoma. The results of this study confirm that MRI is far superior to CT in both differential diagnosis and in determining the extent of the tumor which is crucial if conservative treatment is to be undertaken.

Low dose cyclosporin A versus pulsed cyclophosphamide in Behçet's syndrome: a single masked trial.

A single masked trial of cyclosporin A 5 mg/kg/day versus monthly 1 g intravenous boluses of cyclophosphamide was conducted among 23 patients with Behçet's syndrome and active, potentially reversible uveitis. The trial was unmasked after a mean of 12 (SD 2) months for the cyclosporin A group (n = 12) and a mean of 10 (SD 3) months for the cyclophosphamide group (n = 11). During the initial 6 months the visual acuity significantly improved (p < 0.

A controlled trial of azathioprine in Behçet's syndrome.

Cytotoxic agents have long been used in Behçet's syndrome, especially for eye involvement, but their effectiveness has been uncertain. We conducted a two-year randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of azathioprine (2.5 mg per kilogram of body weight per day) in Turkish men with Behçet's syndrome without eye disease (group 1; n = 25) or with eye disease (group 2; n = 48).

The prevalence of Behçet's syndrome in a rural area in northern Turkey.

We conducted a field survey to establish the prevalence of Behçet's syndrome among all the inhabitants aged 10 years or older in a village in northern Turkey. The prevalence of Behçet's syndrome was 19/5,131. There were 13 females and 6 males.

Short term cyclosporin A treatment of Behçet's disease.

Eleven separate three-month courses of cyclosporin A, an oral solution 10 mg/kg/day, were administered to eight patients with Behçet's disease with sight-threatening posterior uveitis. It was found to be effective in arresting the inflammatory activity in the eye as well as the mucocutaneous lesions of Behçet's disease. Improvement in visual acuity was observed within one week of starting therapy.

Von Willebrand factor in Behçet's syndrome.

Plasma von Willebrand factor F VIII related antigen levels were elevated in 13 patients with Behçet's syndrome and vascular disease compared to 17 with Behçet's syndrome without vascular involvement and 23 healthy controls. As expected 12 diseased controls, 9 of whom had systemic sclerosis, had still higher levels of F VIII related antigen.

Behçet's disease. Relation of serum C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rates to disease activity.

In a prospective study of 150 patients with Behçet's disease, significant associations were shown between CRP positivity and the presence of erythema nodosum (p less than 0.02) and acute thrombophlebitis (p less than 0.05) and between ESR and erythema nodosum (p less than 0.

Male patients with Behçet's syndrome have stronger pathergy reactions.

The effects of patient's sex and age at onset on the pathergy reaction (cutaneous hypersensitivity to a needle prick) and its correlation with disease activity in Behcet's syndrome was investigated by two independent observers in a blind protocol. Among 92 male patients the pathergy reaction was more strongly positive (p less than 0.025) than among 67 female patients of similar age and disease duration.