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ZusammenfassungIn diesem Artikel sollen die Grundlagen zur Verwendung intraokularer Tamponaden in der Glaskörper-/Netzhautchirurgie bei Ablatio retinae und anderen Pathologien anhand zusätzlichen Videomaterials anschaulich dargestellt werden. Behandelt werden die verschiedenen Gase, Silikonöle und flüssigen Perfluorocarbone mit ihren Indikationen, ihrer Anwendung und insbesondere der intraoperativen Handhabung mit Fallstricken und Komplikationen. Charakteristische Animationen zeigen dabei nachvollziehbar die Prinzipien in der chirurgischen Handhabung. Seitens der beiden Erstautoren ist dieser Artikel ihrem Lehrer Herrn Prof. Dr. V.-P. Gabel gewidmet, der in den frühen 90er-Jahren die ersten Vitrektomiekurse für Augenärzte an der Universitäts-Augenklinik Regensburg erfolgreich im jährlichen Rhythmus etabliert hat und in denen viele heute noch netzhautchirurgisch tätige Kolleginnen und Kollegen ihre ersten Schritte in diesem Segment erlernt haben. Die weiteren Co-Autoren partizipierten unter seiner Leitung an jährlichen Vitrektomie-Wetlabs im Rahmen der Augenärztlichen Akademie Deutschlands.

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Die hochauflösende optische Kohärenztomografie (OCT) ermöglicht eine kontrastreiche Bildgebung von Mikrostrukturen, die mit konventioneller Bildgebung nicht so detailliert darstellbar waren. Wir berichten über unsere Erfahrungen beim Einsatz der intraoperativen OCT (iOCT) in der vitreoretinalen Chirurgie. Methoden 110 Patienten mit vitreoretinalen Erkrankungen (Makulaforamen, epiretinale Membranen, vitreomakulärem Traktionssyndrom, Ablatio und Glaskörperblutung) wurden unter Visualisierung mit dem im Mikroskop integrierten iOCT-Gerät operiert. Ergebnisse Das iOCT liefert durch die Integration von Mikroskop und SD-OCT eine sofortige Visualisierung der „Region of Interest“ (ROI). Der Operateur erhält neben dem Mikroskopbild die intraoperative Darstellung aller Netzhautschichten, des Glaskörpers sowie der Instrument-Gewebe-Interaktion in Echtzeit und kann diese intraoperativ sofort verfügbare Information für die chirurgische Strategie nutzen. Schlussfolgerung Bisher ist das iOCT nur als Standmikroskop erhältlich, es besitzt keine Messfunktion, keine Tracking-Funktion, und die Metallinstrumente verdecken den Scan. Künftig könnten transparente Instrumente, Tracking-Funktionen, ein Autofokus sowie eine noch bessere Auflösung eine optimierte, lückenlose, hochauflösende intraoperative OCT-Diagnostik in Echtzeit erlauben.

ZusammenfassungDas Ziel dieses Artikels ist es, einen Überblick zu geben über verschiedene Strategien zur Verwendung von PRN- und T&E-Therapieschemata (PRN: pro re nata; T&E: treat and extend) mit intravitrealen Anti-VEGF-Medikamenten (Bevacizumab, Ranibizumab oder Aflibercept) bei Patienten mit Netzhauterkrankungen wie neovaskulärer AMD, diabetischem Makulaödem und Makulaödem aufgrund von retinalen Venenverschlüssen. Der Schwerpunkt liegt dabei darauf, die Wirksamkeit und die Visusergebnisse des PRN- und des T&E-Regimes in Korrelation mit den wichtigsten Zulassungsstudien und Studien basierend auf den derzeit verfügbaren Daten vorzulegen. Wir diskutieren auch die Vor- und Nachteile der beiden Therapieregimes sowie die Überwachung und Behandlung der Krankheitsaktivität einschließlich der Behandlungsintervalle und Injektionsfrequenz. Derzeit gibt es ein zunehmendes Interesse, ein Regime zu etablieren, das die besten Visusergebnisse bei reduzierter Injektionsfrequenz und konsekutiv geringerer Belastung der Patienten durch individualisierte Behandlungsintervalle mit Minimierung der Anzahl der Klinikbesuche und der entstehenden Kosten bietet. Studien haben gezeigt, dass das PRN-Regime im realen Klinikalltag keine optimalen Visusergebnisse liefert. PRN erfordert häufige Arztbesuche, um den Krankheitsstatus zu kontrollieren und intravitreale Behandlung bei Bedarf reaktiv zu indizieren. Individualisierte T&E-Regimes können das Visusergebnis mit signifikant weniger Kontrolluntersuchungen verbessern im Gegensatz zu Therapieschemata mit einer monatlichen Applikation oder einem PRN-Regime.

Visual results in treating neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using intravitreal injected anti-VEGF (IVT) clearly depend on injection frequency. Regarding to the European approval Ranibizumab has to be used only in cases of recurrent visual loss after the loading phase. In contrast monthly treatment--as also provided in the ANCHOR and MARINA studies--is generally allowed in Switzerland. However, it is commonly tried to reduce the injection frequency because of the particular cost situation in all health systems and of cause also due to the necessary strict monitoring and reinjection regimes, which raise management problems with increasing patient numbers. In this article the special treatment regimes of our University Eye Hospital is presented, in which a reduced injection frequency basically leads to the same increased and stable visual results as in ANCHOR and MARINA; however, needing significantly more injections as generally provided in other countries of Europe. The main focus for achieving this in a large number of patients is placed on re-structuring our outpatient flow for IVT patients with particular emphasis on patient separation and standardisation of treatment steps leading to significantly reduced time consumption per patient. Measurements of timing and patient satisfaction before and after restructuring underline its importance in order to be able to treat more patients at a high quality even in the future. The exceptional importance of spectral domain OCT measurements as the most important criterium for indicating re-treatment is illustrated.

To judge the possibilities of detection of orbital foreign bodies in multidetector CT (MDCT) with a focus on glass slivers.

Detailed evaluation and cost analysis of a cranial contrast-enhanced MRI (c-ceMRI) in outpatients, inpatients, patients in an intensive care unit and children under anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Heavier than water tamponades offer the possibility to support the inferior part of the fundus after retinal detachment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anatomic and functional outcome of complicated retinal detachment treated with vitreous surgery and heavy silicone oil (HSO) tamponade. Surgery was performed in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD) predominantly in the lower hemisphere or with penetrating injury (either as primary intervention or after development of proliferative vitreoretinopathy [PVR]). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-one eyes of 61 patients with RD - mostly complicated by PVR - and a minimum follow-up of 12 months were included in this study. Vitreoretinal surgery with HSO (Oxane HD) tamponade was performed in all patients. In 52 patients, heavy silicone oil was used in the management of complicated RD. 9 patients had surgery for complicated RD after penetrating eye injury.The mean follow-up period was 30.3 +/- 10.2 months. RESULTS: The overall final anatomic success rate was 79 %. In 39 % of the cases the retina remained attached during the entire follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: The anatomic success rate after surgery with HSO (Oxane HD) was relatively low; however, only complex cases bearing a higher risk of retinal re-detachment received HSO in this study. Oxane HD does not appear to have major advantages compared to conventional silicone oil or other new-generation heavy silicone oils in these cases.

At the 111th German Medical Assembly in May 2008 in Ulm, Germany, a public debate on rationing of health care performances was started. Since the money in the German health care system is not enough to provide every diagnostic or therapy for every patient as a coverage of the compulsory medical insurances, a lot of specific health care performances have been rationed during the last years not to be covered by the regular medical insurance any more, such as, e. g., PSA measurements in urology or IOP measurements in ophthalmology. In contrast to the health care system in Scandinavia, where rationing of health care performances is publicly documented by the government, no similar public statements exist in Germany. Due to this, it is left to physicians to explain to their patients the "hidden" rationing of public health care performances, which also leads to an increase in individual health care performances (IGeL in Germany) to be paid for privately by the patient. It is undoubtedly true that not all medically possible performances need to be paid for by the health insurance; however, an official determination of these "out of pocket" health care performances is necessary. Therefore, it was the aim herein to work out possible "stop" criteria--according to the Scandinavian system--for common eye diseases and consecutive therapies, which need not be paid for or only be paid after a delay by the health insurances.

Hospital quality management (QM) is a legal obligation in Germany. This article reviews the regulations of quality control, the basic principles of QM, specific quality techniques, the process of QM implementation in the hospital and the possibilities of external QM certifications. Due to the increasing and effective privatisation of hospitals in Germany, careful attention to specially designed QM systems for private hospitals seems to be reasonable.

The scientific background of laser photocoagulation of the ocular fundus was studied extensively by several investigators in the 1970 s and 1980 s. The basic principles were successfully resolved during that time and clinical consequences for proper application of the laser photocoagulation for various diseases were deduced. The present paper gives an overview about the physical basics of laser-tissue interactions during and after retinal laser treatment and the particular laser strategies in the treatment of different retinal diseases. Thus, it addresses the issue of the impact on tissue of laser parameters as wavelength, spot size, pulse duration and laser power. Additionally, the different biological tissue reactions after laser treatment are presented, such as, e. g., for retinopexia or macular treatments as well as for diabetic retinopathies. Specific laser strategies such as the selective laser treatment of the RPE (SRT) or the transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) are presented and discussed.

Background Subretinal hemorrhage in age related macular degeneration (AMD) usually causes acute visual loss and is associated with poor visual prognosis. In order to prevent retinal damage and to perform laser treatment of the underlying choroidal neovascularization (CNV) the subretinal hemorrhage has to be removed from the macular region. This could be achieved by intravitreal injection of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and gas. Patients and methods In 8 consecutive patients, suffering from a massive macular hemorrhage (duration of visual problems: mean 9 days), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) (40 micrograms in 400 microliters BSS) and SF6-gas (0.75 ml) was transsclerally injected into the vitreous cavity to achieve liquification and displacement of the hemorrhage. Results In all patients liquification and displacement of the hemorrhage out of the macular region was achieved during follow up. During the first week after operation a significant increase of visual acuity was noticed in all patients, however ophthalmoscopically there was just little reduction of the hemorrhage in the foveolar area. After successful removal of the blood the choroidal neovascularization was treated successfully by laser coagulation in one patient. No laser treatment was performed in the other patients because of the subfoveal location of the neovascularisation or because of disciform scar. Visual acuity increased 4 lines after surgery. In one case the procedure was complicated by a persistent vitreous hemorrhage and vitrectomy had to be performed in another patient due to an endophthalmitis. Conclusion Intravitreal injection of tPA assisted gas displacement of subretinal hemorrhage due to AMD leads to a significant increase of visual acuity during the first week after operation. Although a nearly complete removal of the hemorrhage out of the macular area could be achieved, it was difficult to differentiate this from the spontaneous course. Laser photocoagulation could be performed in only few cases.

BACKGROUND After conventional buckling procedures for pseudophakic retinal detachment the primary reattachment rate is 60 to 90% according to literature. Primary vitrectomy may be advantageous in these cases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the spectrum and role of potential side effects like anisometropia and diplopia, to find arguments for or against primary vitrectomy. Also risk factors for pseudophakic retinal detachment were analyzed in our study group, because they may be different from former studies, which were mostly undertake at the time of ec cataract extraction. PATIENTS AND METHODS The data from 115 patients (120 eyes) with pseudophakic retinal detachment, who undergone buckling procedure between 1991 and 1996 were retrospectively reviewed. We analyzed the retinal reattachment rate, choroidal detachment, postoperative visual acuity, refraction, occurrence of diplopia, anisometropia and metamorphopsia. RESULTS The primary retinal reattachment rate was 83.3%. There was a retinal redetachment rate of 16.7%. The primary PVR-rate was 4.2%. After the first reoperation an reattachment rate of 91.6% could be achieved, after the second one an overall rate of 95%. A choroidal detachment occurred in 29.2%. Postoperatively (26.5 months +/- 17.2) we found a cellophane maculopathy in 26.5% with consecutive metamorphopsia in 12.1%. 13 patients (15.9%) complained about diplopia, which had to be corrected by operation in 2 cases and prismatic glasses in 4 cases. Anisometropia could be deserved in 16.4%. The buckling procedures caused refractive changes of -1.80 dpt +/- 1.78 after an encircling band and +0.38 dpt +/- 1.01 after a plombage (average -1.05 +/- 1.86). 20% of patients treated with an encircling band developed anisometropia and only 8.3% of patients with a plombage. Postoperatively the visual acuity raised significantly from 0.3 to 0.6 (median). Best visual recovery could be observed in patients, who underwent only one operation. CONCLUSIONS The primary retinal reattachment rate in pseudophakic retinal redetachment after conventional buckling procedures in our patients are comparable to those in the literature. In spite of phacoemulsification the risk-factors for pseudophakic retinal detachment has not changed. A considerable number of patients complained about postoperative complications like anisometropia and diplopia, which could be avoided by primary vitrectomy. To compare anatomic and functional results of both procedures a randomized prospective study should be undertaken.

BACKGROUND: Severe open globe injuries are frequent emergencies in an ophthalmologic clinic and required immediate operation. The extent of these injuries is various depending on the mechanism of the injury and involvement of ocular tissue. In many cases a full visual rehabilitation can be achieved but in a lot of cases blindness results. To prevent such severe eye injuries it is important to judge the leading injury mechanisms. For this we collected our data about open globe injuries. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospectively we collected the data from 103 consecutive patients in the year 1996 and 1997, presenting with an open globe eye injury followed by operation. The data contained personal patients data, information about mechanism of injury, visual acuity, operation and rehabilitation. Statistical analysis was performed using binomimal-test and t-test for paired and unpaired samples (p < 0.05). RESULTS: 85.4% were male. Most of the injuries happened at home (38%) and at the working place (31%). Assaultive injuries happened in 6.8%. 35% of all patients were craftmen (mechanics, electricians, or the locksmith were preferred). Pensioners were affected in 14.6% of all cases followed by small children (7.8%) and school children (7.8%). In 50% of all cases metal and glass were responsible for the trauma, explosions were noticed in 8.7%. An intraocular foreign body was found in 37.9%. In 62% of all cases no second operation was necessary. An enucleation during the follow-up was performed in 2 cases. CONCLUSION: At least a third of all severe eye injuries would have been preventable. Concerning the non-preventable injuries accidents at home and in children were predominating. The rate of the open globe injuries was 2.32 in 100.000 people, which is about the same like in US-American studies. Most of the injuries happened at home because of carelessness and would have been avoidable. The rate of injuries at the working place is significantly higher than in the USA but there were significantly more gun-shot-injuries or offensive accidents abroad. The rate of accidents at home and in traffic were the same. We think that public campaigns and prevention strategies can help to reduce the potential risk of severe eye injuries.

Background The circumscript cutaneous sclerosis is an inflammato-edematous erythema of the skin, usually leading to a plaque-like sclerosis and cutaneous atrophy. The etiology of this disease remains unknown, but some authors presume a systemic infection with Borrelia burgdorferi as the underlying pathological condition. Patient We present a case of a 66-year-old male patient who suffered from episcleritis of his left eye. Funduscopy showed an unilateral papillary edema. Visual acuity was 1.0. The patient had multiple erythemata of the skin of the body-trunk and the arms. On histological examination the lesions were compatible with circumscript sclerosis. Neurological examination was normal. Brain imaging (MRI), CSF examination and serology showed no pathological findings, although the patient presented with raised antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi (IgG positive, IGM negative). Intravenous antibiotic treatment and topical steroids for three weeks resulted in a complete recovery of the scleritis, but had no effect on the papillary edema. Conclusion Inflammatory pathological findings of the eye can be associated with circumscript sclerosis, a disease, that is normally limited to the skin. The pathological mechanism remains unclear. The presumption of an underlying borreliosis could not be confirmed in this case.

BACKGROUND The Schimmelpenning-Feuerstein-Mims-syndrome is a phacomatosis of unknown pathogenesis and is presumed to be based on alterations in early embryogenesis. The syndrome is expressed by congenital nevi characterized by hyperplasia of the sebaceous glands and papillary acanthosis. Other manifestations include ophthalmic, neurologic, cardiovascular, skeletal and urogenital involvement. Eye-findings are variable and may affect all parts of the organ. All patients have a nevus sebaceus of the skin and many of them are described to suffer from seizures and/or mental retardation and/or abnormalities of the central nervous system/skull. The atypical constellation of findings in our case makes it of interest to report and give a short review. PATIENT A 17-year-old boy with Schimmelpenning-Feuer-stein-Mims-syndrome has been followed up by us since birth. RESULTS Beside an unilateral combined nevus sebaceus and verrucosus of the face, neck and skull and an aplasia of a rib there were marked ocular symptoms. The affected right eye showed a dermoid, a wide lid-opening, microcornea, stenosis of the lacrimal ducts, a high myopic fundus, the optic disc with an inverse conus and a posterior scleral staphyloma. There were no seizures or mental retardation combined with normal radiologic findings of the central nervous system and the skull. CONCLUSION The presented findings in our patient with Schimmelpenning-Feuerstein-Mims-syndrome emphasized the high variability of the expression of this disease, which may lead to difficulties in establishing correct diagnosis to prevent unnecessary examinations and inadequate therapies.

Background So called 'dense deposits' in the retina of a patient suffering from membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type II (MPGN II) were first demonstrated in 1989. Appearence of subretinal neovascular membranes associated with MPGN II in three patients was described in 1990. Patient and methods We present a 45-year-old male patient, whose insufficiency of the kidney due to a membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type II required peritoneal dialysis and later transplantation. In both eyes fundus examination revealed typical disseminated, partly confluencing, drusen-like 'dense deposits' and exsudative degeneration of the macula due to subretinal neovascular membranes. Visual acuity was less than 20/400 and visual fields were reduced to small excentrics islands. There was an atrophy of the optic nerve with nearly extinguished VEP in both eyes. Conclusion Flecked changes of the retina called 'dense deposits' associated with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type II have to be differentiated in particular from drusen, as well as metabolic-toxic and degenerative retinopathy. Development of subretinal neovascular membranes is attributed to altered retinal pigment epithelium, similar to age-related macular degeneration. An atrophy of the optic nerve associated with this disease has not been described so far. It is possible that vascular damage because of hypertensive changes due to renal dysfunction is the reason for the optic nerve atrophy. With another hypothesis this could be caused by intraocular pressure due to a risen flow of water into the vitreous cavity following the altered osmotic gradient after peritoneal dialysis.