Orbital Infection Due to Medial Wall Fracture: Three Cases of Orbital Complications Caused by Paranasal Sinusitis Secondary to Medial Orbital Wall Fracture
Authors: Tu Yunhai , Hong Huifeng , Wu Wencan 
Published: June 2021

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to report 3 cases of orbital complications in patients with secondary sinusitis due to medial orbital wall fracture. We believe that sinusitis can be secondary to the fracture of the medial orbital wall when the sinus drainage orifice is blocked due to some fracture pieces or other blocking factors. We precisely show the direct evidence of the blocking factors through radiology.

Design:

Retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series.

Participants:

All patients had intraorbital complications and a history of traumatic orbital medial fracture as well as imaging findings of sinusitis.

Methods:

A medical record review of clinical history, imaging studies, and surgical and treatment outcomes were performed.

Main Outcome Measures:

Postoperative visual acuity, appearance, eye movement, surgical and imaging findings.

Results:

Three patients (2 males and 1 female; average age 38.33 years [range, 11–65]) received endoscopic surgery for orbital complications related to sinusitis. All patients had evidence of paranasal sinusitis after the orbital injury. Two patients were treated with antibiotics before the operation, but there was no significant improvement. All patients underwent transnasal endoscopic sinotomy. Two patients received orbital abscess incision and drainage surgery and 1 patient underwent a cyst excision operation. The visual acuity of the 3 patients was improved after the operation, and the clinical examination was significantly improved.

Conclusions:

The anatomy of the orbit is closely related to the nasal cavity. The fracture of the medial orbital wall often causes abnormal anatomy of the sinus outflow tract. For the 3 of our patients, the blocking factors of sinus orifices were fracture fragment, orbital bone deformation, and the formation of giant nasal intraorbital mucocele. Sinusitis possibly occurs when drainage is not smooth. Infections develop due to the secretions retaining and accumulation of microorganisms. Inflammation from the sinus can be spread into the orbit in various ways. Our 3 patients indicate that a fracture of the inner orbital wall may cause sinusitis. When the patient is injured again or sneezing or in other conditions when the pressure in the nasal cavity increases, inflammation of the sinuses enters the orbit, causing serious intraorbital complications. It is necessary to carefully follow-up on the medical history, combined with imaging examination, to prevent the misdiagnosis of intraorbital hemorrhage or hematoma from affecting the treatment.

In recent years, more and more cases of intraorbital complications caused by sinusitis have been reported.
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Severe intraorbital inflammation can pose a threat to vision and even life. With the great tool of the endoscope, nasal-orbital problems can be well solved. For our 3 patients, we opened the paranasal sinus and removed the occlusion of the sinus orifice through transnasal endoscopy. All patients achieved good surgical and clinical results.