Affiliations: Department of Neurosurgery, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate
Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India | Department of Neuro-Ophthalmology, Sanjay Gandhi
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Raj Kumar, Professor and Head, Department
of Neurosurgery, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences,
Lucknow -226014, U.P., India. Tel.: +91 522 2668700, 2668800 Ext. 2157(C),
2158(R), 2107(OT), 2741(O); Fax: +91 522 2668129 & 2668017; E-mail:
rajkumar@sgpgi.ac.in
Abstract: Orbital abscess following trivial blunt trauma to the eye are
uncommon. Few cases are known and reported in the literature. The clinical
presentation can be myriad varying from localized presentation to children with
marked systemic toxicity. Visual loss is the most dreaded complication and a
rapid deterioration in vision may occur if the treatment is delayed.
Radiological investigations usually offer a prompt diagnosis but considerable
degree of confusion may occur, especially in those cases that lack systemic
manifestations of infective pathology. Aggressive medical and surgical
treatment is mandatory for a favorable outcome in these cases. We report the
case of a child who presented to us with orbital abscess of the left eye
following a trivial blunt trauma. No other infective focus was identified.
Subsequent imaging revealed abscess of the superior rectus muscle. The child
improved following intravenous antibiotics and ultrasonography guided
aspiration of the abscess. The clinical and radiological presentation of such
cases, management and outcome and a brief review of literature are
discussed.
Keywords: Orbital abscess, superior rectus, blunt trauma, non-axial proptosis, visual loss
