Prevention and management of delayed suprachoroidal hemorrhage after filtration surgery

We report two new cases of massive delayed nonexpulsive suprachoroidal hemorrhage (DNSH) following a filtering operation in the aphakic eyes of elderly patients with glaucoma. A timely surgical drainage resulted in full recovery of preoperative visual acuity in both of our patients. As we combine our cases with a series of 18 similar cases of others in the literature, the following conclusions emerge. Limited DNSH does not require surgical intervention for a favorable visual outcome. Massive DNSH, however, requires timely and appropriate surgical intervention to achieve a favorable visual outcome and to avoid persistent hypotony. The most effective surgical intervention is drainage of the suprachoroidal hemorrhage and re-formation of the anterior chamber, but without concomitant vitrectomy. In both limited and massive DNSH, the final visual outcome is not determined by the worst vision at the time of DNSH. Some of the known and suspected risk factors of DNSH following filtering surgery are old age, aphakia, postoperative hypotony, a history of vitreous manipulation or complication, general anesthesia, increased venous pressure, use of fluorouracil, and high myopia. In view of these risk factors, we recommend several preventive measures for decreasing the incidence of DNSH following filtering surgery.