Familial bilateral polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

Purpose: Description of the clinical and angiographic manifestations of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in two brothers of West Indian origin.

Method: Case reports.

Results: In Case 1 (82-year-old), the disease presented when the patient was 50 years old with decreased visual acuity in the right eye.

[Steroid treatment in four cases of anti-GAD cerebellar ataxia].

Introduction: Few neurological diseases are linked with anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (GAD-ab); stiff man syndrome is an example. Cerebellar ataxia is a new feature of this expanding spectrum. No therapeutic trial is yet available in these diseases.

Macular hole following Bartonella henselae neuroretinitis.

Purpose: To report a case of macular hole secondary to Bartonella henselae neuroretinitis.

Methods: Observational case report. An 11 year-old boy presented urgently with a decrease of visual acuity in the left eye.

Histone deacetylase mediated transcriptional activation reduces proviral loads in HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis patients.

Epigenetic modifications of chromatin may play a role in maintaining viral latency and thus persistence of the human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), which is responsible for HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). A major determinant of disease progression is increased peripheral blood proviral load (PVL), possibly via the accumulation of infected cells in the central nervous system (CNS) creating a damaging inflammatory response. Current therapeutic approaches that focus on reducing either cell proliferation, viral replication, or tissue invasion are still unsatisfactory.

Outbreak of keratomycosis attributable to Fusarium solani in the French West Indies.

Purpose: We report an unusual increase in the number of cases of keratomycosis attributable to Fusarium solani in contact lens wearers.

Design: Observational case series.

Methods: Between November 2005 and May 2006, 14 corneal abscesses were reported at the University Hospital Center of Fort-de-France.

Orbital and muscle involvement in multiple myeloma.

Case Report: We report 2 cases of orbital plasmacytoma in patients with known multiple myeloma. Orbital spread with secondary maxillary sinus involvement is reported in the first case. Case 2 is the first report of immunoglobulin A kappa light chain multiple myeloma involving orbital recti muscles.

Natural history of the visual impairment of relapsing neuromyelitis optica.

Purpose: To describe the clinical features and natural history of the visual impairment of relapsing neuromyelitis optica.

Design: Prospective observational case series.

Participants: Thirty patients of Afro-Caribbean origin with neuromyelitis optica and 47 patients with multiple sclerosis.

Isolated conjunctival ulcerations as the first sign of Behçet's disease.

Purpose: To report an unusual incident of isolated conjunctival ulcerations which preceded all other signs of Behçet's disease.

Methods: Description of a 34-year-old woman of West Indian origin with an unremarkable medical history presenting with bilateral bulbar conjunctival ulcerations.

Results: The authors noted the presence of a diffuse bilateral conjunctival hyperemia which was more pronounced at the temporal bulbar conjunctiva of the right eye and the nasal conjunctiva of the left eye, each having one ulceration.

Isolated conjunctival ulcerations as the first sign of Behets disease.

Purpose: To report an unusual incident of isolated conjunctival ulcerations which preceded all other signs of Behets disease.

Methods: Description of a 34-year-old woman of West Indian origin with an unremarkable medical history presenting with bilateral bulbar conjunctival ulcerations.

Results: The authors noted the presence of a diffuse bilateral conjunctival hyperemia which was more pronounced at the temporal bulbar conjunctiva of the right eye and the nasal conjunctiva of the left eye, each having one ulceration.

[Allograft-prosthesis composite arthroplasty for posttraumatic floating elbow].

Loss of bone stock in the elbow joint raises serious problems for reconstruction surgery. Total allograft-prosthesis composite arthroplasty is an attractive alternative to revision prosthesis and isolated osteoarticular allografts known to have many drawbacks. Use of this method is rather recent for revision procedures and tumor surgery and posttraumatic cases are rare (five reported cases).

[Neuroradiological aspects of Devic's neuromyelitis optica].

Introduction: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a rare inflammatory and demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system, restricted to optical nerves and spinal cord. The main neuroradiological aspects, now summarized into a complete set of diagnosis criteria, are a normal cerebral MRI at onset and longitudinal involvement of the spinal cord concerning more than 3 vertebral segments. The clinical course and frequency of typical lesions remain unknown.

[Mycotic keratitis and endophthalmitis caused by unusual fungi: Lasiodiplodia theobromae].

We report a case of endophthalmitis caused by the fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae. A 68-year-old man was referred to the hospital for right ocular pain since experiencing right ocular branch trauma 2 weeks before. The best-corrected acuity was limited to hand motion.

Oncolytic activity of vesicular stomatitis virus in primary adult T-cell leukemia.

Treatments for hematological malignancies have improved considerably over the past decade, but the growing therapeutic arsenal has not benefited adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) patients. Oncolytic viruses such as vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) have recently emerged as a potential treatment of solid tumors and leukemias in vitro and in vivo. In the current study, we investigated the ability of VSV to lyse primary human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected T-lymphocytes from patients with ATL.

Human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) proviral load in cerebrospinal fluid: a new criterion for the diagnosis of HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis?

Human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is associated with accumulation of HTLV-I-infected T cells in the central nervous system (CNS). However, data on HTLV-I proviral load in the CNS at the asymptomatic stage are still lacking. We measured HTLV-I proviral load in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cells from 17 patients with HAM/TSP and 25 asymptomatic carriers.

Retinal vasculitis caused by adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

Background: To report a case of lymphomatous infiltration and bilateral retinal vasculitis observed among 83 cases of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) treated in the University Hospital Center in Fort-de-France (Martinique, French West Indies) between 1984 and 2003.

Case: A complete clinical ophthalmologic examination was performed in this patient along with fluorescein angiography.

Observations: After being checked for diffuse adenopathies, myodesopsias, and phosphenes, the 35-year-old patient was diagnosed with ATL.

Increased proviral load in HTLV-1-infected patients with rheumatoid arthritis or connective tissue disease.

Background: Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) proviral load is related to the development of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and has also been shown to be elevated in the peripheral blood in HTLV-1-infected patients with uveitis or alveolitis. Increased proliferation of HTLV-1-infected cells in, or migration of such cells into, the central nervous system is also seen in HAM/TSP. In the present study, we evaluated the proviral load in a cohort of HTLV-1-infected patients with arthritic conditions.

Alkali ocular burns in Martinique (French West Indies) Evaluation of the use of an amphoteric solution as the rinsing product.

Precis: During the 4 years of this study, we noted 66 cases of alkali ocular burns, or approximately 16 cases per year, nearly half (45.5%) of which are due to an assault. For grade 1 and 2 burns the time elapsed to reepithelialization appears to be shorter when rinsed with Diphoterine* versus physiological solution.

Intravascular metastatic melanoma of the vena saphena magna.

Background: Melanoma blood vessel metastases are very uncommon. We report the first recorded case of intravascular metastatic melanoma of the vena saphena magna.

Case Report: A 74-year-old woman presented with a swelling of the upper third of her left thigh and was suspected of superficial thrombophlebitis.

[Nail disease due to Scytalidium in Martinique (French West Indies)].

Introduction: Scytalidium is an endemic mold in tropical and subtropial areas. Our purpose was to study the prevalence and clinical and epidemiological features of onychomycoses due to Scytalidium in Martinique (French West Indies).

Patients And Methods: We performed a prospective study on 106 patients (46 men and 60 women) with clinical onychomycosis, in the dermatological department of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Fort-de-France.

[Glaucoma screening in Martinique. Results in 813 hospital employees].

Introduction: Several US and Jamaican studies have shown that glaucoma is more severe in black populations than in Caucasian populations, which would lead to the assumption that the people of Martinique have a high glaucoma risk.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted in workers of Fort de France University Hospital with the occupational medicine unit. Intraocular pressure was measured with a pulse air tonometer (Topcon CT 60) and visual field abnormalities were detected with automated perimetry using Humphrey frequency doubling technology (FDT).

[Hypophysis metastasis of a hypernephroma tumor revealed by a chiasma syndrome].

In a 45-year-old man with a hypernephroma tumor of the right kidney, a metastasis in the pituitary gland of this neoplasm was diagnosed 9 years after removal of this kidney. He complained of bitemporal hemianopsia and slight impairment of vision. A hypernephroma metastasis in the pituitary gland is very rare and few have been reported to date.

Anatomic feasibility of creating an inferior epigastric arterio-venous fistula to develop the internal thoracic artery with a view to coronary grafting.

Arterio-venous fistulae increase the diameter of their feeding artery. It may be advantageous to increase the diameter of the internal thoracic artery before its use for coronary grafting. A fistula applied directly to the internal thoracic artery may compromise its subsequent use as a coronary graft and is technically difficult and invasive.

[Ciliary body melanoma in a black patient: a case report].

Uveal melanomas are rare in the black population. We report the case of an 81-year-old black man who presented a ciliary body melanoma of the left eye. Ophthalmological examination revealed a mass arising from the ciliary body and choroid.