Bilateral retinal artery occlusions as the first manifestation of extramedullary central nervous system involvement in relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia

Diana Khair; Carl-Joe Mehanna; Alaa Bou Ghannam; Wajiha Jurdi Kheir

doi:10.1136/bcr-2020-239795

Bilateral retinal artery occlusions as the first manifestation of extramedullary central nervous system involvement in relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia

BMJ Case Rep. 2021 Apr 2;14(4):e239795. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-239795.

Authors

Diana Khair¹, Carl-Joe Mehanna¹, Alaa Bou Ghannam¹, Wajiha Jurdi Kheir²

Affiliations

¹ Ophthalmology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
² Ophthalmology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon wk40@aub.edu.lb.

Abstract

Retinal artery and vein occlusion are rare devastating complications of central nervous system (CNS) leukaemic infiltrates of the retina and its vasculature. Only a handful of reports exist wherein CNS relapse presents with retinal vascular occlusions. This is usually accompanied by optic nerve swelling and subretinal infiltrates. We present a case of bilateral retinal artery occlusion as a first manifestation of CNS relapse in a patient with acute myeloid leukaemia without optic disc oedema and retinal infiltrates.

Keywords: breast cancer; chemotherapy; malignant disease and immunosuppression; retina.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Breast Neoplasms*
Central Nervous System
Female
Humans
Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* / complications
Mastectomy
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
Retinal Artery Occlusion* / diagnosis
Retinal Artery Occlusion* / etiology
Retinal Vein Occlusion* / diagnosis
Retinal Vein Occlusion* / etiology