Atypical pneumococcal scleritis after pterygium excision: case report and literature review

• Published in: Cornea Vol. 25; no. 1; p. 115
• Main Authors: Paula, Jayter Silva, Simão, Maria Lúcia Habib, Rocha, Eduardo Melani, Romão, Erasmo, Velasco Cruz, Antonio Augusto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2006
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Drug Therapy, Combination; Eye Infections, Bacterial - diagnosis; Eye Infections, Bacterial - drug therapy; Eye Infections, Bacterial - etiology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumococcal Infections - diagnosis; Pneumococcal Infections - drug therapy; Pneumococcal Infections - etiology; Postoperative Complications; Pterygium - surgery; Scleritis - diagnosis; Scleritis - drug therapy; Scleritis - etiology
• ISSN: 0277-3740
• DOI: 10.1097/01.ico.0000164784.18290.45

To describe an unusual case of pneumococcal scleritis after pterygium excision and to review the literature on infectious scleritis associated with pterygium excision. Case report and literature review. A 58-year-old white man underwent excision of a nasal pterygium of the right eye. Two weeks postoperatively, the patient developed an infectious scleritis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. The scleritis was complicated with hypopyon and a scleral necrosis area 6 mm away from the superior limbus with a positive Seidel test. Topical and systemic antibiotics resolved the case without any surgical procedures. Streptococcus pneumoniae must be considered as a possible agent in cases of necrotizing scleritis associated with pterygium excision.