Spontaneous retrobulbar hemorrhage in the setting of warfarin therapy and latent scurvy diagnosis

Retrobulbar hemorrhage during strabismus surgery

Purpose

This case report presents an event of retrobulbar hemorrhage (RH) occurring during the initial stage of strabismus surgery after incision of the conjunctiva and Tenon's capsule.

Observation

Significant bleeding with subsequent proptosis was observed intraoperatively after the incision of conjunctiva and Tenon's capsule during routine strabismus surgery on the medial rectus muscle in a 5-year-old boy. Intravenous mannitol was administered intraoperatively and surgery was completed as planned. The RH receded within 24 hours without the necessity of orbital decompression. Tenon's capsule prolapse was noted on the first postoperative day and managed with surgical excision under shallow intravenous anesthesia. No damage to the optic nerve or ganglion cells was detected a week after and three months post-surgery.

Conclusions and importance

Strabismus surgery bears a risk of RH at every stage of the operation. Careful hemostasis should be provided at each step of the procedure to decrease the risk of such an event. Patients after events of serious intraoperative bleeding should undergo careful post-operative investigation towards coagulation insufficiencies, though no such deficits were identified in the present case.

Bilateral Spontaneous Retrobulbar Hemorrhage due to Warfarin Misuse After Sinus Lavage

While warfarin has historically played an important role in anticoagulation, direct oral anticoagulants have largely supplanted warfarin due to their improved safety profile and reduced need for monitoring. Herein, the authors report the case of a 64-year-old male who developed severe, bilateral retrobulbar hemorrhage following aggressive nasal lavage due to a supratherapeutic international normalized ratio from warfarin misuse. Visual acuity on arrival was hand-motion OD and no-light-perception OS. He underwent bilateral canthotomy with upper and lower lid cantholysis before transfer to a trauma center where his international normalized ratio was greater than 12. Reversal with vitamin K and prothrombin complex concentrate was initiated. Over the course of hospitalization, vision and swelling continued to improve and at 2-month follow-up his visual acuity was 20/20 OD and no-light-perception OS. This case outlines the risk of bleeding associated with warfarin misuse and advocates for the transition of patients to direct oral anticoagulants when possible.