Evaluation of scleral incisions and their effects on corneal curvature in manual small-incision cataract surgery

Purpose:Incisions in cataract surgery can be modified in various ways in terms of size, shape, and axis to reduce or tailor astigmatism. This study was conducted to examine the effect of site (superior vs, temporal) and shape (frown vs. V-shaped, chevron) of scleral incisions for cataract surgery on corneal curvature.Methods:The prospective study was carried out on 200 consecutive patients with senile cataract and who were planned for surgery at a tertiary eye hospital in north India. The placement of the incision was decided by the steeper corneal meridian—whether superior or temporal—and then patients of these two groups were randomized for frown and V-shaped incision; in this way, four groups of 50 patients each were formed. Follow-up was done on day 1, at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks. At each follow-up, post-operative keratometry with routine postoperative examination was done. The results were statistically analyzed by using student’s t-test, Chi-squared test, and the Pearson correlation coefficient.Results:In all the four groups, the difference of preoperative astigmatism and surgically-induced astigmatism was statistically highly significant. The analysis of uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was statistically significant (P < 0.05) on postoperative day 1 and at 2, 4, and 12 postoperative weeks; it was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05) at postoperative week 8.Conclusion:Temporal incisions result in lesser postoperative surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) than superior incisions. Chevron incisions result in minimal change in corneal curvature. This effect can be utilized to tailor the postoperative astigmatism.     

Analysis of antibody reactivities toward self antigens of IgM of patients with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia

By using a quantitative immunoblotting technique, we have analyzed the repertoires of antibody reactivities of IgM directed toward self antigens in the serum of patients with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) and in the serum of healthy adults. Monoclonal IgM of patients with WM expressed various degrees of polyreactivity and a high degree of heterogeneity with regard to the number and the nature of the protein bands that were recognized in homologous tissue extracts. Heterogeneous patterns of reactivity of WM IgM contrasted with the conserved profiles of reactivity of IgM in the serum of healthy blood donors. Protein bands that were recognized by WM IgM belonged to the restricted set of self antigens recognized in homologous tissues by normal polyclonal IgM, indicating the absence of a disease-specific reactivity profile of monoclonal WM IgM. Thus, monoclonal IgM that is present in large amounts in WM distorts the homogeneous pattern of reactivity of natural antibodies with self antigens which characterizes the natural antibody repertoire of healthy individuals.      

Technologies and control of cleanness of the rooms in the blood center

To prevent bacterial contamination of blood transfusion media, the following three types of rooms in blood service institutions should meet especially high requirements for cleanness: 1. Box and its foreroom (or room equipped with laminar cabinet) for open-air preparation of washed red blood cells or other blood components. 2. Box (laminar cabinet) in bacteriological laboratory. 3. Two areas of gene diagnosis laboratory: a) for RNA detection (HIV and HCV diagnosis) to prevent sample contamination with extraneous RNAases; b) for preparation of in-house test kits. Required cleanness of rooms in blood service institutions can be attained using the following equipment available from Laminarnye Sistemy, Ltd. (Miass, Chelyabinsk Region, Russia): clean chamber equipment; abacterial air environment box for working with agents and microorganisms; box for working with DNA samples.     

Videoendosurgical diagnosis and treatment of abdominal injuries in combined trauma

Experience with videolaparoscopy in 1332 patients with combined abdominal trauma is analyzed. The original method of diagnosis of traumatic abdominal multitraumas in shock patients was proposed and patented. Diagnostic and treatment algorithm for hemoperitoneum in patients with abdominal multitrauma based on USE or CT data on liquid in the abdominal cavity has been developed. Videolaparoscopy helped to avoid open surgery in 73.3% patients with dominating abdominal trauma.