Our results suggest that the application of mitomycin-C dissolved in sodium hyaluronate effectively reduces PCO in rabbit eyes.

We investigated the in vivo effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using rose bengal on the development of posterior capsule opacification (PCO). Endocapsular phacoemulsification was performed on white rabbits, which were divided into 4 groups: control group; group 1, treated with visible light only; group 2, treated with rose bengal only, and group 3, treated with PDT. In the case of the PDT group, rose bengal dissolved in sodium hyaluronate was injected into the empty capsular bag and treated with visible light. Three months after surgery, the rabbits were sacrificed and the eyeballs enucleated. The obstruction rate of visible light caused by PCO was measured with an optical powermeter. The mean obstruction rate was 30.6% in the control group, 28.3% in group 1, 19.3% in group 2, and 14.3% in group 3. Group 3 showed a statistically significant decrease in PCO compared with the control group and group 1 (p = 0.0014). Our results suggest that PDT using rose bengal effectively decreased PCO in rabbit eyes.

We compared the incidence of exposure of the hydroxyapatite implant after evisceration according to the position of scleral windows which allow rapid fibro- vascularization into the implant. Three patients (10%) developed tissue breakdown and exposure of the hydroxyapatite, out of 30 patients who had external scleral windows located in a position just anterior to the insertion of each of the rectus muscles, whereas no patient developed exposure, out of 24 patients who had internal scleral windows located in a position just posterior to the insertion of each of the rectus muscles. Internal windows sealed with rectus muscles could prevent direct contact between implant and the overlying Tenon’s capsule and conjunctiva. These findings seem to indicate that the rough spicular surface of the hydroxyapatite irritates and erodes the overlying Tenon’s capsule and conjunctiva.

BACKGROUND: Attachment of a keratomileusis lenticule without sutures is a commonly used technique that reduces surgery time and makes the procedure more simple. Detachment of the lenticule after surgery is a difficult complication to manage. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three cases of lenticular detachment occurred among 74 eyes of microkeratome in situ keratomileusis without suture. After thorough washing of the lenticule and stromal bed, the lenticules were reattached with air drying. RESULTS: In the first eye, the lenticule was reattached successfully with air only. In the second and third eyes, epithelial growth along the interface appeared after reattachment. In spite of removing the epithelium from the interface and suturing the lenticule to the stromal bed four times, the epithelial growth recurred along the interface. Peripheral corneal neovascularization forced the surgeon to abandon more trials of resuturing. In the second eye, the lenticule was discarded because the epithelial growth along the interface could not be blocked. In the third eye, the edge of the lenticule was buried into the stroma, mimicking epikeratoplasty. All three eyes retained useful visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: A detached lenticule after microkeratome keratomileusis is difficult to replace without epithelial growth in the interface. This complication may be managed successfully. [J Refract Surg. 1996;12:175-179.]

Objective: The objectives are to introduce a provincial level surveillance system, which has been initiated in response to the MERS-CoV outbreak of South Korea, and describe findings from systematic investigation of individual admissions attributed to acute febrile illness for the first year.Introduction: In May 2015, the MERS-CoV outbreaks in South Korea was sparkled from a hospital of Gyeonggi-do province (1). In response to this outbreak, the provincial government and infectious disease control center (GIDCC) initiated an emergency department (ED) based Gyeonggi-do provincial acute febrile illness (AFI) surveillance network (GAFINet) to monitor for a subsequent outbreak of emerging or imported infectious diseases since September 2016. Gyeonggi-do province is located in the North-West of South Korea, surrounds the capital city Seoul, and borders North Korea (Figure 1). Considering the geographical coverage, GAFINet Initiative involves ten hospitals, consisted of four university-affiliated hospitals and six provincial medical centers in Gyeonggi-do province. These hospitals participated in this network voluntarily, and most staffs including five infectious diseases specialists had direct or indirect experiences in dealing with MERS-CoV patients.Methods: Periodic surveillance for finding AFI patients in ED of participating hospitals was performed prospectively (Figure 2). AFI was defined as 1) fever: body temperature ≥38 °C at admission, or 2) chief complaint of febrile or chilling sensation. Demography of patients and chief complaints were investigated in this first step (CRF #1). Cases were classified into six categories based on their clinical diagnoses: 1) respiratory AFI [AFRI], 2) gastroenteric AFI [AFGI], 3) exanthematic AFI [AFEI], 4) other infectious AFI, 5) non-infectious AFI, and 6) unclassified AFI. Participating infectious diseases specialists regularly reviewed and reformed this classification. Because the aim of GAFINet is primarily monitoring community- or aboard-acquired infection, nosocomial AFI cases or the patients transferred from another hospital were excluded. When a patient had a history of international travel or he/she were undiagnosed in three days after ED admission, more comprehensive information (CRF#2 & #3) including history and final diagnosis were obtained. For a baseline data, age- and sex-stratified ED visits were also gathered weekly. The proportion of AFI cases per 1000 visits was determined for one week period and analyzed by febrile diseases categories with age-stratification. Characteristics of cases with international travel histories or undiagnosed cases were also described separately.Results: Between 30 September and 3 December 2016, about 6,000 of patients visited ED of ten hospitals a week, and 10% of them were AFI cases. The proportion of AFRI was the largest, 33.64 to 71.96 per 1000 visits/week, and the second-largest was the other infectious AFI. The proportion of AFRI showed the highest rate at the age 1-9 years, while those of AFGI and AFEI were the highest at the age under 19 year and 70-79 years, respectively. 31 cases with international travel history were reported, and the majority of them traveled China and South East Asian counties. Some of them were suspected cases of Zika viral infection, MERS-CoV, or viral hemorrhagic fever. 3 cases undiagnosed until discharge were also reported.Conclusions: Gyeonggi-do province was the most affected region in the 2015 MERS-CoV outbreak, 67 of 185 cases were residents of this province. GAFINet Initiative is a meaningful step for rapid detection of emerging or overseas imported infectious diseases at the provincial level. To validate data and co-analysis with pre-existing surveillance data, we need a more long-term of continuous operation of GAFINet. As a next step, we are preparing the additional lab-based surveillance system to detect new or re-emerging pathogens.