Hemorrhagic Macular Cysts in Patients with Terson's Syndrome Observed through an Ophthalmic Surgical Microscope

Abstract

The characteristics of hemorrhagic macular cysts (HMCs) in patients with Terson's syndrome, focusing on the vitreoretinal interface observed through an ophthalmic surgical microscope, are described. Between May 2015 and February 2022, 19 eyes (17 patients) with vitreous hemorrhage (VH) occurring after subarachnoid hemorrhage underwent pars plana vitrectomy. After removing dense VH, 2 of 19 eyes had HMCs. In both cases with HMCs, they formed a dome-like shape and were located beneath the internal limiting membrane (ILM), lying beyond the clean posterior precortical vitreous pocket (PPVP) without hemorrhage despite the severe VH. Based on the microsurgical findings, it appears that two types of HMCs consisting of subhyaloid and sub-ILM hemorrhages in Terson's syndrome may be involved in the impairment of adhesion of the posterior border of the PPVP and the ILM surface of the macula due to micro bleeding, and that the PPVP may prevent the sub-ILM type of HMC from breaking into the subhyaloid space and transforming into the subhyaloid type. In conclusion, the PPVP may play an important role in the formation of HMCs in Terson's syndrome.

Keywords: Hemorrhagic macular cysts; Posterior precortical vitreous pocket; Terson's syndrome.