Antibiotic treatment of orbital cellulitis: an analysis of pathogenic bacteria and bacterial susceptibility

Orbital cellulitis clinically mimicking rhabdomyosarcoma

Introduction

Proptosis in children with acute-onset accompanied by signs of inflammation is commonly caused by orbital cellulitis, however, the possibility of rhabdomyosarcoma should always be considered by the clinician. This is a case report of a five-year-old boy presenting with an acute-onset of proptosis without a history of trauma and systemic infection. Our clinical differential diagnosis included orbital cellulitis and orbital rhabdomyosarcoma.

Purpose

To report a case of orbital cellulitis that clinically and radiologically mimics rhabdomyosarcoma.

Case presentation

A five-year-old boy presented with rapid-onset proptosis, periorbital edema, pain and visual loss in the left eye for two weeks without a history of trauma, upper respiratory tract infection, sinusitis or immunosuppression. Our clinical differential diagnosis includes rhabdomyosarcoma and orbital cellulitis. Complete blood count reveals a leukocytosis. Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) scan shows lesions involving the lateral orbit and the retro bulbar space. Antibiotics combination and adjunct anti-inflammatory intravenously shows excellent clinical resolution.

Conclusions

The study demonstrates difficulty in differentiating acute orbital cellulitis from rhabdomyosarcoma based on clinical findings. In addition, the case highlights that antibiotic combination of cephalosporin and aminoglycosides together with an adjuvant corticosteroid as an anti-inflammatory was effective in the case of acute orbital cellulitis.

Evaluation of patients with orbital infections

Aim

Orbital tissue infections are common infections of childhood that can lead to severe complications. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the etiologic factors, diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment procedures in pediatric patients with orbital infections.

Material and Methods

This study was performed retrospectively between January 2014 and December 2015 in Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Pediatric Infectious Disease Unit. Patients were studied for age, ophthalmologic examination features, laboratory and radiology results, treatment modalities, and the response to these treatments.

Results

Thirty-six patients (21 males, 15 females) with an average age of 71.43±42.24 months (5-168 months) participated in the study in the two-year period. Thirty-two patients (88.9%) had preseptal cellulitis, and four (11.9%) had orbital cellulitis. All patients had eyelid hyperemia, edema, and ocular pain, with chemosis in seven and proptosis in four cases. Twenty-five patients were admitted with fever. All cases were unilateral and 44.4% occurred secondary to paranasal sinusitis. All cases were treated with intravenous cefazolin-amikacin. The mean of duration of hospitalization was 12.02±8.75 days (range, 3-28 days) and the duration of parental antibiotics was 12.83±8.18 days (range, 7-21 days). All patients recovered without any vision loss, only one patient experienced subdural empyema complicating preseptal cellulitis.

Conclusions

Most orbital tissue infections occur secondary to paranasal sinusitis in childhood. Orbital tissue infections can be complicated by brain abscess, cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis, and vision loss. Early diagnosis and proper antibiotic treatment are essential to prevent these life-threatening complications.

Acute Rhinosinusitis—Related Orbital Infection in Pediatric Patients: A Retrospective Analysis

Objectives:

Periorbital infection frequently originates from acute rhinosinusitis in children. We tried to find the characteristics of pediatric patients who are likely to develop subperiosteal orbital abscesses and to need emergency surgery for acute orbital swelling.

Methods:

In an observational retrospective cohort study, we reviewed 64 children less than 18 years of age who visited emergency rooms for periorbital swelling and were hospitalized with a diagnosis of periorbital cellulitis and subperiosteal orbital abscess between 1996 and 2007 at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. The presence of periorbital abscess was diagnosed radiographically, and all of the patients had concomitant sinusitis that was proved by computed tomographic scan.

Results:

The mean age of the patients was 6.95 years, and 42 (65.63%) were male (male-to-female ratio, 1.91). Thirty patients (46.88%) had surgical drainage, and 34 (53.13%) received antibiotic therapy only. The factors associated on bivariate analysis with abscess formation were age of 6 years or less (p = 0.023), proptosis (p = 0.012), fever (p < 0.001), and a white blood cell count of more than 11,100 cells per microliter (p = 0.004). On multivariate analysis, fever and proptosis were independent factors that predicted abscess formation. In patients who underwent surgical drainage, the most frequently cultured microbes were Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus viridans, and coagulase-negative staphylococci, and 29% of our patients had polymicrobial pus cultures.

Conclusions:

The most important factor in predicting the failure of antibiotic treatment of sinusitis-related periorbital infections is abscess formation. Patients with fever and proptosis are prone to develop subperiosteal orbital abscesses.

Preseptal and orbital cellulitis: a 10-year review of hospitalized patients

BACKGROUND

Preseptal and orbital cellulitis range in severity from minor to potentially severe complications. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical features of patients with preseptal or orbital cellulitis in one medical center in Taiwan, and to assess the effectiveness of treatments and the complications.

METHODS

Patients admitted between 1996 and 2005 to Taipei Veterans General Hospital under the diagnosis of preseptal or orbital cellulitis were retrospectively reviewed. The demographics, administrative history, past history, clinical presentations, treatments, and complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

In total, 94 patients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for preseptal or orbital cellulitis were identified (67 had preseptal cellulitis, 27 had orbital cellulitis). While paranasal sinus disease was the most common predisposing cause in orbital cases, skin lesions in children and dacryocystitis in adults were the most common in preseptal cases. Microbiologic investigations showed variable results, but the most common pathogen isolated was Staphylococcus aureus. Cultures from eye swabs and local abscesses gave the highest positive yield. Blood cultures were taken in some patients, but the positive rate was extremely low. Treatments included intravenous antibiotics alone, or intravenous antibiotics combined with surgical drainage. Only one case had permanent ocular motility impairment after removal of the orbital foreign body.

CONCLUSION

Despite the past history of potential morbidity and even mortality from orbital cellulitis, early diagnosis and prompt treatment with proper antibiotics and/or surgical intervention can achieve a good prognosis.

Intracranial infection associated with preseptal and orbital cellulitis in the pediatric patient

PURPOSE

To identify risk factors in children admitted with preseptal or orbital cellulitis with associated intracranial infection.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review identified 10 patients (< or = 18 years) with a diagnosis of preseptal or orbital cellulitis and a concurrent or subsequent diagnosis of intracranial infection.

RESULTS

Diagnoses confirmed by imaging included sinusitis (n = 10), preseptal cellulitis (n = 4), orbital cellulitis (n = 6), orbital subperiosteal abscess (n = 5), Pott's puffy tumor (n = 4), epidural empyema (n = 2), epidural abscess (n = 6), and brain abscess (n = 2). The timing of diagnosis of intracranial infection ranged from hospital day 1 to 21. All but 1 patient had positive microbial cultures. Seven of 10 patients had positive microbial cultures from two or more sites, 70% of which were polymicrobial; Streptococcus species and Staphylococcus species were the most commonly isolated bacterial pathogens. All patients required both medical and surgical therapy; all 10 patients underwent sinus surgery; 8 patients required neurosurgical craniotomy; and 5 patients underwent orbital surgery. There were no deaths.

CONCLUSION

Intracranial involvement should be suspected in any patient age > or = 7 years with preseptal or orbital cellulitis associated with orbital subperiosteal abscess, Pott's puffy tumor, concurrent sinusitis, complaints of headache, and continuing fever despite intravenous antibiotics. Given the high incidence of polymicrobial infection found on cultures in this series, broad-spectrum antibiotics are strongly indicated. When imaging the orbits and sinuses in such patients, we recommend including the brain to rule out intracranial involvement.

Medical management of orbital cellulitis

To determine the appropriate early management of orbital cellulitis and the current bacterial etiology and to evaluate the clinical usefulness of orbital computed tomographic imaging for this infection, a prospective study of orbital cellulitis was conducted during a 2-year period, 1999 to 2000, after the introduction of a conservative medical management plan designed by our pediatric infectious diseases, ophthalmology and otolaryngology services. Basically patients did not have surgical intervention unless progressive involvement of the optic nerve occurred after 24 to 36 h of intravenous antimicrobial therapy. Nine patients had orbital cellulitis and subperiosteal abscesses; only one required surgical drainage because of progressive disease, this case being culture-negative. One had a blood culture positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae; conjunctival cultures showed moderate to heavy growth for S. pneumoniae from this and two other patients, but otherwise bacterial etiology could not be defined. Haemophilus influenzae was not recovered from any of their blood or conjunctival cultures. This experience, during the computed tomography scan and Haemophilus vaccine era, supports an initial medical management approach for most patients with subperiosteal or retrobulbar abscesses resulting in orbital cellulitis.

Purulent pansinusitis, orbital cellulitis and rhinogenic intracranial complications

OBJECTIVES

Acute pansinusitis is rarely seen in the maxillofacial surgery field, but often occurs in combination with orbital and intracranial involvement. Clinically this entity is of great importance, since it represents a severe disease with possibly disastrous consequences.

PATIENTS

Aetiology, diagnosis and therapy of acute pansinusitis and its complications were analysed in 36 patients treated surgically from 1987 to 1996.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients were aged between 3 and 21-years-old. Only eight suffered from pure pansinusitis, and three of an isolated purulent orbital infection. Of these 25 patients 20 had (pan-)sinusitis with orbital, three with intracranial, and two with both orbital and intracranial complications. Intracranial involvement included meningitis, empyema and brain abscess. Aetiology was rhinogenic in 26, odontogenic in six patients, and traumatic in two cases. Radiological work-up included conventional radiographs and CT in most cases, MRI was only used with special indications. Microbiological examination detected single or multiple species of micro-organisms with equal frequency. If multiple species were found, infection was mostly aerobic/anaerobic in combination.

CONCLUSION

These purulent processes, frequently seen in young patients, require immediate surgical intervention and drainage with elimination of the cause of the disease if possible. Cooperation with other specialities is essential depending on the spread of the disease. In spite of the threatening acute symptoms, severe courses of disease or permanent defects should be avoidable.