Retinal vascular occlusions in open heart surgery

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Materials Science

Background:

• Open heart surgery can lead to various complications.
• Embolic events are a known risk in cardiovascular procedures.
• The composition of embolic material in retinal microcirculation post-cardiac surgery requires detailed investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the ultrastructure of microthrombotic emboli.
• To identify and characterize fat and dimethylpolysiloxane with silica emboli in the retinal microcirculation.
• To confirm the presence of silica using advanced analytical techniques.

Main Methods:

• Histopathological examination of retinal microcirculation.
• Electron probe X-ray microanalysis for elemental composition.
• Analysis of emboli in patients deceased after open heart operations.

Main Results:

• Microthrombotic emboli were observed.
• Emboli composed of fat and dimethylpolysiloxane with silica were identified.
• Electron probe X-ray microanalysis confirmed the presence of silica in the emboli.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights the presence of diverse embolic materials, including silica, in the retinal microcirculation following open heart surgery.
• Silica emboli, potentially originating from medical materials, pose a risk to retinal vasculature.
• Further research is needed to understand the clinical implications and sources of these emboli.