Spontaneous hyphema in a patient undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy

A A Case Rep. 2013 Oct;1(1):8. doi: 10.1097/ACC.0b013e31828d689d.

Abstract

Hyphema, an ophthalmic pathology characterized by blood accumulation in the anterior chamber of the eye, has never been linked to administration of general anesthesia. We present the case of a spontaneous hyphema occurring on emergence from general anesthesia in a postlaparoscopic appendectomy patient. A valsalva-like maneuver with breath-holding during stage II of emergence or during CO2 insufflation may have led to the development of hyphema.