Burn During a Routine Pterygium Excision Operation
A 40-year-old woman was referred for pterygium excision in her left eye. During the operation, a low-temperature cautery caused a spark fire that resulted in left eye corneal burn, upper and lower eyelid burns and melted eyelashes and eyebrows bilaterally.
Topical antibiotics and vitamin C followed by topical corticosteroids were administered. After one week, the corneal epithelium healed, but a paracentral corneal opacity developed. Two months later at the last follow-up visit, a mild diffuse corneal opacity was still seen. The combination of three elements that are found in most routine ophthalmologic surgical fields (an enriched oxygen environment with the high temperature transmitted by the electrocautery in the vicinity of hair) might explain the event.
Surgeons should try to separate these three elements or eliminate any of them to minimize or prevent such events.
SOURCE: Naftali M, Jabaly-Habib H, Mukari A. Burn during a routine pterygium excision operation. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2008;18(4):639-40.
