Surgical Indications for Eye Removal in Enugu, South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: To determine the surgical indications for removal of the eye in Enugu in south eastern Nigeria. Method: Retrospective case series review. Results: At the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, between 1st January 1994 and 31st December 2003, 106 eyes of 106 patients, comprising 71 (67.0%) males and 35 (33.0%) females, aged 6-72 years (mean 31.8), were removed by evisceration (59; 55.7%), enucleation (35; 33.0%), and exenteration (12; 11.3%). Severe open globe injury (49; 46.2%), infection (29; 27.4%), malignant tumour (15; 14.2%) and blind painful eye (14; 13.2%) were the indications for eye removal. Eye removal was more frequent in males (67.0%), among farmers (21.7%), and among the 21-40 year age group (41.5%). Patients who had their eyes removed constituted 0.42% of new outpatients, 4.63% of inpatients and 7.83% of patients who had eye operations during the study period. Conclusion: The indications for eye removal were mainly for preventable/curable causes. There is, therefore, a need to improve promotive, preventive and curative eye care delivery to reverse this trend. Keywords:eye, removal, indications, Enugu, NigeriaNigerian Journal of Opthalmology Vol. 15 (2) 2007: pp. 44-48