We aimed to observe the opening status and morphological parameters of Schlemm's canal (SC) in normal eyes using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT).Consecutive EDI-OCT scans were used to examine the right eye of 20 normal individuals. EDI-OCT was performed clockwise for 8 regions (at the 12:00, 1:30, 3:00, 4:30, 6:00, 7:30, 9:00 and 10:30 o'clock positions). Image processing and analysis in java software was used to measure the area, perimeter, and diameter of SC. Twenty-one serial scans of each region were evaluated and a total of 168 images were included in the analyses of each eye.The SC was detected in 100.0% of the sections. The distribution of individual measurements of SC was highly variable. The mean values of SC size significantly differed among the different clock-face positions. The mean values of the area, perimeter, and diameter of SC in the 9:00 o'clock position were the lowest, and those at the 7:30 o'clock position were the highest (P<.05). There was no obvious association between intraocular pressure and SC size at any clock position.Although SC tends to open circumferentially in normal individuals, the distribution of individual measurements is highly variable. Morphological manifestation of SC measured by EDI-OCT is a useful way to evaluate the circumferential opening status of SC.

Patients with oral and maxillofacial malignant tumours have a relatively high incidence of postoperative infections. We have analysed the risk factors and the distribution of pathogens in infected patients to try and find out how to prevent them. We recruited 312 patients over 60 years old with malignant oral and maxillofacial tumours and investigated their incidence of postoperative infection between January 2007 and December 2017. Some factors were included in one way and multifactorial logistic analyses to find out which risk factors were likely to be associated with postoperative infections. Thirty-nine of the 312 (12.5%) developed postoperative infections, mainly at the surgical site (n = 21) and in the lower respiratory tract (n = 14). Pathogens were isolated from all patients and comprised aerobic (n = 4) and anaerobic (n = 5) bacteria, together with mixed infections (n = 30). Univariate analysis showed that age, size and site of tumour, body-mass index (BMI), diabetes, and duration of operation were risk factors. Multivariate logistic analyses, however, showed that BMI, the presence of diabetes, duration of operation, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score were the main independent risk factors for postoperative infection. We conclude that there are abundant risk factors for postoperative infection in these patients, and it is important that they are evaluated preoperatively so that suitable postoperative treatments can be given.

PURPOSE:We aimed to measure the sizes of Schlemm's canal (SC) and the trabecular meshwork (TM) in healthy individuals and to evaluate variations with age from childhood to old age by using swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS:Anterior chamber angle imaging of the superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal regions of the right and left eyes was performed with swept-source OCT. The diameter and area of SC and TM width and thickness were measured manually from OCT images. RESULTS:A total of 114 healthy individuals were enrolled and included 48 male subjects and 66 female subjects; their ages ranged from 7 to 83 years. Both the SC diameter and area in the four quadrants decreased significantly with aging (P < 0.001) and were wider in the nasal and temporal quadrants compared with the superior and inferior quadrants. Changes in SC size showed significant positive correlations with axial length (AL) and anterior chamber depth (P < 0.001). There was a significant positive association between age and TM thickness in the nasal and temporal quadrants (P < 0.05). The inferior quadrant TM width was the widest among the quadrants. The superior quadrant TM thickness was the thinnest among the quadrants. Changes in TM thickness in the nasal and temporal quadrants showed a significant negative correlation with AL (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation in SC and TM parameters with central corneal thickness, intraocular pressure, sex, or right or left eye (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:With aging, the SC diameter and area became smaller, TM thickness increased, and TM width seemed to remain constant. Measurements of the sizes of SC and the TM with swept-source OCT could assist in clinical assessments and treatment planning for glaucoma.