Usefulness of B-Scan Ultrasonography in Ocular Trauma

Abstract

Purpose: To detect and differentiate the nature of various traumatic intraocular pathologies by B-scan Ultrasonography.

Material and Methods: This study was conducted in the department of ophthalmology, Chandka Medical College Larkana, from Oct. 2003 to Sept. 2005 and included patients with history of first time ocular trauma in association of secondary opaque ocular media were included in this study. The exclusion criteria included known anterior / posterior segment pathology and previous ocular surgery or trauma. (group A)

Results: The total patients referred to us for ocular B-scan in two years were 340. Out of these the traumatic cases were 72 (21.2%). In these, 51 (70.8%) patients had suffered from penetrating ocular trauma (group A) and 21 (29.2%) from blunt ocular trauma (group B). The major causative agents in penetrating cases were pellet 6 cases (11.8%), metallic foreign body 5 cases (9.8%), road traffic accident 5 cases (9.8%), thorn 4 cases (7.8%), scissor and grinding machine 8 cases (15.7%), followed by knife, wire, iron rod 3 cases each (17.6%), and needle, tip of pen, bird bite, fire cracker, electric wire, mirror, screw driver 2 cases each (27.5%), The major causative agents in blunt trauma were assault by fist / stick 5 cases (23.8%), cricket ball 4 cases (19%), followed by Gulli danda (Tip Cat), stone 3 cases each (28.6%), and buckle of belt, toy, corner of door 2 cases each (29.6%). The traumatic ocular findings seen on B-scan were cataract alone 11 cases (15.3%), IOFB 10 cases (13.8%) retinal detachment alone 6 cases (8.3%), vitreous haemorrhage alone 5 cases (6.9%), hyphema alone 5 cases (6.9%), and combined lenticulo-vitroretinal abnormalities 35 cases (48.6%).

Conclusion: Ocular B-scan is safe non-invasive technique which is used easily to detect and differentiate various traumatic intra ocular pathologies and therefore help in the planning of further line of management.