Journal Reviews
A randomised, controlled trial of oral propranolol in infantile haemangioma
Since its use was first reported in the New England Journal in 2008, propranolol has become the preferred treatment for infantile haemangiomas. However, there is no consensus as to the optimum dose or duration of treatment and there is a...
Better outcomes from early repair of Type B blow-out fractures
This paper examines whether early, rather than late, surgical repair results in better motility outcomes for a particular subgroup of orbital floor blowout fractures. The authors divide floor fractures into Types A and B, depending on whether or not the...
A new technique for correction of medial ectropion with a lax medial canthal tendon
This is a prospective study of a new technique for repair of medial ectropion associated with medial canthal tendon (MCT) laxity. The procedure was performed on 79 eyes and involved excision of an ellipse of tissue from below the punctum...
Occult spread of squamous cell carcinoma into the orbit
The authors describe two cases that may represent perineural spread of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) into the orbit. Both cases had cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas in the region of the lateral orbital wall (innervated by the zygomatico-temporal nerve) which...
A diagnostic imaging technique for optic pathway tumours
The authors discuss the difficult clinical scenario of patients with deteriorating visual function and an optic pathway lesion. The morbidity associated with biopsy means a highly sensitive and specific imaging technique would be of great value. The authors describe the...
Orbital cellulitis in Scotland: current incidents, aetiology, management and outcomes
This is a one year prospective study using the Scottish ophthalmic surveillance unit reporting system amongst Scottish ophthalmologists. Only patients residing within Scotland with a new diagnosis of orbital cellulitis between November 2011 and October 2012 were including in this...
A tarso-conjunctival flap for paralytic ectropion
This is a review of 110 patients with paralytic ectropion who underwent a lateral tarso-conjunctival flap procedure. The technique involves fashioning a 4-8mm wide lateral tarso-conjunctival flap in a similar way to a lateral Hughes flap. This is then sutured...
The presentation of natural killer / T cell lymphoma to the oculoplastic surgeon
The authors present three cases of periorbital extranodal natural killer / T cell lymphoma (ENKL). Ages were 20, 45 and 55. All of these patients presented with painless eyelid swelling and a history of sinus disease. One patient had persistent...
Outcomes and complications of supramaximal levator resection
This is a report of 35 children with unilateral congenital ptosis who underwent a supramaximal levator resection, involving extensive dissection of levator including cutting Whitnall’s ligament. The average preoperative margin reflex distance to the upper lid (MRD1) was 0.5mm, and...
Factors affecting the success of canalicular repairs
This is a ten year retrospective review of 137 canalicular laceration repairs, looking for factors which affected the outcome. A successful outcome was defined as no epiphora at three months or more after removal of the stent. Overall the success...
Assessing the quality of scars from incisions made by a Colorado needle or a scalpel
Traditional teaching has held the best scars are achieved with cold steel although no previous study has formally investigated this hypothesis in oculoplastic surgery. This paper describes a non-randomised cross-sectional study comparing the scar quality achieved from cold steel with...
Does mitomycin C improve success rates in DCR surgery?
The authors present a meta-analysis of the use of mitomycin C (MMC) as an adjunct in dacrocystorhinostomy (DCR) surgery. Fifteen randomised control trials were included. There was a degree of heterogeneity in the surgical technique used, however, the MMC is...
