Successful treatment of endogenous endophthalmitis with extensive subretinal abscess: a case report

BACKGROUND: Endogenous endophthalmitis could lead to a devastating outcome without a prompt and appropriate management. We report a case of advanced endogenous Klebsiella pneumoniae endophthalmitis with extensive subretinal abscess that was successfully treated with a vitrectomy. CASE PRESENTATION: A systemically well 61-year-old man complained of ocular pain and visual decrease in his right eye for eighteen days. Ophthalmic examination showed dense inflammation in the anterior chamber and vitreous body. Systemic investigations discovered diabetes and no specific site of systemic infection was found after hospitalization. The inflammation continued to worsen after the intravitreal antibiotic injection. Therefore, a pars plana vitrectomy combined with phacoemulsification was performed. Intraoperatively, a white elevated, fluffy mass with the overlying retinal whitening and necrosis was revealed in superior periphery. In addition to this, extensive retinal hemorrhages and five adjacent subretinal whitish masses with exudative retinal detachment were observed in the posterior pole and inferior quadrants, which were suggestive of extensive subretinal abscess with intense overlying retinal inflammation. The excision of white fluffy mass superiorly was performed without retinotomy and aspiration of extensive subretinal abscess. The polymerase chain reaction of vitreous samples was positive for Klebsiella pneumonia. Intravitreal 2 mg/0.1 ml ceftazidime were repeated. Nine days after the surgery, the inflammation significantly subsided and the retina reattached. The patient was in a stable condition at subsequent visit eight months later. CONCLUSION: The delay in an accurate diagnosis and treatment caused extensive subretinal abscess combined with endogenous endophthalmitis. The treatment modality of subretinal abscess is typically individualized to the patient’s presentation. If the retina overlying the abscess is not necrotic, the extensive subretinal abscess can quickly absorbed after vitrectomy, retinotomy with aspiration of the abscess should be avoided to decrease the risk of retinal detachment.