Montezuma, Sandra Rocio

Purpose: To describe the syndromic, clinical, and retinal findings of a patient with an extremely-rare genetic condition known as Hardikar syndrome (HS) with presentation of optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence, fluorescein angiographic, and indocyanine green angiographic findings. Methods: Clinical course was detailed and followed over time with examinations and multimodal imaging. Patient and Results: A 17-year-old patient with HS was referred for possible retinitis pigmentosa. Dilated fundoscopic examination revealed large, multifocal cauliform patches of chorioretinal retinal pigment epithelium changes with retinal pigment epithelium drop-out involving the macula and periphery in both eyes. Additionally, an inactive choroidal neovascular membrane was present in the left eye. Multimodal imaging with optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence, fluorescein angiography, and indocyanine green angiography correlated with the clinical findings of focal patches of chorioretinal degeneration in both eyes. Additionally, an anomalous finding of the superior retinal arterial vessels filling in tandem with the choroidal was present in the left eye. The patient's clinical findings were consistent with HS, and genetic testing with whole-exome sequencing revealed a pathogenic mutation in the MED12 gene, confirming diagnosis. Discussion and Conclusions: Hardikar syndrome is associated with retinal pigment epithelium degeneration, creating focal patches of pigmentary chorioretinal atrophic lesions. Vision loss can occur because of the development of choroidal neovascular membranes. The authors recommend close evaluation and follow-up for HS patients with multimodal retinal imaging.

Purpose: To analyze and provide an overview of the incidence, management, and prevention of conjunctival erosion in Argus II clinical trial subjects and postapproval patients. Methods: This retrospective analysis followed the results of 274 patients treated with the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System between June 2007 and November 2017, including 30 subjects from the US and European clinical trials, and 244 patients in the postapproval phase. Results were gathered for incidence of a serious adverse event, incidence of conjunctival erosion, occurrence sites, rates of erosion, and erosion timing. Results: Overall, 60% of subjects in the clinical trial subjects versus 83% of patients in the postapproval phase did not experience device- or surgery-related serious adverse events. In the postapproval phase, conjunctival erosion had an incidence rate of 6.2% over 5 years and 11 months. In 55% of conjunctival erosion cases, erosion occurred in the inferotemporal quadrant, 25% in the superotemporal quadrant, and 20% in both. Sixty percent of the erosion events occurred in the first 15 months after implantation, and 85% within the first 2.5 years. Conclusion: Reducing occurrence of conjunctival erosion in patients with the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis requires identification and minimization of risk factors before and during implantation. Implementing inverted sutures at the implant tabs, use of graft material at these locations as well as Mersilene rather than nylon sutures, and accurate Tenon's and conjunctiva closure are recommended for consideration in all patients.