Comparison of post-cataract surgery endophthalmitis rates using syringing or regurgitation on pressure over the lacrimal sac as a preoperative screening tool for nasolacrimal duct obstruction: An impact assessment of protocol alteration due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose:To compare the post-cataract endophthalmitis (PCE) rates among eyes undergoing syringing or regurgitation on pressure over the lacrimal sac (ROPLAS) test prior to cataract surgery.Methods:We performed a single-center, retrospective, comparative analysis of eyes developing PCE who underwent syringing prior to cataract surgery (group A) in the pre-COVID-19 era between November 1 2019 and January 31, 2020 and the eyes that underwent ROPLAS test prior to cataract surgery (group B) in the COVID-19 era between November 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021.Results:A total of 87,144 eyes underwent cataract surgery during the two time periods of the study. Syringing was performed in 48,071 eyes, whereas ROPLAS was performed in 39,073 eyes. In group A, 19 eyes (0.039%) developed PCE, whereas 20 eyes (0.051%) developed PCE in group B (P = 0.517). Between the two groups, the grade of anterior chamber cellular reaction (P = 0.675), hypopyon (P = 0.738), and vitreous haze (P = 0.664) were comparable. Gram-positive organisms were detected in 4 eyes in group A and 6 eyes in group B; 2 eyes in group A had gram-negative bacilli. The presenting visual acuity (Group A: LogMAR 1.42 and Group B: LogMAR 1.30) and final visual acuity (Group A: LogMAR 0.52 and Group B: LogMAR 0.5) were comparable between the two groups. (P = 0.544 and 0.384, respectively).Conclusion:The rates of PCE were comparable among the eyes undergoing either syringing test or ROPLAS prior to cataract surgery.     

Central venous oxygen saturation monitoring: role in adult donor care?

Monitoring oxygen saturation of blood drawn from a catheter placed within the superior vena cava (Scvo2) has recently been promoted as a substitute for evaluating oxygen saturation of mixed venous blood drawn from the pulmonary artery (Svo2). The Svo2 reflects the balance between oxygen delivery and oxygen consumption throughout the body and, among critically ill patients, may be helpful for assessing resuscitation, cardiac function, or oxygen homeostasis end points. Use of Scvo2 instead has been promoted because of its easier access and recent use during resuscitation of patients with severe infections. Although data from healthy subjects and critically ill patients are available, no study has been done among organ donors to evaluate customary values for either Scvo2 or Svo2 or how well the values correspond. After loss of oxygen consumption in the brain following brain death, the customary values for these variables may be different from values in other groups of patients. Therefore, until donor-specific normative values for these important parameters are identified, we do not recommend that Scvo2 be used to evaluate the balance between donor oxygen consumption and delivery or as a variable to guide treatment.     

Role of color Doppler indices in predicting disease-free survival of breast cancer patients during neoadjuvant chemotherapy

The aim of our study was to evaluate whether blood flow in locally advanced and inflammatory breast cancer before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy using color Doppler ultrasonography can be used to monitor the response to therapy and identify possible correlations between survival and various Doppler indices. Fifty patients with breast cancer underwent Doppler evaluation of the tumor with determination of Doppler indices such as pulsatility index (PI), resistive index (RI), and peak systolic velocity (PSV). RI and PI decreased in 27 (54%) and 20 (40%) patients, respectively, and increased in 23 (46%) and 30 (60%) patients, respectively. Thirty (60%) patients showed a decrease in PSV and 20 (40%) patients an increase. Patients with an intratumoral blood flow velocity increase after chemotherapy had a greater likelihood of local recurrence and metastasis compared with patients in whom flow velocity decreased after chemotherapy. The study also confirmed a greater correlation between Doppler PSV and clinical assessment. Tumor flow velocity measured by Doppler ultrasound can be used as an independent marker of disease-free survival in patients with breast cancer.