Spontaneous hyphema and pupillary block in a patient with a left ventricular assist device

Abstract

The left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has been a standard of care for the management of patients with advanced heart failure since the 1990s. An increased risk of spontaneous bleeding related to the device has been noted, ranging from minor epistaxis to major thoracic and mediastinal hemorrhages. To our knowledge, intraocular hemorrhage has not been previously reported. We report a 72-year-old patient with an LVAD who subsequently developed a spontaneous intraocular hemorrhage that manifested as hyphema, pupillary block, and acute intraocular pressure elevation.