Ulnar Neuropathy as a Complication of Prone Positioning Following Retinal Detachment Surgery

Background: In vitrectomy performed for retinal detachment, a gas bubble tamponade may be placed to ensure adequate approximation and closure of the retina. Although not included in clinical guidelines, maintaining a face-down position for several days or even weeks after surgery may help the gas bubble settle against the retina. The duration of the face-down positioning varies depending on the retinal pathology, the type of gas used, and the surgeon’s preference. Maintaining a continuous face-down position is quite difficult for patients. Therefore, they may adopt sitting or lying positions with their heads supported on a table. However, this may lead to certain ischemic and thrombotic complications. Unfortunately, clinicians are often unaware of or tend to overlook these risks.Case Presentation: Herein, we report a case of ulnar neuropathy that developed as a result of prolonged prone positioning following retinal detachment surgery, in order to raise awareness of this potential complication.