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Unsuccessful self-enucleation in a schizophrenic patient
Noam Bar-Yaakov1, Romi Noy Achiron2, Michael Paul3
1The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
Case Reports in Ophthalmological Medicine
|October 21, 2014
Summary
Self-enucleation, a rare self-harm act linked to mental illness, was prevented in a schizophrenic patient through prompt antipsychotic therapy and emergency eye surgery. This case highlights the critical need for swift medical intervention and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Psychiatry
- Medical Case Reports
Background:
- Self-enucleation is an extremely rare form of self-mutilation associated with severe mental illness.
- Patients with psychotic disorders may exhibit extreme behaviors, including self-harm directed at sensory organs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a rare case of attempted self-enucleation in a patient with schizophrenia.
- To emphasize the critical role of timely medical and surgical intervention in preserving vision.
Main Methods:
- A case study of a 26-year-old male patient diagnosed with schizophrenia presenting with attempted self-enucleation.
- Review of the patient's psychiatric history, clinical presentation, and management.
Main Results:
- The patient attempted to enucleate his eye using a rollerball pen.
- Immediate antipsychotic treatment and emergency ophthalmic surgery were successful in saving the patient's eye.
Conclusions:
- This case underscores the importance of recognizing self-enucleation as a potential manifestation of severe mental illness.
- Effective management requires rapid, collaborative efforts between psychiatric and ophthalmology teams to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
