A novel terminologic “naming-meshing” system using anterior chamber sedimentation for early diagnosis and prompt treatment of ocular or systemic diseases: is it hypopyon or pseudohypopyon?

Abstract

A novel, algorithmic “naming-meshing” system was introduced for the distinction of hypopyon from pseudohypopyon to make an early diagnosis and prompt treatment of anterior chamber collection standardized to encompass all sediment characteristics. For this reason, a literature review of “hypopyon” and “pseudohypopyon” was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from 1966 to May 15, 2023. Two issues were clarified: 1) which strategies should the ophthalmologist follow when asked to evaluate an eye with anterior chamber sedimentation to distinguish hypopyon from pseudohypopyon, and 2) in which systemic disorders should a non-ophthalmologist order a prompt ophthalmic consultation to distinguish pseudohypopyon from hypopyon. Pathognomonic characteristics of the sediment were examined; scleral show (warm/cold), location (corneal/anterior chamber/capsular/posterior), visibility (macro/micro/occult-angle), orientation (horizontal/vertical/oblique), number (single/double), shape (convex/triangular/pyramidal/ring/lumpy/inverse), and color (white/yellow/pink/brown/black). Associated findings were then assessed; acute/chronic, spontaneous/provoked, unilateral/bilateral, inflammatory/non-inflammatory, suppurative (non-sterile)/non-suppurative (sterile), granulomatous/non-granulomatous, recurrent/non-recurrent, shifting/non-shifting, and transient/persistent. The type of precipitation was named (naming) and matched (meshing) to a potential list of etiologies (inflammatory, infective, therapeutic, masquerades). Given that (pseudo)hypopyon predominantly afflicts younger patients in their most productive years, clinicians supervising such patients should be aware of all sediment characteristics. The ophthalmologist should never ask non-ophthalmologists to run the full battery of tests in a patient with (pseudo)hypopyon, and rather indicate which type of collection is present, what its pathognomonic feature is, and what the most likely diagnoses to be excluded are.