Anaesthesia for anterior chamber wash-out andcorneo-scleral repair in a patient with hypertensive heart disease: A case report

Abstract

AO, a 48-year-old police officer with poorly controlled hypertension and previous myocardial infarction was referred from a peripheral hospital to University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Port Harcourt, Nigeria on account of gunshot injury to the right eye. His blood pressure was 180/120 mmHg. The electrocardiogram (ECG) showed evidence of previous inferior myocardial infarction (MI) and 1st degree right bundle branch block. Emergency anterior chamber wash out and repair of corneo-scleral laceration was deferred for twenty-four hours to allow successful control of hypertension. The surgical procedure was finally performed under general anaesthesia with endotracheal intubation and muscle relaxation. Intraoperatively, patient developed few ventricular ectopic beats which resolved spontaneously. He had uneventful postoperative recovery and was discharged home on the 12th postoperative day. This report discusses anaesthetic challenges associated with hypertensive heart disease patients requiring emergency surgery in a resource limited setting.