Optic Nerve Injury, Vitreous Hemorrhage, and Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Following Long Needle Peribulbar Anesthesia: A Case Report and Article Review

Abstract

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) following retrobulbar or peribulbar anesthetic injection is a rare but serious complication that often results in poor visual outcomes. Thus, extreme caution should be exercised while administering local ocular anesthesia due to the potential complications arising from local orbital anesthesia. These complications may occur locally or systemically and may arise immediately or be delayed. This case report is on a female patient who sustained optic nerve injury and RRD due to a peribulbar block administered in the setting of cataract extraction and, subsequently, experienced retinal detachment and vitreous hemorrhage at another hospital before being referred to our hospital. The retina was repaired with pars plana vitrectomy, 360 endolaser of the peripheral retina and around tears, and gas injection, achieving stable visual outcomes.

Inverted ILM Flap for a Needle Injury to the Macula after Peribulbar Anaesthesia: A Case Report and Literature Review

“…Alrajhi et al [ 22 ] reported a case of globe penetration after a PBA for cataract surgery, and on the day after surgery, it showed VH and RD. Differently from our case, they reported no macular injury but found optic disk damage, probably due to the injection of the anesthetic inside the globe, with a final BCVA of light perception even after retinal reattachment.…”