Postoperative rhabdomyolysis following pars-plana vitrectomy under general anesthesia

IMPORTANCE: Rhabdomyolysis is a known, but rare, complication of general anesthesia. To the authors’ knowledge, it has never before been reported following an ocular surgery, and we could find no similar cases in the surgical literature following any brief surgical procedure. We believe this case to be unique in those regards and aim to raise awareness among ophthalmologists of this postoperative complication, as timely intervention can prevent renal failure and death. OBSERVATIONS: We report the case of a 58-year-old male who developed rhabdomyolysis following vitrectomy for retinal detachment repair under general anesthesia. The patient had several risk factors for this complication including morbid obesity, type II diabetes mellitus, and American Society of Anesthesia class III risk profile. His postoperative course was notable for significant myalgias in the postoperative recovery area, followed several hours later by oliguria, “root beer” colored urine, and a markedly elevated creatinine kinase level. He was hospitalized for two days for intravenous hydration and monitoring of his renal function and has fully recovered. RELEVANCE: As the prevalence of obesity and type II diabetes mellitus increase worldwide, ophthalmologists need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of postoperative rhabdomyolysis. Treatment often requires inpatient hospitalization to prevent the associated morbidity and mortality.