When Removing a Painful Eye Brings Relief
Enucleation is the surgical removal of the entire globe and may be recommended when an eye is irreversibly damaged, chronically painful, severely infected, or no longer functional.
In this case, the surgical team used an ultrasonic scalpel to assist with tissue dissection and hemostasis. Unlike a conventional blade that only cuts tissue, an ultrasonic scalpel uses high-frequency mechanical vibration to divide tissue while simultaneously coagulating and sealing small blood vessels.
This technology provided several intraoperative advantages:
• More precise dissection around delicate orbital tissues
• Reduced bleeding during tissue separation
• Improved visualization of the surgical field
• Controlled sealing of small vessels
• Limited thermal spread to surrounding tissues compared with some traditional heat-based instruments
Better control of bleeding is especially important during enucleation because the orbit contains multiple blood vessels within a confined surgical space. Maintaining a clear operative field allows the surgeon to identify tissue planes more accurately and complete the procedure efficiently.
The damaged and painful eye was successfully removed, the surgical site was securely closed, and the patient proceeded to postoperative monitoring and pain management. Recovery was comfortable, with satisfactory healing of the incision.
Advanced surgical equipment supports the procedure, but proper patient assessment, anesthesia planning, surgical technique, pain control, and postoperative care remain equally important.
For pets with persistent eye pain, severe trauma, swelling, discharge, or an eye that has been recommended for removal, early veterinary evaluation can help determine the most appropriate treatment plan. Visit any AVCI branch for proper assessment.
Case handled by Dr. Jessica E. Bacalan.
Dr. Jessica E. Bacalan
Attending Veterinarian
