[Traumatic hyphema caused by contusion in Zaire].
OBJECTIVE
To study the clinical characteristics of hyphema.


METHODS
Records of all 57 consecutive patients with traumatic hyphema due to non perforating ocular injury seen during a ten-year period (from 1982 to 1991) were reviewed. All patients were outpatients and were treated with topical application of corticosteroids with or without topical application of 0.5 or 1% atropine sulfate and antibiotics. For an intraocular pressure greater than 24 mmHg, topical timolol maleate 0.5% and, if necessary, oral acetazolamide sodium were used.


RESULTS
There were 49 (86%) male and 8 (14%) female for sex ratio of 6:1. The average age of patients was 20.2 years (range, 2 to 61 years). Blows were responsible for injury in 53%; projectiles for 30% and explosions for 7% of all hyphemas. The most common associated injuries to the eye included cornea edema (40%), cataract (36%) and mydriasis (26%). Posterior synechiae (25%) and blood staining of the cornea (22%) were the most frequent complications that occurred. Secondary haemorrhage occurred in 7% of the cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Heavily pigmented eye, proptosis, paucity of facilities for care may be responsible of the high rate of complications.
Kaimbo
D K
DK
Service d'ophtalmologie, Clinique Universitaire de Kinshasa, Zaïre.
Muleya
J I
JI
Lubeji
D K
DK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003288:Contusions / Q000150:complications*; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006988:Hyphema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity
Hyphéma traumatique par contusion au Zaïre.