Pressure alopecia following vitreoretinal surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a patient with pressure alopecia following vitreoretinal surgery.


METHODS
Case report.


METHODS
An 11-year-old boy underwent vitreoretinal surgery for left retinal detachment. One week postoperatively, his parents noticed a patch of alopecia where his head may have been in contact with the wrist-rest assembly placed around the head during the surgical procedure.


RESULTS
Pressure alopecia on the parieto-occipital region of the scalp was observed. Hair regrowth occurred during the follow-up visits.


CONCLUSIONS
Pressure alopecia is a rare complication of lengthy surgery and is underrecognized in ophthalmic practice. Precautions should be taken to avoid this preventable complication.
Bhatt
Harit K
HK
Vitreoretinal Service of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 60612, USA.
Sharma
Mithlesh C
MC
Blair
Norman P
NP
D000505:Alopecia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011312:Pressure; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000601:surgery*; D016683:Supine Position; D013523:Surgical Equipment / Q000009:adverse effects*