BACKGROUND: The authors report a patient with a cryotherapy-induced scleral melt after combined excision and cryotherapy of a conjunctival melanoma arising within primary acquired melanosis with atypia. FINDINGS: In a 65-year-old white man, a severe scleral melt developed within 1 month of complete excision of a superficial conjunctival melanoma combined with double-freeze-thaw nitrous oxide cryotherapy to the scleral bed and surrounding conjunctival margins. Ultrasound biomicroscopy showed the degree of scleral thinning. CONCLUSIONS: Although many complications associated with cryotherapy have been described in the literature, there are no reports of a scleral melt. Scleral melt is a potential complication of cryotherapy that can occur despite taking precautions and should be monitored in the first few weeks after cryotherapy to the scleral bed of excised conjunctival tumors.
BACKGROUND: The authors report a patient with a cryotherapy-induced scleral melt after combined excision and cryotherapy of a conjunctival melanoma arising within primary acquired melanosis with atypia. FINDINGS: In a 65-year-old white man, a severe scleral melt developed within 1 month of complete excision of a superficial conjunctival melanoma combined with double-freeze-thaw nitrous oxide cryotherapy to the scleral bed and surrounding conjunctival margins. Ultrasound biomicroscopy showed the degree of scleral thinning. CONCLUSIONS: Although many complications associated with cryotherapy have been described in the literature, there are no reports of a scleral melt. Scleral melt is a potential complication of cryotherapy that can occur despite taking precautions and should be monitored in the first few weeks after cryotherapy to the scleral bed of excised conjunctival tumors.