Bilateral periopticointrascleral hemorrhages associated with traumatic child abuse.
OBJECTIVE
To report a case of bilateral periopticoscleral hemorrhages associated with traumatic child abuse.


METHODS
Postmortem gross examination and histopathologic studies of both eyes and the optic nerves of a 6-month-old infant who died from subdural hematoma.


RESULTS
Gross examination and histopathologic step sections disclosed bilateral intrascleral hemorrhages around both optic nerves. In addition, bilateral diffuse multilayered retinal, vitreous, and sublaminar (beneath the internal limiting membrane) hemorrhages were present.


CONCLUSIONS
Periopticointrascleral hemorrhages are characteristic of blunt head trauma and may constitute important forensic evidence in cases of suspected child abuse.
Lin
K C
KC
Department of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90095-7000, USA.
Glasgow
B J
BJ
D001497:Battered Child Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D005130:Eye Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D006408:Hematoma, Subdural / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000473:pathology*; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D015422:Scleral Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014823:Vitreous Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology