Spontaneous hemorrhage in an intraorbital arteriovenous malformation.

OBJECTIVE: To report the clinical findings and management of spontaneous hemorrhage in an unsuspected intraorbital arteriovenous malformation.

DESIGN: Interventional case report.

METHODS: Review of clinical findings, radiologic studies, and treatment of the patient.

RESULTS: A 75-year-old woman sought treatment for the rapid onset of severe proptosis. Orbital exploration of a "mass" imaged on computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging resulted in massive intraoperative hemorrhage. Subsequent arteriographic and histopathologic analysis confirmed an underlying orbital arteriovenous malformation.

CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous intraorbital hemorrhage from an arteriovenous malformation is extremely rare, but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of rapidly progressive proptosis.