Metastatic panophthalmitis / by Charles J. Kipp.

  • Charles J. Kipp
Date:
[1906]
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Credit: Metastatic panophthalmitis / by Charles J. Kipp. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    With regard to the pathology, Groenouw says: The metastatic ophthalmia is caused by the entrance of septic masses into the capillaries of the eye and in the bilateral cases it is exclusively or predominently in the retina, and in the unilateral cases also in the uvea (Axenfeld). The infectious masses must be mostly very minutely di- vided, which in other parts can pass freely and are caught in the very narrow capil- laries of the retina. The rapid loss of vision is not to be regarded as the result of the embolism, but rather as the effect of a rapidly developing inflammation. The disposition of the eye for metastases is explained by the narrowness of the capil- laries of the retina. (This is also the rea- son why the ophthalmia is not rarely the on- ly ascertainable metastasis). Other factors are disturbances in the circulation, perhaps the formation of thrombi in the retina and choroid (Axenfeld). The assertion made by some writers that the metastatic oph- thalmia is due not only to micro-organisms, but can also be produced by the action of toxines is as yet unproved. The absence of bacteria in the microscopical preparation is by no means proof that they were absent during life. A negative result of the ex- amination is of no value also in cases in which the disease has lasted three months. The micro-organisms which have been found in the metastatic ophthalmia are the streptococcus, staphylococcus pyogenes, pneumococcus, and a few not clearly defined bacteria.
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