Surgical removal of eyes in a tertiary institution in North eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background Surgical eye removal is performed for various end-stage eye diseases to provide adequate comfort, replace volume and give good functional and cosmetic appearance. The pattern of eye removal is unknown for North Eastern Nigeria. Objective To determine the indications for eye removal in the study community. Method Records of all the patients whose eyes were removed between January 2002 and December 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. Age, sex, diagnosis and type of surgery were recorded. Results A total of 67 eyes were removed during the period consisting of 46 males (68.7%). Mean age was 29.5 years (range 4 months to 90 years). Indications for surgery were trauma, 26 (38.8%), infection, 21 (31.3%), anterior staphyloma, 14 (20.9%), tumor 4, (6.0%) and painful blind eye, 2 (3.0%). Evisceration was performed in 55 (82.1%), enucleation, 11 (16.4%) and exenteration, 1 (1.5%) patient. In children (n = 28), the indications were trauma and anterior staphyloma in 10 patients (35.7%) each, tumor in 4 (14.3%), infection in 3 (10.7%) and painful blind eye (mooren's ulcer) in 1 (3.6%) of the children respectively. In adults (n = 39), indications were infections, 18 (46.2%), trauma, 16 (41.0%), anterior staphyloma, 4 (10.3%) and painful blind eye due to advanced glaucoma, 1 (2.6%). Conclusion Trauma, infections, and anterior staphyloma were the major indications for eye removal. Most of the indications were avoidable.