J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2001 May;42(5):793-796.

Noninfectious Endophthalmitis Caused by an Intraocular Foreign Body Retained for 16 Years

• Ahn M

Abstract

PURPOSE: To report a case of acute noninfectious endophthalmitis caused by an intraocular foreign body(IOFB) retained for 16 years.
METHODS
A 40-year-old man presented to the retina service with a 4-day history of pain and hyperemia in his left eye. He had sustained an ocular penetrating injury in his left eye 16 years before. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy of the left eye showed 4+ anterior chamber reaction with a small hypopyon. Computed tomography demonstrated an intraocular foreign body in the posterior wall of the left eyeball. A three-port pars plana vitrectomy with a successful removal of the intraocular foreign body was performed.
RESULTS
The removed intraretinal foreign body was ferrous in nature and 4 mm long with sharp edges. After the surgery, the patient's pain and intraocular inflammation improved dramatically.
CONCLUSIONS
An acute noninfectious endophthalmitis can occur due to a dormant intraocular foreign body retained for an unusually long period of time.

Keyword

Intraocular foreign body; Acute noninfectious endophthalmitis

MeSH Terms

Adult
Anterior Chamber
Endophthalmitis*
Foreign Bodies*
Humans
Hyperemia
Inflammation
Retina
Vitrectomy