Lateral canthotomy and inferior cantholysis: an effective method of urgent orbital decompression for sight threatening acute retrobulbar haemorrhage

Acute Retrobulbar Hemorrhage: an ophthalmologic emergency for emergency physician.

“…Even though chantotomy can be performed alone or with cantholysis, some authors recommend performing cantholysis with lateral chantotomy. [4,8] Inferior chantolysis is more effective than chantotomy in decreasing the IOP. [37] However, concurrent lateral canthotomy and cantholysis reduce orbital pressure more effectively.…”

“…There are also authors adopting surgery as the first choice resembling our approach. Goodhall et al [4] reported that when they performed LCC alone, it was effective in improving visual acuity and preventing permanent visual loss and that they had performed surgery concurrent with intravenous acetazolamide in two cases.…”

“…[8] Lateral canthotomy and inferior cantholysis were recommended in many studies. [4,8,32] Canthotomy and inferior cantholysis can easily be performed under the conditions of a simple outpatient clinic or emergency room under local anesthesia. [4,8] It is favourable that decompression surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist.…”

“…[4,8,32] Canthotomy and inferior cantholysis can easily be performed under the conditions of a simple outpatient clinic or emergency room under local anesthesia. [4,8] It is favourable that decompression surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist. However, under emergency conditions if an ophthalmologist cannot be reached, LCC should be performed immediately by a trained medical doctor.…”

“…It may develop after orbital surgery, endoscopic sinus surgery, retrobulbar and peribulbar injection, spontaneously with facial and craniofacial traumas or trauma surgery. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] As a complication of orbital or periorbital surgery, orbital hemorrhage may develop particularly when the orbital septum is passed. [13,14] …”