PURPOSE: To report a case of an occult, metallic, anterior-chamber intraocular foreign body after uneventful phacoemulsification that was masquerading as chronic recalcitrant postoperative inflammation. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: A 73-year-old patient was referred to us for recalcitrant anterior-chamber inflammation after uneventful phacoemulsification; the patient presented with visual disturbances, anterior-chamber inflammation, and macular epiretinal membrane with concomitant cystoid macular edema. RESULTS: After meticulous evaluations and repeated clinical examinations, a metallic intraocular foreign body was discovered on the iris, which was surgically removed and analyzed. Chemical analysis revealed copper, aluminum, and zinc. Pars plana vitrectomy with epiretinal membrane and indocyanine-green-assisted internal limiting membrane peeling followed, with subsequent improvement of visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: Intraocular foreign bodies should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of recalcitrant inflammation post-phacoemulsification. However, in the absence of intraocular inflammation, surgical removal of such particles is questionable.
PURPOSE: To report a case of an occult, metallic, anterior-chamber intraocular foreign body after uneventful phacoemulsification that was masquerading as chronic recalcitrant postoperative inflammation. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: A 73-year-old patient was referred to us for recalcitrant anterior-chamber inflammation after uneventful phacoemulsification; the patient presented with visual disturbances, anterior-chamber inflammation, and macular epiretinal membrane with concomitant cystoid macular edema. RESULTS: After meticulous evaluations and repeated clinical examinations, a metallic intraocular foreign body was discovered on the iris, which was surgically removed and analyzed. Chemical analysis revealed copper, aluminum, and zinc. Pars plana vitrectomy with epiretinal membrane and indocyanine-green-assisted internal limiting membrane peeling followed, with subsequent improvement of visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: Intraocular foreign bodies should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of recalcitrant inflammation post-phacoemulsification. However, in the absence of intraocular inflammation, surgical removal of such particles is questionable.
Authors: Mónica Asencio-Duran; José Luis Vallejo-Garcia; Natalia Pastora-Salvador; Agustín Fonseca-Sandomingo; Mario R Romano Journal: Mediators Inflamm Date: 2012-09-26 Impact factor: 4.711
Authors: Steven Yeh; Martina Ralle; Isabella T Phan; Peter J Francis; James T Rosenbaum; Christina Joy Flaxel Journal: J Ophthalmic Inflamm Infect Date: 2011-07-31