Chronic Inflammation in an Anophthalmic Socket due to a Room Temperature Vulcanized Silicone Implant

Two case reports are used to illustrate the signs and symptoms, complications and treatments of chronic socket inflammation due to intraorbital implants. The ophthalmic examination, surgeries and treatments are documented. Two anophthalmic cases that underwent enucleation and multiple orbital surgeries to enhance the anophthalmic socket volume developed pain, intense discharge and contracted cavities with chronic inflammation in the socket which was nonresponsive to medical therapy. Computed tomography indicated a hypodense foreign body in both cases causing an intense inflammatory reaction. The implants were removed by excisional surgery and a room temperature vulcanized silicone implant was retrieved in both cases. Socket inflammation resolved in both cases after implant removal. An intraorbital inflammatory reaction against an intraorbital implant can cause chronic socket inflammation in patients with a history of multiple surgeries. Diagnosis requires imaging and the definitive treatment is implant removal.