A Historical Perspective of Lateral Canthotomy and Its Adoption as an Emergency Medicine Procedure

The treatment of orbital compartment syndrome has a rich history rooted in surgery and emergency medicine. It is a rare but acute and vision-threatening condition that most commonly occurs secondary to facial trauma or as a postoperative complication, and was first recognized in 1950. Surgical techniques and medical management were developed and refined soon afterwards to eventually become the modern-day treatment, lateral canthotomy, and inferior cantholysis.

This article details the history of orbital compartment syndrome and the evolution of its treatment to the present day.

Given the time-sensitive nature and acuity of orbital compartment syndrome, lateral canthotomy was adopted by emergency physicians who could perform it more quickly at the bedside.

Lateral canthotomy is a procedure adopted by emergency physicians from the surgical literature. The history of its adoption is a representative example of how emergency medicine evolves as a field.