Outbreak of toxic anterior segment syndrome following vitreoretinal surgery - A retrospective analysis

Toxic anterior segment syndrome (TASS) is an uncommon complication of vitreoretinal surgery and is characterized by severe anterior chamber reaction, hypopyon, and limbus-to-limbus corneal edema.

Twenty-nine vitreoretinal surgeries were performed, of which 14 developed TASS in the early postoperative period. The operative records were reviewed retrospectively.

The median age of patients was 49.07 ± 16.75 years and 14.28% of them were female. Also, 71.42% were operated in the left eye and 42.8% were pseudophakic. Recurrent retinal detachment, secondary scleral-fixating intraocular lens (SFIOL), and silicone oil removal (SOR) were the most common procedures. Severe anterior chamber reaction was seen in 14 patients, circumcorneal congestion in eight, corneal edema in 11 (78.6%), hypopyon in 13 (92.8%), and severe fibrin membrane in two patients.

We describe the largest series of TASS following uneventful vitreoretinal surgery. Balanced salt solution was the instigating agent in this series. A prompt and thorough investigation is critical in obviating recurrences.