Risk Factors and Treatments of Suprachoroidal Hemorrhage

Abstract

Suprachoroidal hemorrhage (SCH) is a rare but serious sight-threatening complication of inner eye surgery. Despite continuous advances in treatment, visual prognosis remains poor. The disease has a more typical clinical presentation, the etiology and pathogenesis are not well defined, and intraoperative ocular and systemic factors may induce fulminant SCH. To investigate risk factors and treatments of SCH-associated intraocular surgeries, summarize diagnosis, characteristics, management, and prevention of SCH developed during and after intraocular surgeries. A retrospective study of SCH occurred in six cases of intraocular surgeries including cataract, glaucoma, pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), and silicone oil removal surgery. Assess baseline systemic and ocular characteristics of SCH eyes. Analyze the second surgery timing and technique, and visual outcomes were measured. SCH occurred in six patients including five eyes during surgeries and one eye after the surgery. Three eyes that underwent cataract surgery had hard nucleuses (nuclear sclerotic 4+). One eye was due to hypotony during the vitrectomy procedure. One eye developed SCH when silicone oil was extracted from the eyeball. One eye developed delayed SCH after glaucoma surgery. Incision closure and anterior chamber deepening were performed. B-scan ultrasonography was used to diagnose SCH, and determine the timing and location of sclerotomy for the second surgery. Vitrectomy and sclerotomy were performed in five eyes. The median follow-up time was six months. The final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.3 in one eye, one eye had light perception with retinal adherence, and four eyes had no light perception with retinal detachment. The results showed that risk factors including advanced age, hypertension, taking anticoagulants, antiplatelet drugs, and cardiovascular drugs were systemic risk factors, and hard nucleus (nuclear sclerosis 4 +) cataract, long-term uncontrolled ocular hypertension glaucoma, vitrectomy, silicone oil removal, high myopia, aphakia, previous intraocular surgery, intraocular pressure during surgery, and others were ocular risk factors. The most important risk factor is a sudden drop in intraocular pressure during or after surgery. The outcome of visual acuity depends on retinal status. Because of the poor prognosis, the prevention of SCH is of utmost importance during intraocular surgery.

Figure 1

B-scan ultrasonography reveals massive suprachoroidal hemorrhage with kiss choroidal central and retinal apposition. The macula is spared.

Figure 2

B-scan ultrasonography reveals massive suprachoroidal hemorrhage with the hemispherical bulge.

Figure 3

B-scan ultrasonography reveals massive suprachoroidal hemorrhage; the blood enters the vitreous.

Figure 4

B-scan ultrasonography of the patient 6 weeks after drainage with radial sclerotomies. Note that the hemorrhage has been cleared from the suprachoroidal space, but the retina is detached.

Figure 5

B-scan ultrasonography of the patient 12 weeks after drainage with radial sclerotomies. Note that the suprachoroidal hemorrhage has been cleared from the suprachoroidal space, but the retina is detached. And the visual acuity is NLP.