COUGHING-INDUCED SUPRACHOROIDAL HEMORRHAGE SIMULATING MELANOMA IN TWO CASES

To describe two cases of coughing-induced suprachoroidal hemorrhage referred as choroidal melanoma.

Observational case reports.

Two female patients (ages 54 and 60 years) were referred with possible choroidal melanoma. Both gave a history of 1 day of heavy coughing with Valsalva maneuver within 2 weeks before discovery of the tumor. In one case, the patient used anticoagulants for aortic valve replacement and the other patient used antiasthma medications. One patient noted sharp ocular pain one week before presentation to this service. In both cases, the choroidal lesion was at the globe equator, near a vortex ampulla, and appeared homogeneously dark brown and with acoustic hollowness on ultrasonography, concerning for choroidal melanoma. However, neither lesion demonstrated intrinsic vascularity on fluorescein angiography or indocyanine angiography. Both lesions showed isoautofluorescence and optical coherence tomography evidence of shallow choroidal folds with inner choroidal elevation over a dome-shaped, optically-lucent deep choroidal mass, consistent with suprachoroidal hemorrhage. Fine needle aspiration biopsy in 1 case confirmed blood without melanoma. Both cases were observed with complete spontaneous resolution of the hemorrhage and normal-appearing choroid within 2 months.

Coughing-induced suprachoroidal hemorrhage can simulate melanoma. Clinical and imaging features can assist in diagnosis. The hemorrhage generally resolves within few months.