Enucleations, Eviscerations, and Exenterations at a Supratertiary-care Hospital in Puerto Rico: A Retrospective Study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Eye removal surgeries (enucleation, evisceration, exenteration) are performed for various ocular pathologies.
• Understanding the indications and complications is crucial for patient management and surgical planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To descriptively analyze indications, intraoperative, and postoperative complications of eye enucleations, eviscerations, and orbital exenterations.
• To provide the first such analysis from Puerto Rico's sole supratertiary academic institution.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records for patients undergoing eye removal procedures from January 2015 to June 2020.
• Analysis of demographic characteristics, clinical indications, surgical complications, and histopathological diagnoses.

Main Results:

• 118 eye removal procedures were performed; enucleation was most frequent (73.7%), followed by evisceration (18.6%) and exenteration (7.6%).
• Common indications for enucleation/evisceration included infectious processes (panophthalmitis, endophthalmitis, perforated ulcers).
• Squamous cell carcinoma was the primary indication for exenteration; postoperative complications were minimal.

Conclusions:

• Enucleations are predominant at this institution, with a comparatively low rate of eviscerations.
• Findings may prompt a re-evaluation of the indications for evisceration versus enucleation in this patient population.