Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis complicated with an ophthalmic artery occlusion followed by subarachnoid hemorrhage

Kun Wook Kang, Young Ki Kwon, Jae Pil Shin, In Taek Kim, Dong Ho Park

Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea;.

DOI: 10.4236/crcm.2013.26093                

Abstract

A 70-year-old female with poorly controlled diabetes developed sudden visual loss, ptosis and complete ophthalmoplegia of the right eye. Funduscopic examination showed the pale retina and the cherry red spot in the right eye. Fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography demonstrated the absence of retinal arterial filling and choroidal perfusion in the right eye even 20 minutes after injecting the dye. The patient was diagnosed with right ophthalmic artery occlusion. Computed tomography (CT) showed diffuse mucosal thickening in the right ethmoidal sinus. Based on the clinical findings and endoscopic biopsy result, mucormycosis was confirmed. Amphotericin B (40 mg/day) and ceftriaxone (2 g/day) were intravenously administered. Despite the improvement of the right ethmoidal sinusitis and the right proptosis, the patient deteriorated into a comatose state after 19 days of systemic amphotericin B therapy. Although the previous CT showed no cerebral aneurysm, a repeated CT showed newly developed posterior communicating artery aneurysm and the subarachnoid hemorrhage. Despite the amphotericin B treatment and the improvement of the sinusitis, mucormycosis could cause sudden cerebral aneurysm rupture and subarachnoid hemorrhage resulting in coma.

Keywords

Intracranial Aneurysm; Mucormycosis; Ophthalmic Artery; Rhino-Orbito-Cerebral Mucormycosis; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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