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Biomedical subjects

A Hornblass

Publications and source records attributed to A Hornblass.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the orbit in a 15-month-old child. Nine-year survival after local excision.

BACKGROUND: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors are extremely rare orbital tumors that carry a poor prognosis despite wide excision with disfiguring surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. The authors present the youngest reported case, a 15-month-old boy who underwent an orbitotomy to excise a bilobed tumor from the right orbit. FINDINGS: Histologic examination revealed a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor; standard treatment options, including orbital exenteration, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, were denied and instead the patient was followed with serial computed tomography scans and magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Nine years later, the patient remains without evidence of recurrent tumor and visual acuity is 20/20. CONCLUSION: This patient's course suggests that orbital malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, if believed to be completely excised at the time of surgery, might be followed with careful neuroimaging studies for signs of recurrence.

Follow-Up Studies

Atypical presentation of fungal dacryocystitis. A report of two cases.

BACKGROUND: Candida albicans has only rarely been implicated in nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Its association with dacryoliths is well known, but it is unclear whether it is an etiologic factor or is present as a result of the obstruction. FINDINGS: The authors report 2 cases of fungal dacryocystitis that were not associated with dacryolith formation and where Candida species appear to be the primary etiologic agent. CONCLUSION: The possibility of a fungal infection should be considered in the evaluation of "routine" chronic dacryocystitis, particularly in the presence of corneal ulceration or postoperative endophthalmitis, as prompt initiation of appropriate therapy may be crucial.

Aged

Complications of surgery for orbital tumors.

Orbital tumors represent a small but significant portion of ophthalmologic surgery, and few reports of the associated complications are available. This retrospective review was undertaken to assess the overall complication rate of a large series of orbital tumors, as well as to determine possible risk factors that may guide surgeons in the future. There were 137 orbital tumors managed by a total of 14 surgeons at one hospital during a 7-year period. There was an overall 12.4% complication rate (17/137), affecting only 3 of 97 anterior orbitotomies (3%), but 14 of 40 lateral orbitotomies (35%). The location appeared to be the most significant factor, with the majority of complications associated with intraconal tumors.

Adolescent

Orbital metastasis.

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Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous

Metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma to the eye.

Merkel cell carcinoma is an infrequent but highly aggressive cutaneous neoplasm. Previous reports of ocular involvement have included primary eyelid carcinomas, eyelid and orbital metastases, and a clinically diagnosed choroidal metastasis. The authors report the histopathologic documentation of a metastatic lesion to the ciliary body, confirming the intraocular metastatic potential of this tumor.

Aged

Anaplastic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland presenting with recurrent subconjunctival hemorrhages and displaying incipient sebaceous differentiation.

Primary adenocarcinomas of the lacrimal gland rarely display sebaceous differentiation. An anaplastic lacrimal gland neoplasm manifesting this feature was excised from a 64-year-old man who initially appeared with recurrent painless subconjunctival hemorrhages. Globe displacement and tumor-induced hyperopia were later findings. Electron microscopic studies performed on the widely excised tumor documented prominent lipid vacuoles, desmosomes, scattered cytoplasmic filaments, and linear segments of basement membrane material. The patient refused radical surgery and instead opted for 6,000 rads of adjuvant radiotherapy. Eleven months postoperatively liver and bone metastases developed, but he was free of local orbital recurrence. Twenty-two months postoperatively he died from complications of his metastatic disease. This most unusual lacrimal neoplasm is discussed in terms of its initial signs and symptoms and its histopathology. When the current case is analyzed in combination with three earlier reports, there is evidence that primary lacrimal gland sebaceous carcinoma is probably among the most malignant orbital tumors due to its uniform early fatality.

Adenocarcinoma

Lacrimal function tests.

A comparative study of lacrimal function tests was undertaken. The primary Jones fluorescein test, the fluorescein dye disappearance (FDD) test, the Hornblass saccharin taste test and the Schirmer secretory test were tested for their reliability and effectiveness in 60 lacrimal systems with no known pathologic history or physical findings. Schirmer test values diminish with advancing age. The correlation between the FDD test, the Jones fluorescein test, and the saccharin taste test was low. The FDD test is an unsatisfactory test. The saccharin taste test time was shorter in patients with a positive Jones fluorescein test and longer in patients with a negative Jones fluorescein test. Forty-eight percent or 31/60 lacrimal systems had a negative Jones fluorescein test. This is higher than previously reported. The saccharin taste test was found to be the most practical and reliable of all lacrimal excretory function tests despite its subjectivity.

Adolescent

Diagnosis and treatment of lacrimal sac cysts.

A case of lacrimal sac cyst is presented. The presenting symptoms, work-up, and differential diagnosis are discussed. We advocate excision of the cyst as the treatment of choice in an attempt to preserve the functional anatomy of the patient's lacrimal system.

Cysts

Pupillary dilatation in fractures of the floor of the orbit.

A sign involving pupillary dilatation preoperatively and postoperatively in fractures of the floor of the orbit is presented. Response to Pilocarpine 0.5% was immediate. This represents injury to the parasympathetic fibers in the nerve that travel to the inferior oblique muscle and interrupts the path of ciliary ganglion. This pupillary sign has been found so far in posterior orbital floor fractures.

Adolescent

Cicatricial entropion.

One hundred thirty-five cases of cicatricial entropion operated by the Oculo-Plastic Service of the Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital were reviewed. Results of 114 of these were available for study. There was an overall success rate in primary surgery of 57 percent. Of those cases reoperated, only nine percent had a subsequent successful result. The most common procedure done was the transverse blepharotomy and marginal rotation. There was no statistical correlation between the success rate and the age or sex of the patient. Results on the fellow eye correlated well with results of the first eye in bilateral cases.

Adolescent

Senile entropion.

129 cases of senile entropion operated on by the Oculo-Plastic Service of the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital were reviewed. There was an overall success rate of 84 percent. Age, sex, race and suture material were of no importance to the eventual outcome of the surgery. A Basedown-Tarso-Conjunctival resection greater than 7 mm had 100 percent results. The orbicularis transplant with insertion at the infero-lateral border of the orbit was found to be the most effective procedure for re-operations for non-cicatricial entropion.

Age Factors

Orbital neurofibromatosis: involvement of the orbital floor.

Neurofibromatosis has been reported to involve the eye and orbit by causing irregularities of the sphenoid and other facial bones and enlargement of the foramina. To our knowledge, abnormalities of the orbital floor, however, have not been attributed to this disease in the literature until now. Two patients with neurofibromatosis had orbital floor involvement. Multiple neurofibromas eroding the orbital floor threatened vision in one patient. The other case, seen after trauma, had a condition simulating that of a blow-out fracture. Diagnostic workup with adequate roentgenography, especially tomography, helped to establish the diagnosis. We believe this is of importance in modifying the surgical approach, obviating the need for surgical intervention at times.

Female

Basal cell carcinoma of the eyelids: a review of patients treated by surgical excision.

A study of 107 cases of basal cell carcinoma involving the eyelids in 106 patients all treated by surgical excision was undertaken. The lesions were found predominantly in Caucasians, showed no sex predilection (except for the fact that all five cases under age 40 occurred in females), and were most prevalent in the 7th decade of life. The most common presenting symptom was a mass or growth, while the duration of symptoms of any kind referable to the tumor was 20 months. The lower lid was the most common site of involvement, followed in order of frequency by the upper lid, medial canthus, and lateral canthus. Excised lesions that show marginal involvement histopathologically will not necessarily clinically recur, although this study did show that incomplete excision will more likely show a clinical recurrence in previously treated rather than primary lesions. If basal cell carcinomas of the eyelid are fully surgically excised as a first procedure, the patient will have about a 99% cure rate. Lesions requiring orbital exenteration are rare.

Adult

Clinical and ultrastructural correlation in congenital and acquired ptosis.

The levator superioris muscle has been studied with the light microscope and the electron microscope in congenital and acquired ptosis. Ultrastructural finding correlated closely with the clinical entities. Congenital ptosis appears to be on a myogenic basis. Acquired ptosis ultrastructurally indicates a regenerative process.

Adolescent