Buzzard Aaron K, Linklater Derek R
Department of Emergency Medicine, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Fort Hood, Texas, USA.
J Emerg Med. 2009 Nov;37(4):390-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2007.09.027. Epub 2008 Jan 28.
Atraumatic retinal detachment in a pediatric patient is an extremely rare but vision-threatening disease process. Obtaining an adequate history and physical examination in children presenting with eye complaints can be extremely challenging, as young children are frequently unable to provide a good history or comply with a detailed physical examination. The use of high-resolution bedside ultrasonography in the Emergency Department can assist practitioners with obtaining detailed images of structural intraocular pathology. We present the unusual case of a suspected atraumatic retinal detachment in a pediatric patient that was confirmed using this novel imaging modality.