Scrofuloderma and bilateral anterior staphyloma of eye: an unusual association

Asim K Kandar1, Rajesh Sinha, Namrata Sharma

  • 1Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

We report a patient with bilaterally symmetrical perforated corneal ulcers with formation of anterior staphyloma associated with scrofuloderma. A 22-year-old female in her third month postpartum presented with multiple perforated corneal ulcers bilaterally. There was a presence of a skin lesion that was consistent with scrofuloderma. Fine needle aspiration cytology of preauricular lymph nodes showed evidence of granulomatous inflammation consistent with tuberculosis. Corneal scraping revealed the presence of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. She was treated with topical fortified combination antibiotics (cefazolin and tobramycin). The corneal ulcer resolved with formation of anterior staphyloma in both eyes. The patient underwent anterior staphylectomy and tectonic keratoplasty in both eyes. Eight weeks postoperatively, her visual acuity improved to 20/200 in both eyes with clear grafts. Scrofuloderma may be associated with recurrent phlyctenulosis. Multiple corneal ulcerations coupled with use of topical steroids may result in corneal perforation and formation of anterior staphyloma.

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