Posttraumatic endophthalmitis due to tobacco drying wire treated with vitrectomy, temporary keratoprosthesis, and keratoplasty

Abstract

AIM. To report a case of posttraumatic endophthalmitis with corneal opacity that was treated by combined penetrating keratoplasty using temporary keratoprosthesis and pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with silicon oil tamponade.

CASE PRESENTATION. A 35-year-old woman was admitted to our clinic after open globe injury due to wire used for tobacco drying. At the time of her first visit, her best-corrected visual acuity was light perception. On the day of admission a 20-G PPV with phacoemulsification and vancomycin administration in tapping was performed. The operation was aborted due to visualisation constraints. Four days later 20-G PPV in combination with penetrating keratoplasty with use of temporary keratoprosthesis and silicon oil tamponade was performed. General and topical antibiotics and topical antifungal drugs were administered. Five months after hospitalisation visual acuity was light perception, and the corneal graft remained clear, but proliferative vitreoretinopathy was observed.

CONCLUSIONS. Combined penetrating keratoplasty using temporary keratoprosthesis and PPV could be advantageous in managing visualisation constraints due to posttraumatic endophthalmitis; however, functional results are not satisfactory.