Outcomes of Transcutaneous Retrobulbar Amphotericin B in Rhino-Orbital-Cerebral Mucormycosis Among Patients Recovering From COVID-19: A Preliminary Experience

Background In this study, we aimed to assess the outcomes of transcutaneous retrobulbar injection of amphotericin B (TRAMB) in rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) among patients recovering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methodology This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary care center in eastern India from May 29th to July 31st, 2021, and included post-COVID-19 patients admitted with stage 3 and 4a ROCM who underwent TRAMB. The details of the ophthalmic examination, laboratory investigations, and radiological examination were retrieved from patients records. Patients were given TRAMB (3.5 mg/mL) on alternate days till they underwent debulking surgery and resumed from the second postoperative day alternatively till the patients showed clinical stabilization or improvement. Results In total, 45 eyes of 41 patients were included in the study. The median number of injections given was six (minimum = 3; maximum = 10). Following was the distribution of number of injection needed in each eye: eight eyes (three injections), six eyes (four injections), seven eyes (five injections), three eyes (six injections), eight eyes (seven injections), 11 eyes (eight injections), and one eye had received nine and ten injections each. Overall, 21/32 (65.62%) eyes had improvement in proptosis whereas 9/32 (28.12%) had improvement in ptosis. Six patients had improvement in extraocular movement. In total, 25 eyes had no improvement whereas seven eyes had improvement in vision. Four eyes underwent exenteration. All nine patients with limited orbital disease had good improvement with fewer injections (median = 4). None of the patients undergoing TRAMB had an intracranial extension of disease. Moreover, 8.88% (4/45) of the eyes had post-TRAMB transient inflammation which resolved without any intervention. Finally, 3/41 of the patients died. Conclusions TRAMB can be considered as an useful therapeutic adjunct in managing ROCM. Further, it can halt the progression of the disease while awaiting definitive surgical intervention.