The application of ultrasound biomicroscopy on the early diagnosis of occult chestnut thorn foreign bodies in sclera

Abstract

Objective To analyse the significance to the application of ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in the early diagnosis of occult chestnut thorn foreign bodies in sclera. Methods Thirty-five eyes of 30 patients who were diagnosed as occult scleral chestnut thorn foreign bodies were retrospectively studied. UBM were used to diagnose suspicious scleral foreign bodies. Results Sixty foreign bodies were confirmed by UBM, 58 chestnut thorn foreign bodies were removed by surgical operation, and the false positive rate was 3.5%. One patient with negnative-UBM developed conjuctival redness, and one chestnut thorn foreign bodies was removed by surgical operation, and the false negative rate was 1.8%. Conclusion Ultrasound biomicroscopy is helpful to early detection of occult scleral chestnut thorn foreign bodies, confirming the quantity of chestnut thorns, and is conductive to the intraoperative localization. Key words: Foreign bodies, chestnut thorn, scleral, occult; Ultrasound biomicroscopy