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Original Article
Ocular complications of heart, lung, and liver transplantation
  1. Paul Nga,
  2. Peter McCluskeya,b,
  3. Geoff McCaughanc,
  4. Allan Glanvilled,
  5. Peter MacDonalde,
  6. Anne Keoghe
  1. aDepartment of Ophthalmology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia, bDepartment of Ophthalmology St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney NSW and Laboratory of Ocular Immunology School of Pathology University of NSW, Australia, cAW Morrow Gastroenterological and Liver Centre, Australian National Liver Transplant Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, dDepartment of Thoracic Medicine, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, eDepartment of Cardiology, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney
  1. Dr P J McCluskey, 357 Beamish Street, Campsie, NSW 2194, Australia

Abstract

AIM To document the nature and frequency of ocular complications in a large group of patients who underwent heart, lung, or liver transplantation.

METHODS A retrospective audit of the medical records of all patients undergoing heart, lung, or combined heart-lung transplantation at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, or liver transplantation at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney, was performed to detect patients with symptomatic ocular complications following transplantation. 19 of 860 patients were identified as having ocular complications.

RESULTS Ocular complications occurred in 2% of patients with 65% of these being opportunistic infections. Herpes group viral retinitis (77%) and fungal chorioretinitis (22%) were seen. Other complications included choroidal pseudolymphoma, central retinal vein occlusion, herpes zoster ophthalmicus, herpetic keratitis, dacryocystitis, cyclosporin retinopathy, and rifabutin associated uveitis.

CONCLUSION Herpes group viral retinitis was the most common ocular opportunistic infection and occurred most frequently during the second year after transplantation. Delayed diagnosis was associated with poor visual outcome.

  • ocular complications
  • heart transplantation
  • lung transplantation
  • liver transplantation
  • herpetic ocular infections

https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo.82.4.423

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