Management of postoperative suprachoroidal hemorrhage with continuous-infusion air pump

G. W. Abrams, M. A. Thomas, G. A. Williams and T. C. Burton

Seven patients suffered delayed nonexpulsive suprachoroidal hemorrhages following filtration procedures. Six of seven eyes were aphakic, while the seventh had a subluxated lens associated with aniridia. In six of the seven cases, the hemorrhagic choroidal detachments completely filled the posterior segment, and visual acuity was reduced to light perception only. Surgical drainage of the hemorrhages was accomplished through one or two sclerotomies with simultaneous air insufflation of the eye through a limbal needle attached to a continuous-infusion air pump. With this technique, visual acuity was restored to a level equal to or better than the prefiltration acuity in five of seven patients. One patient suffered a slight decline in acuity from 20/60 to 20/100, and another patient's visual acuity declined from finger counting at 5 cm to hand motions.