Traumatic enucleation. Accident or self-mutilation?

• Published in: Der Ophthalmologe : Zeitschrift der Deutschen Ophthalmologischen Gesellschaft Vol. 110; no. 5; p. 451
• Main Authors: Straßburger, P, Váradi, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: Germany 01-05-2013
• Subjects: Accidents; Diagnosis, Differential; Eye Enucleation - psychology; Eye Injuries, Penetrating - diagnosis; Eye Injuries, Penetrating - psychology; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Self Mutilation - diagnosis; Self Mutilation - psychology
• ISSN: 1433-0423
• DOI: 10.1007/s00347-012-2683-z

A 52-year-old woman was admitted for emergency treatment after traumatic enucleation. Because of the position of the avulsed eye and the acute mental condition of the patient a trauma caused by self-mutilation could not be excluded. There was even the suspicion of self-enucleation in a second case and in both cases a psychiatrist was consulted but ultimately a disastrous accident was clearly verified for both patients. Nevertheless, an interdisciplinary evaluation should be initiated in cases of patients with a suspicious traumatic injury as in cases of self-mutilation the danger of relapse is high in the first hours and weeks after the primary event.