Emergency and Trauma

Emergency and Trauma Publications

Tieger M, Armstrong GW, Eliott D. Review of Management and Outcomes of Delayed Repair Open Globe Injuries. Semin Ophthalmol 2024;39(2):139-142.Abstract
The standard of care for open globe injuries is prompt surgical closure, as delay in repair is a reported risk factor for post-traumatic endophthalmitis and is associated with worse visual outcomes. This article serves as a review of the current management and outcomes of open globe injuries repaired greater than 24 hours from the time of injury, specifically evaluating the rates of endophthalmitis in cases with and without intraocular foreign bodies, visual outcomes and rates of primary enucleation or evisceration.
Hall N, Douglas VP, Ivanov A, Ross C, Elze T, Kempen JH, Miller JW, Sobrin L, Lorch A. The Epidemiology and Risk Factors for the Progression of Sympathetic Ophthalmia in the United States: An IRIS Registry Analysis. Am J Ophthalmol 2024;258:208-216.Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) and define the risk factors for its incidence following trauma and ophthalmic procedures. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients in the American Academy of Ophthalmology's (Academy) IRIS Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight) who were (n=1523) or were not diagnosed with SO following a documented procedure or trauma between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2019. METHODS: Multiple demographic and clinical factors were collected, descriptive statistics and prevalence were calculated, and multivariate linear regression models were fit to the data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of SO, demographic and clinical characteristics, and beta coefficient (β) estimates of demographic and clinical characteristics impacting time to SO onset after procedure (Procedure Only cohort) or trauma (Trauma cohort). RESULTS: Of 65,348,409 distinct IRIS Registry patients, 1523 (0.0023%) were diagnosed with SO between 2013 and 2019, and also had a documented preceding trauma or procedure. Of these, 927 (60.87%) were female, 1336 (87.72%) belonged to the Procedure Only cohort, and 187 (12.28%) belonged to the Trauma cohort. The prevalence of SO after trauma was 0.0207%, whereas after procedures it was 0.0124%. The highest risk of procedure-related SO was seen in patients with history of "other anterior segment" (0.122%) followed by glaucoma (0.066%) procedures, whereas the lowest prevalence was noted with cataract surgeries (0.011%). The average time to onset of SO across both cohorts combined was 527.44 (±715.60) days, with statistically significant differences between the 2 cohorts (P < .001). On average, the time to onset from inciting event to SO was shorter with increasing age, by 9.02 (95% CI: -11.96, -6.08) days for every 1-year increase. CONCLUSIONS: SO following trauma and ophthalmic procedure is potentially rarer than previously reported, as measured in this large ophthalmic medical record database. Female sex may be a risk factor for SO. Older age may be a risk factor for quicker onset. These findings can guide clinical decision-making and management.
Zidan A, Barbosa J, Diskin J, McDermott M. Incidental finding of a retained intracorneal wooden foreign body. BMJ Case Rep 2023;16(12)Abstract
We present a case of an intracorneal wooden foreign body that remained undetected for 15 years following an ocular injury sustained during gardening. The patient presented with stable visual acuity despite the long-standing presence of a wooden splinter embedded in the cornea. Interestingly, Pentacam corneal tomography did not show any abnormalities despite the foreign body piercing through the corneal stroma and endothelium. This case may serve as an opportunity to re-examine the approach to managing chronic and stable intracorneal wooden foreign bodies and explore the implications of continued observation rather than surgical management.
Kim EJ, Ganga A, Kim LA. The forgotten protection factor: A nationwide score-based assessment of motorcycle eye protection legislation. J Safety Res 2023;87:407-415.Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Motorcycle accidents cause millions of deaths and injuries globally. It is estimated that billions of dollars would be saved in the United States alone if safety equipment, such as helmets and eye protection, was ubiquitously worn. Legislation concerning eye protection specifically is understudied and poorly characterized. METHOD: We reviewed all motorcycle-related safety equipment laws in all 50 states of the United States for information regarding eye protection. We graded the rigor of each statute using our six-category Eye Safety Metric and performed a comparative analysis of statutes across all jurisdictions. RESULTS: Fourteen states did not have any statutes regarding eye protection. Among states that did, 23 states had weak statutes (0-2 points), 20 states had moderately stringent statutes (3-4 points), and 7 states had strong statutes (5-6 points). States in western United States tended to have less strict eye protection laws. Twenty-six states had eye protection exemptions for windshields, which are a poor form of eye protection. Six states that had universal helmet laws had no laws requiring eye protection. CONCLUSIONS: We characterized eye protection legislation across the country and found great diversity in the stringency of laws across all jurisdictions. Despite only two states lacking helmet laws, we found that 14 states lacked eye protection laws. These findings from our Eye Safety Metric can be used as a springboard for future research, which can be used to determine the need for and significance of eye safety legislation for motorcyclists and to inform legislative decision-making. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: With this research, we hope to further the understanding of legislation regarding eye protection for motorcyclists and help policymakers identify states that need improved eye safety standards.
Liu Y, Gao Y, Shu HY, Li QY, Ge QM, Liao XL, Pan YC, Wu J, Su T, Zhang LJ, Liang RB, Shao Y. Altered brain network centrality in patients with orbital fracture: A resting‑state functional MRI study. Exp Ther Med 2023;26(6):552.Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate potential functional network brain-activity abnormalities in individuals with orbital fracture (OF) using the voxel-wise degree centrality (DC) technique. The present study included 20 patients with OF (12 males and 8 females) and 20 healthy controls (HC; 12 males and 8 females), who were matched for gender, age and educational attainment. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in the resting state has been widely applied in several fields. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated to distinguish between patients with OF and HCs. In addition, correlation analyses were performed between behavioral performance and average DC values in various locations. The DC technique was used to assess unprompted brain activity. Right cerebellum 9 region (Cerebelum_9_R) and left cerebellar peduncle 2 area (Cerebelum_Crus2_L) DC values of patients with OF were increased compared with those in HCs. Cerebelum_9_R and Cerebelum_Crus2_L had area under the ROC curve values of 0.983 and 1.000, respectively. Patients with OF appear to have several brain regions that exhibited aberrant brain network characteristics, which raises the possibility of neuropathic causes and offers novel therapeutic options.
Thomas J, Armstrong G. Use of Yamane technique for secondary intraocular lens implantation following open globe injury. BMJ Case Rep 2023;16(11)Abstract
A woman in her 50s presented with suspected open globe injury (OGI) of the right eye after being hit with a high velocity piece of plastic. Visual acuity at the time of presentation was counting fingers in the affected eye. Slit lamp examination revealed a full thickness laceration of the cornea and a traumatic cataract. Primary corneal repair was performed and the patient was left aphakic after cataract removal. Secondary intraocular lens placement was deferred for 2 years, after which time a scleral-fixated intraocular lens was implanted using the Yamane technique. Postoperative visual acuity of 20/50 was achieved, with the vision limited by persistent diabetic macular oedema. Thus, this case of successful implantation of a secondary lens using the Yamane technique in a patient with prior corneal laceration and traumatic cataract highlights that the Yamane technique can result in visual improvement in patients with prior OGI.
Parikh AA, Liebman DL, Armstrong GW. A Novel Ophthalmic Telemedicine Program for Follow-Up of Minor Ophthalmic Emergencies. Telemed J E Health 2023;Abstract
Background: Near-term follow-up for minor ophthalmic emergencies is important to ensure positive patient outcomes but can impose logistical challenges for patients and ophthalmology practices. While ophthalmic telemedicine has been used for screening and triage, its feasibility and safety for follow-up care for minor ophthalmic emergencies have not been reported. The objective of this study was to report initial results of a novel virtual emergency department (ED) follow-up clinic. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study of patients discharged from the ophthalmic ED who required near-term follow-up and carried diagnoses suitable for virtual evaluation, between December 6, 2021, and June 26, 2022, at a single tertiary eye care center. Main outcome measures included missed appointment rate, time interval between ED encounter and virtual follow-up, clinical diagnoses, and referrals after telemedicine follow-up (including for urgent ambulatory and ED evaluation). Results: A total of 145 virtual visits were scheduled with 99 (68.3%) completed appointments, yielding a no-show rate of 31.7%. Of the completed visits, the mean time interval between ED evaluation and virtual follow-up was 8.3 days (standard deviation ±3.9). Eighty-four (84.9%) visits were video-based and 15 (15.1%) were audio-only. Seventy-nine (94%) had at least one aspect of the ophthalmic examination documented. The most common diagnoses were chalazion (18), conjunctivitis (13), corneal abrasion (12), and encounter after corneal foreign body removal (7). After virtual follow-up, 23 patients (23.2%) had subsequent referrals, and no patients re-presented to the ophthalmic ED. Conclusions: Ophthalmic telemedicine may be a safe and feasible modality for providing timely post-acute near-term follow-up care for patients with appropriate ophthalmic diagnoses.
Singla E, Jha UP, Muralidharan S, Singh RB, Ichhpujani P. Management of multi-surface ocular burns caused by molten iron. Trauma Case Rep 2023;48:100925.Abstract
Ocular thermal burns are medical emergencies that require immediate intervention before the standard management protocol, which involves obtaining a detailed history and performing an ophthalmic examination. In this case report, we report the clinical manifestations of ocular burns caused by molten iron and the steps taken for good clinical outcomes. The patient presented with an inferior epithelial defect and limbal and lower lid ischemia at four hours post-injury. Over the course of treatment, due to non-resolving epithelial defect and increased superior lid notching, amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) and lid repair by pentagon wedge excision were performed. Following AMT, the corneal surface completely healed with residual opacity and neovascularization. Additionally, limbal ischemia was significantly reduced with the restoration of normal lid anatomy. Corneal burns initiate a cascade of inflammatory reactions disrupting the balance between pro- and anti-angiogenic factors, leading to corneal neovascularization. The eyelid damage can lead to necrosis of tissues with eschar formation and eventually quantitative tissue loss. Therefore, timely intervention is the key to the successful management of ocular burns.
Zhou C, Lei F, Mittermaier M, Ksander B, Dana R, Dohlman CH, Vavvas DG, Chodosh J, Paschalis EI. Opposing Roles of Blood-Borne Monocytes and Tissue-Resident Macrophages in Limbal Stem Cell Damage after Ocular Injury. Cells 2023;12(16)Abstract
Limbal stem cell (LSC) deficiency is a frequent and severe complication after chemical injury to the eye. Previous studies have assumed this is mediated directly by the caustic agent. Here we show that LSC damage occurs through immune cell mediators, even without direct injury to LSCs. In particular, pH elevation in the anterior chamber (AC) causes acute uveal stress, the release of inflammatory cytokines at the basal limbal tissue, and subsequent LSC damage and death. Peripheral C-C chemokine receptor type 2 positive/CX3C motif chemokine receptor 1 negative (CCR2+ CX3CR1-) monocytes are the key mediators of LSC damage through the upregulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) at the limbus. In contrast to peripherally derived monocytes, CX3CR1+ CCR2- tissue-resident macrophages have a protective role, and their depletion prior to injury exacerbates LSC loss and increases LSC vulnerability to TNF-α-mediated apoptosis independently of CCR2+ cell infiltration into the tissue. Consistently, repopulation of the tissue by new resident macrophages not only restores the protective M2-like phenotype of macrophages but also suppresses LSC loss after exposure to inflammatory signals. These findings may have clinical implications in patients with LSC loss after chemical burns or due to other inflammatory conditions.
Tomaiuolo M, Woreta FA, Li A, Yonekawa Y, Zhang QE, Sharpe JE, Zafar S, Syed ZA, Ramesh S, Lorch AC, Hall NE, Shah AS, Justin GA, Hyman L, Hyman L. Open-Globe Injury Repairs in the American Academy of Ophthalmology IRIS® Registry 2014 - 2018: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Visual Outcomes. Ophthalmology 2023;130(8):812-821.Abstract
PURPOSE: To estimate incidence and evaluate demographic risk factors and visual acuity (VA) outcomes of open-globe injuries requiring surgical repair in the IRIS® Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with open-globe injury repairs (OGRs) were identified by Current Procedural Terminology codes (65275, 65280, 65285, 65286, 65235, 65260, and 65265) from 2014 through 2018 in the IRIS Registry. METHODS: Logistic regression models adjusting for age, sex, race, ethnicity, United States region, concurrent and subsequent surgeries, and baseline VA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcomes included annual and 5-year incidence rates per 100 000 people and factors associated with OGR, VA better than 20/40, and VA of 20/200 or worse at final follow-up (3-12 months after OGR). RESULTS: Thirteen thousand seven hundred sixty-six OGRs were identified; 5-year cumulative incidence was 28.0 per 100 000 patients. Open-globe repair was associated with age 21 to 40 years compared with younger than 21 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-1.7]), male sex (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 2.7-2.9), Black versus White race (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.4), Hispanic versus non-Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.6-1.8), and South (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.3-1.5) and West (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.4) versus Midwest regions and associated inversely with Asian versus White race (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.6-0.7). Visual acuity outcomes, analyzed in a subset of 2966 patients with VA data available, showed vision impairment (VA < 20/40) at final follow-up was associated with VA of 20/200 or worse at presentation (20/200 better than 20/40; OR, 11.1; 95% CI, 8.0-15.7), older age (e.g., > 80 years vs. < 21 years; OR, 5.8; 95% CI, 3.2-10.7), and Black versus White race (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.3-2.6). Risk factors were similar for VA of 20/200 or worse after OGR. Among the 1063 patients undergoing OGR with VA of 20/200 or worse at presentation, VA did not improve to better than 20/200 at follow-up in 35% of patients (1063/2996). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings bring to light racial disparities in risk of OGR and poor visual outcomes that warrant further exploration. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
Mahjoub H, Ssekasanvu J, Yonekawa Y, Justin GA, Cavuoto KM, Lorch A, Madan V, Sivakumar I, Zhao X, Quintero M, Simeon OF, Salabati M, Wu CM, Woreta FA. Most Common Ophthalmic Diagnoses in Eye Emergency Departments: A Multicenter Study. Am J Ophthalmol 2023;254:36-43.Abstract
PURPOSE: To characterize the most common ophthalmic conditions seen in the emergency department (ED) DESIGN: Cross-sectional study METHODS: This is a multicenter study of 64,988 patients who visited the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Wills Eye Hospital, and Johns Hopkins Hospital/Wilmer Eye Institute from January 1, 2019, until December 31, 2019. Demographic and primary diagnosis data were extracted including gender, age, race, ethnicity, insurance type, and ophthalmology consult status. Descriptive statistics were performed on all data using STATA IC 14 (64-bit). RESULTS: A total of 64,988 patients with primary ocular diagnoses were seen across all 4 EDs. The majority of patients were White (63.1%), non-Hispanic/Latino (64.8%), and female (52.3%). The most frequently seen age group was 50-64 years (28.6%). The most common diagnoses across all institutions were conjunctivitis (7.91%), corneal abrasions (5.61%), dry eye (4.49%), posterior vitreous detachments (4.15%), chalazions (3.71%), corneal ulcers (3.01%), subconjunctival hemorrhages (2.96%), corneal foreign bodies (2.94%), retinal detachments (2.51%), and glaucoma (2.12%). Specifically, viral conjunctivitis (2283 of 5139, 44.4%) and primary open-angle glaucoma (382 of 1379, 27.7%) were the most frequently seen subtypes of conjunctivitis and glaucoma. CONCLUSIONS: The most regularly treated ophthalmic conditions in high-volume EDs tend to be lower acuity diagnoses. To combat ED overcrowding and rising health care costs in the United States, we suggest diverting eye-related ED visits to a specialized eye ED service or same-day eye clinic appointment in addition to expanding education for patients and primary care clinicians.
Makhoul KG, Bitar RA, Armstrong GW, Weinert MC, Ivanov A, Kahale F, Ta T, Lorch AC. Effect of time to operative repair within twenty-four hours on visual acuity outcomes for open globe injuries. Eye (Lond) 2023;37(11):2351-2355.Abstract
PURPOSE: Convention is to perform open globe injury (OGI) repair within 24 h to minimize risk of endophthalmitis. However, there are limited data assessing how time to operative repair (OR) within 24 h impacts postoperative visual acuity (VA). METHODS: Manual retrospective chart review of 633 eyes at Massachusetts Eye and Ear (MEE) with a diagnosis of OGI between 2012 and 2022. Inclusion criteria were primary repair ≤ 24 h after injury and ≥1 month follow-up. Multivariate regression analysis was conducted with postoperative VA as primary outcome. RESULTS: Of the subjects, 489 (77.3%) were male and 496 (78.4%) were white. Demographics of OGI wounds included 320 (50.6%) rupture and 313 (49.4%) laceration; 126 (19.9%) with rAPD, 189 (29.9%) zone 3 injuries, 449 (71.2%) uveal prolapse, and 110 (17.4%) intraocular foreign body. Final postoperative LogMAR VAs consisted of 31% with a VA < 1.7, 9% with a VA of 1.9, 18% with a VA of 2.3, 27% with a VA of 2.7, and 11% with a VA of 3.0. Multivariate analysis showed no significant correlation between time to OR and postoperative VA (p = 0.800) [95%CI: -0.01,0.01]. Older age (p < 0.001) [95%CI: 0.00,0.01], worse presenting VA (p < 0.001) [95%CI: 0.17,0.32], rAPD (p < 0.001) [95%CI: 0.65,1.0], mechanism of rupture (p < 0.001) [95%CI: 0.19,0.54], higher zone of injury (p < 0.001) [95%CI: 0.25,0.45], and uveal prolapse (p = 0.003) [95%CI: 0.09,0.42] were significantly associated with worse final VA. CONCLUSIONS: Time to repair of OGIs within 24 h does not influence final VA. Optimization of surgical and patient factors may contribute more significantly to final VA than prioritizing more rapid time to OR.
Bleicher ID, Tainsh LT, Gaier ED, Armstrong GW. Outcomes of Zone 3 Open Globe Injuries by Wound Extent: Subcategorization of Zone 3 Injuries Segregates Visual and Anatomic Outcomes. Ophthalmology 2023;130(4):379-386.Abstract
PURPOSE: Open globe injuries (OGIs) are categorized by zone, with zone 3 (Z3) comprising wounds > 5 mm beyond the limbus. Outcomes of Z3 OGIs are highly heterogeneous. Open globe injuries with far posterior Z3 (pZ3) wounds were hypothesized to have worse visual and anatomic outcomes. DESIGN: Single-center retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 258 eyes with Z3 OGIs. METHODS: A retrospective review of Z3 OGIs treated at a tertiary center over 12 years. Wounds ≥ 10 mm posterior to the limbus were defined as pZ3. Outcomes were compared between pZ3 and anterior Z3 (aZ3) eyes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Visual acuity on a logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) scale. Secondary outcomes included anatomic outcomes, development of retinal detachment and proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and the number of secondary surgeries. RESULTS: A total of 258 Z3 OGI eyes with > 30 days follow-up were assessed; 161 (62%) were pZ3. At 3-month follow-up, pZ3 OGIs were more likely to exhibit no light perception (pZ3: 38%; aZ3: 17%; P < 0.003), lack count fingers vision (pZ3: 72%; aZ3: 43%; P < 0.002), and fail to read a letter on the eye chart (pZ3: 83%; aZ3: 64%; P < 0.001). The visual acuity distribution at 3 months was significantly worse for pZ3 compared with aZ3 injuries (P < 0.004). Similar results were found at final follow-up. Multiple linear regression showed that pZ3 location was independently associated with worse visual acuity (β = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09-0.50, P < 0.006) in addition to presenting acuity, age, vitreous hemorrhage, uveal prolapse, and afferent pupillary defect. Far posterior wounds injuries were more likely to develop retinal detachments (pZ3: 87%; aZ3: 71%; P < 0.01) and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (pZ3 66%; aZ3 47%; P < 0.03). Patients with pZ3 OGIs were significantly more likely to reach poor anatomic outcome (phthisis, enucleation, need for keratoprosthesis) compared with patients with aZ3 OGI (pZ3: 56%; aZ3: 40%; P < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Posterior OGI extension independently portends worse visual and anatomic outcomes. The effect on visual outcome was durable and clinically relevant compared with established predictors of OGI outcomes. Application of these findings improves the prognostic precision and will guide future research efforts to optimize surgical decision-making in severe OGI cases. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
Halawa OA, Friedman DS, Roldan AM, Zebardast N. Changing trends in ocular trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA. Br J Ophthalmol 2023;107(2):295-298.Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with a decline in emergency department (ED) presentations for trauma. The purpose of this study is to compare the estimated number and characteristics of eye injuries in 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, to those in 2011-2019. METHODS: A stratified probability sample of US ED-treated eye injuries was used to calculate the estimated annual number and incidence of these injuries in 2020, the year of the pandemic, and 2011-2019 (prepandemic years). Two-sample t-tests and Pearson χ2 were used to assess differences in demographics and injury characteristics. For multiple comparisons, Bonferroni correction was applied. RESULTS: The estimated number of ED-treated eye injuries per year was 152 957 (95% CI 132 637 to 176 153) in 2020 and 194 142 (95% CI 191 566 to 196 401) in 2011-2019. The annual incidence of ED-treated eye injuries was lower in 2020, at 46 per 100 000 population than in 2011-2019, at 62 per 100 000 per year (p<0.001). In 2020 vs 2011-2019, there was a higher incidence of ruptured globes (0.5 per 100 000 vs 0.3 per 100 000 per year, p<0.001), hyphemas (0.6 per 100 000 vs 0.4 per 100 000 per year, p<0.001), lacerations (1.0 per 100 000 in 2020 vs 0.8 per 100 000 per year, p<0.001) and orbital fractures (0.3 per 100 000 vs 0.03). CONCLUSION: The estimated incidence of eye injuries presenting to the ED was significantly lower in 2020 than in 2011-2019, but there was a higher estimated incidence of severe eye injuries. Changes in living and work environments due to the COVID-19 pandemic were likely associated with the differences in ocular trauma presentations observed in this study.

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