Terson's Syndrome: a frequently missed ophthalmologic finding in subarachnoid hemorrhage

Abstract

Terson's syndrome is vitreous hemorrhage occurring consequent to subarachnoid hemorrhage. We present here the case of 60 years old male person who met with road traffic accident. He was transported to a hospital where diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage was diagnosed radiologically. But before further studies could be Pursued, and surgical intervention started, his condition deteriorated and he died. The autopsy demonstrated diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage of the brain with bilateral vitreous hemorrhage. Terson's syndrome is certainly an indicator of increased risk of mortality without early surgical attention. This paper reports here radiological and autopsy findings of such case and recommends further studies to estimate of the frequency of vitreous hemorrhage in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, and to compare its mortality in patients with and without vitreous hemorrhage. It also recommends the forensic pathologists to assess the vitreous hemorrhage in all cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage with aneurysmal or traumatic brain injury.