Dr. Kiran Kumar, Dr. Shreyas Temkar, Dr. Pradeep Sagar
Introduction
Peribulbar anesthesia is a commonly used technique of regional anesthesia for ocular surgeries. It is a relatively safe technique with very low risk of sight threatening complications. The following case report illustrates a rare case of orbital compartment syndrome due to block related needle perforation of previously undiagnosed ethmoidal mucocele.
Case report
A 50-year old female patient was planned for right eye phacoemulsification under peribulbar anesthesia. Coming morning, patient presented with poor visual acuity and inability to close the lids. CT scan revealed frontoethmoidal mucocele ruptured into the right orbit.
Conclusion
Orbital abscess following needle perforation of mucocele is a rare complication of peribulbar block. Such a possibility should be kept in mind in cases with delayed onset orbital compartment syndrome with progressive proptosis after peribulbar block especially in such cases in which superotemporal injection is given.