Orbital trauma, bradycardia, and vomiting: trapdoor fracture and the oculocardiac reflex: a case report

When brakes fail you: Oculocardiac reflex elicited by a retained foreign body in a penetrating orbital injury

Purpose

To report a case of oculocardiac reflex following penetrating orbital injury with entrapment of extraocular muscle secondary to a retained orbital foreign body.

Observation

A 19-year-old man with no known comorbidities presented with a foreign object in his right orbit following a motor vehicle accident. Visual acuity was 20/20 bilaterally with positive relative afferent pupillary defect for the right eye. A motorcycle brake lever was embedded in the right inferotemporal conjunctival fornix, missing his globe. He was bradycardic in the emergency department, with a pulse rate ranging between 45 and 48 beats per minute. An urgent computed tomography scan of the orbit confirmed the penetrating injury with a linear hyperdense foreign body extending from the right inferior orbit into the right maxillary sinus. This foreign body was seen abutting the right lateral rectus and the globe inferiorly. Fractures involving the inferior and medial wall of the right orbit were seen with the inferior rectus, and orbital fat herniated into the maxillary sinus.The patient underwent urgent orbit exploration with foreign body removal and orbital floor repair under general anesthesia. Immediately after removing the foreign body, his pulse rate returned to normal, within 72-80 beats per minute. Six months postoperatively, visual acuity was 20/20 for both eyes. Although he had persistent diplopia on upgaze, he refused any other interventions.

Conclusion and importance

Prompt detection of the oculocardiac reflex and removal of the inciting stimulus is vital to prevent any life-threatening events.

White-eyed blowout fracture: A 10 days delayed surgical intervention and outcomes: A case report

The basis of the problem: Craniomaxillofacial trauma in pediatric group is less common with an incidence rate of 15% and the most commonly involved site is the fracture of orbital floor. Blow out fractures can either be pure or impure with trauma being the most predominant etiology. Method: Our case report present a 15 year old patient with a diagnosis of white eye blow out fracture reported ten days post trauma. The case was surgically dealt by releasing the entrapped inferior rectus muscle and placement of titanium mesh in the orbital floor with a postoperative follow up period of 6 months. Results: In the present report, although the eye movements i were evident without any restriction, the authors were unable to achieve a full range of eye movements due to delayed surgical intervention. Conclusion: Inferior rectus muscle entrapment is the most common entity encountered in cases of white eye blow out fractures, due to its close proximity with the orbital floor and lack of periodontal fat. Early diagnosis and immediate surgical intervention would bring about a best positive outcome in the management of white eye blow out fractures.

The Oculocardiac Reflex: Its Evolution and Management

INTRODUCTION

The oculocardiac reflex is initiated by a pressure stimulus to the orbit or periorbital structures causing in bradycardia transmitted via the trigeminal-vagus nerve reflex arc. While this most frequently occurs with ophthalmologic surgeries, trauma to the orbit and periorbital structures can result in bradycardia and even in some cases, asystole. The aim of this case report and review of the literature is to identify and examine recent studies of the oculocardiac reflex related to facial trauma and to identify associated patient age, symptoms, and fracture patterns.

METHODS

A literature search was performed using the database within PubMed.gov using the term "oculocardiac." Results were reviewed for case reports or series related to facial trauma from the year 2000 to 2019. Studies were then evaluated for fracture pattern, presence of entrapment, patient symptoms, and age.

RESULTS

The initial search resulted in 109 articles. A total of 22 articles were case reports or series of trauma patients. Twenty articles met inclusion criteria. Median age was 22 years. Eleven patients sustained orbital floor fractures. Four patients sustained medial wall fractures. Three patients had concomitant orbital floor and zygomatic fractures, and 4 with concomitant orbital floor and medial wall fractures. The most common extracardiac symptom experienced was nausea and vomiting (15/23) followed by diplopia (10/23). Status of entrapment was available in 20 patients of which entrapment was reported in fourteen (14/20).

CLINICAL REPORT

A 26-year old male presents after blunt trauma to the face resulting in a left orbital floor, rim, and maxillary fractures. Extraocular movements were initially intact and the patient had no diplopia. He developed bradycardia to 30 to 40 bpm just prior to induction of anesthesia. He was found to have developed entrapment of the inferior rectus muscle. The orbital floor and rim were repaired with complete resolution of bradycardia.

CONCLUSION

Patients who sustain maxillofacial trauma involving the orbit are at risk of developing the oculocardiac reflex. Patients tend to be younger. The orbital floor is more commonly the site of traumatic injury. Nausea and vomiting are common encountered symptoms. The oculocardiac reflex, clinicians must recognize, is not static but may evolve over a patient's clinical course as seen in our patient.

Two Episodes of Trigeminocardiac Reflex During a Pan facial Fracture Surgery, a Rare Phenomenon - Case Report and Review of Literature

Trigeminocardiac reflex is a sudden physiologic response due to mechanical manipulation of any of the branches of trigeminal nerve. Trigeminocardiac reflex occurs due to pressure effect or stretching of trigeminal nerve which causes fall in blood pressure and decrease in heart rate. In this reflex arc, the trigeminal nerve serves as afferent pathway and vagus nerve, which is cardio inhibitory in nature, serves as efferent pathway. Two episodes of trigeminocardiac reflex during maxillofacial trauma surgery is not a common phenomenon. The present case report describes a case of 40-year-old male patient, diagnosed with pan facial fracture in which two episodes of trigeminocardiac reflex were seen intraoperatively during fracture reduction and fixation of left zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture and inferior orbital rim fracture. Intraoperative management of trigeminocardiac reflex was done by withholding the stimulus and administration of atropine.

White-eyed blowout fracture: Diagnostic pitfalls and review of literature

White-eyed blowout fracture was first termed by Jordan et al. in individuals sustaining a blow to the periocular area and presenting with ocular symptoms, although with minimal soft tissue signs of trauma. It is often found in pure orbital floor blowout fractures among paediatric patients, and it could manifest as a linear or hinge-like trapdoor deformity. Unlike the more common open orbital blowout fractures with distinct diagnostic clinical signs, white-eyed blowout fractures are rarer and their diagnoses can be easily missed, subsequently costing an optimal time window for surgical intervention. This is critical as better outcomes are found with earlier release of entrapments. This report describes a case of a white-eyed blowout fracture in a 10-year-old child faced with its diagnostic challenges. The current literature review discusses the types of fracture pattern, signs and symptoms, mechanism of action, as well as timing of surgery. In view of the common complication of persistent diplopia, clinical pitfalls in achieving this diagnosis are emphasized to prevent any delay of treatment. Current literature evidences are weighted towards urgent surgical intervention, as positive outcomes are found to correlate with earlier release of entrapments.

A case of ocular cardiac reflex in a child with blunt ocular trauma

An 11-year-old boy re-presented with refractory vomiting 18 h after blunt facial and head trauma. Initial CT of the brain performed at his first visit was normal. He was found to have a heart rate of 56 bpm (age appropriate 65-100 bpm) with a blood pressure 90/60 mm Hg. Physical examination revealed an injected sclera and limited vertical movement of the left eye. Neurological examination revealed no focal deficits, but a Glasgow Coma Scale of 14, with mild confusion, depressed mental status and diplopia on upward gaze. Performing upward gaze extra ocular movements exacerbated the patient's bradycardia and confirmed the presence of the oculocardiac reflex. High-resolution CT of orbits demonstrated a left orbital floor fracture with entrapment of the left inferior rectus muscle. Surgical correction resolved his bradycardia.

Sudden onset Oculo-cardiac Reflex post-traumatic eye injury in PNG: a case study and discussion

This case study examines the onset of traumatic OCR--Oculo-cardiac Reflex--in the remote southern highlands of PNG. The spontaneous occurrence of OCR post-trauma in the clinical setting leads to sudden onset bradycardia, nausea and hypotension, resulting in cardiovascular compromise and deteriorating clinical conditions. Initial recognition of the characteristics of OCR will prepare the clinician to deal with the sequence of events that arise post the reflex initiation.

Incidence and ramifications of the oculocardiac reflex during the orbitozygomatic approach: a prospective assessment

OBJECTIVE

The oculocardiac reflex (OCR) is a sudden decrease in heart rate resulting from mechanical manipulation of the orbit, especially due to traction on the orbital contents. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and clinical ramifications of OCR elicitation by the orbitozygomatic (OZ) approach.

METHODS

Electrocardiographic strips were collected prospectively from 104 patients undergoing OZ approaches. Recording was started at the commencement of the craniotomy cuts and was stopped after completion of the OZ osteotomy. Each recording was divided into stage 1, which encompassed the time between the start of the craniotomy cuts to the commencement of the osteotomy cuts, and stage 2, which encompassed the time from commencement of osteotomy cuts until completion of all bone work and dural tacking Orbital manipulation occurred exclusively during stage 2. A decrease in heart rate of 10 bpm or more between stage 1 and stage 2 was recorded as an OCR event.

RESULTS

In our 104 patients we detected OCR events 31.7% of the time. There was no significant difference in rate of OCR occurrence found in analysis of the covariates of hypertension, hyperlidemia, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism/hyperthyroidism, β-blocker use, calcium channel blocker use, or tobacco use. In each case, transient cessation of orbital manipulation was sufficient to normalize heart rate. No patients required anticholinergic intervention as a result of OCR, and there were no postoperative ramifications of the OCR.

CONCLUSIONS

OCR occurs in nearly one-third of patients who undergo the OZ approach. However, simple cessation of orbital manipulation is sufficient to normalize the patient's heart rate. Rarely is medical management required or does there appear to be any significant postoperative ramifications.

Orbital trapdoor fractures

Orbital trapdoor fractures are commonly encountered in children. Awareness of trapdoor fractures is of particular importance. This is because early recognition and treatment are necessary to prevent permanent motility abnormities. In this article, we will provide a brief overview of orbital fractures. The clinical and radiographic features of trapdoor fractures will then be reviewed, followed by a discussion on their proper management.