Surgical treatment of a transorbital penetrating brain injury

Reversible cerebral vasospasm and cerebral infarction secondary to meningitis following penetrating head trauma with bamboo

A man in the 70s fell on a bamboo and punctured his left upper eyelid. CT of the head showed fractures of the medial and superior walls of the left orbit, intracranial traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage, intraventricular haematoma and left frontal cerebral contusion. He was treated conservatively. Despite prophylactic antibiotic therapy, he had prolonged loss of consciousness. A cerebrospinal fluid examination revealed bacterial meningitis. Imaging studies on day 15 showed extensive subacute cerebral infarction in the bilateral parieto-occipital lobes and main trunk artery stenosis. On day 31, MRA showed improvement of the main arteries, and cerebral vasospasm-induced cerebral infarction was diagnosed. He was transferred to rehabilitation with full assistance. The prognosis of bamboo perforation trauma is critical. Thus, preventing and treating central nervous system infection are considered the key to the prognosis. However, given the lack of established treatment for meningitis-associated cerebral vasospasm, case-specific treatment must be considered.

Transorbital penetrating head injury with a favorable outcome: illustrative case

BACKGROUND

Transorbital penetrating head injuries (PHIs) are uncommon but can lead to substantial deficits, depending on intracranial involvement and the neuroanatomical structures affected. Complete recovery after such injuries is rare.

OBSERVATIONS

A 7-year-old boy sustained a PHI when he fell onto a garden spike while climbing a fence. Initial imaging showed an orbital roof fracture, focal subarachnoid hemorrhage, and an intraparenchymal hemorrhage in the right frontal lobe with associated linear tract extending to the contralateral superior temporal gyrus. Relevant neuroanatomical structures, including the anterior cerebral arteries (ACAs) and the basal ganglia, were spared. This is in keeping with superior transorbital PHI caused by a garden spike, which had transgressed the skull entering from the right superior orbit. Clinically, he experienced some transient right-sided weakness and mild speech disturbance. Some questionable vasospasm of the ACAs observed on interim magnetic resonance imaging was absent in a repeat imaging study, followed by an unremarkable radiographic follow-up at 6 months after injury. At 18 months after injury, he is neurologically intact without deficit.

LESSONS

Most PHIs bear serious lifelong consequences, but here was a case of a deep, penetrating object that managed to avoid all significant neuroanatomical pathways, leading to complete recovery in follow-up.

An extremely rare case: Transorbital penetrating intracranial injury by wooden foreign body. Case report

Introduction and importance

Transorbital Penetrating Intracranial Injury (TOPI) is a rare case, but those caused by Wooden Foreign Body are even challenging that may pose unusual diagnostic and surgical challenges.

Case presentation

we presented a TOPI following a wood penetrated to the left temporal fossa region via orbital roof due to struck the tree branches while got a motor vehicle accident. The patient was fully conscious with decreased visual acuity in the left eye and left ophthalmoplegia. Non-contrast CT scan showed the linear-shaped foreign body, air mimicking that penetrated medial orbit plane to the left temporal fossa.

Clinical discussion

The surgery was performed with a temporobasal approach and revealed good results with only mild ophthalmologic complications without long-term fatal complications (1-year followed-up).

Conclusion

early removal of wooden foreign body that penetrates to the intracranial via transorbital is mandatory and should be involved multidisciplinary approach to get the optimal result and avoid the fatal complication both neurologically or ophthalmologically.

Removal of a Penetrating Tree Branch in the Orbitofrontal Region-A Unique Application of an Orbitofrontal Craniotomy Through a Supraciliary Brow Approach

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE

Orbitocranial penetrating injury (OPI) is associated with neurological, infectious, and vascular sequalae. This report describes unique application of an orbitofrontal craniotomy through a supraciliary approach to remove a wooden stick penetrating through the orbit and frontal lobe, postoperative management, and antimicrobial therapy.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

A 51-yr-old male presented after a tree branch penetrated beneath his eye. He had no loss of consciousness and was neurologically intact with preserved vision and ocular motility. Computed tomography (CT) and CT angiogram revealed an isodense hollow cylindrical object penetrating though the left orbit and left frontal lobe. The object extended into the right lateral ventricle, abutting the left anterior cerebral artery. There was minimal intraventricular hemorrhage without arterial injury. The patient was treated with broad-spectrum antimicrobial coverage. The foreign body was removed and the dural defect repaired via an orbitofrontal craniotomy through a supraciliary eyebrow incision. He was treated with an extended course of antimicrobial therapy, and after 18 mo remained neurologically intact.

CONCLUSION

OPI are a subset of penetrating brain injuries with potential for immediate injury to neurovascular structures and delayed complications including cerebrospinal fluid leak and infection. Treatment includes attempted complete removal of the foreign body and antimicrobial therapy. An orbitofrontal craniotomy through a supraciliary eyebrow incision may be effective in selected patients.

How to Remove a Penetrating Intracranial Large Nail

BACKGROUND

The incidence of penetrating intracranial foreign bodies is rare, and to date, not many relevant studies have been published worldwide. In particular, a nail penetrating intracranially, just near the superior sagittal sinus (SSS), is extremely rare. We treated the case of a large nail that penetrated the middle of the head and strategized its removal.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 70-year-old man had experienced headache lasting a day. Computed tomography of the brain revealed a nail penetrating the middle of his head; in particular, the tip of the nail had penetrated the right ventricle, causing a slight subarachnoid hemorrhage. Angiography showed that the nail was very close to the SSS and that the venous flow was normal. However, there was a risk of the nail penetrating through the SSS or injuring other arteries, and we removed the nail directly from the intracranial view to stop bleeding from the SSS or other vessels. Fortunately, there was no bleeding, and we washed the hole created by the nail penetration and concluded the surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Our technique is useful and safe for removing large nails penetrating the head.

Transorbital penetrating head trauma leading to serious cerebral edema - A case report

Penetrating transorbital head injuries are rarely seen. We present a 6-year old male patient who was referred to our department after a wooden stick penetrated his right eye. On admission his general condition was well and he showed no neurologic deficits. On his cranial computed tomography (CT) there was a fracture on his right orbital wall and minimal subarachnoid hemorrhage in his right frontal lobe. On later follow-ups the patient's condition worsened and his control CT showed diffuse cerebral edema. The patient underwent emergent decompressive surgery. Due to this immediate intervention the patient was released from the hospital with no major deficits later. Up to our knowledge, there are no cases in the literature reported in which decompressive craniectomy was necessary after a transorbital penetrating head trauma.

Occult Orbital Injury with Dagger Fragment with Resulting Pneumocephalus

Penetrating injuries of the cranium are relatively uncommon, only 0.4% of all head injuries. In patients with disturbed conscious level, an extensive examination should be performed in the emergency unit to rule out transorbital penetrating brain injury. A 25-year-old male was attacked with a dagger. He presented with ethylic intoxication and the physical examination demonstrated a small skin injury on the lateral canthus of the left eye with a large periocular hematoma which prevented eyelid opening. Cranial CT scan showed a metallic intraorbital foreign body consisting of a fragment of a dagger which perforated the eyeball, and penetrated through the superomedial wall of the orbit into the anterior cranial fossa. Reconstruction of the eyeball was performed and the fragment was removed. Orbital injuries with a knife in situ are very unusual. Early identification and removal of retained foreign bodies are essential.

Management of Penetrating Brain Injury Caused by a Nail Gun: Three Case Reports and Literature Review

BACKGROUND

Penetrating brain injury (PBI) caused by a nail gun is an extremely rare neurosurgical emergency that poses a challenge for neurosurgeons because of its rarity and complexity.

CASE DESCRIPTION

Here we present 3 cases of PBI caused by a nail gun. In the first case, the nail entered through the right parietal bone and lodged in the right parietal lobe and basal ganglia. In the second case, the nail entered through the right occipital bone and lodged in the right occipital lobe. In the third case, the nail entered through the right parietal bone and lodged in the right frontal and parietal lobes. All patients underwent surgical removal of the nail. The first patient presented with reduced left-side strength, whereas the second and third patients were neurologically intact on presentation.

CONCLUSIONS

PBI caused by a nail gun can present with differing clinical manifestations, and most cases require immediate surgery. A rational management strategy should provide a good postoperative prognosis with minimal neurologic deficits in these patients.

[Penetrating orbitocranial injury: a review of the literature and a case report of injury by a watercolor brush in a 3-year-old child]

We present a rare case of orbitocranial penetrating injury by a watercolor brush in a 3-year-old child. Injuries of this localization can affect important orbital structures (eyeball, blood vessels, nerves, muscles) and cause severe intracranial damages. In some cases, diagnosis of these injuries in children may be difficult due to the lack of marked clinical manifestations. The presented clinical case illustrates the approaches for choosing methods for diagnosis of injury in childhood and subsequent treatment options.

An Unusual Transorbital Penetrating Injury by House-key (lock): A Case Report with a Small Review of Literature

Penetrating injuries of the brain are quite uncommon, comprising approximately 0.4% of all head injuries. In our case, a four-year-old boy who fell forward on a house-key (lock) accidentally while playing with some other children sustained a left sided penetrating transorbital brain injury. After hospital admission, the patient had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 15/15, no visual loss but restriction of upward gaze (left eye) and profuse bleeding from the wound site. Firstly, the metallic key was removed in emergency operation theatre and haemostasis secured. Next day we did a combined surgical approach with neurosurgeons, Eye-surgeons and general surgeons after having CT scan report. We report this case because penetrating head injury is rare and transorbital penetrating head injury is even rarer and a predicament in emergency surgical practice with controversial management.

Trans-orbital orbitocranial penetrating injury by pointed iron rod

Trans-orbital orbitocranial penetrating injury (TOPI) by a foreign body is an extremely rare compound head injury having a potential to cause major morbidity and mortality. Preoperative radiological imaging by CT scan is very important for operative guidance, but in remote area where CT scan is not available, the patient is generally referred to tertiary level. Here we present a case which was dealt successfully without CT scan, only on the basis of stable clinical status and X-rays. We present a case of a 35-year-old man who had an accidental injury (fall from height) by rod. Immediate X-ray (anteroposterior and lateral views) revealed that the pointed end of the foreign body (rod) was inside the ipsilateral anterior fossa via basifrontal bone up to frontal vertex, not crossing the midline. CT scan was not available and his vitals with GCS were normal (15/15). He was operated with the help of an ophthalmic surgeon by right frontotemporal craniotomy. The patient was discharged on 10^th day without any neurological deficit except restricted right eyeball movement to superolateral and ptosis. The restricted eyeball movements recovered after third month of follow up with remnant ptosis for 2 years. This case highlights an unusual case, direct visualization and repair of brain structures with higher antibiotics can save the life even in remote areas where CT scan is still not available only on the basis of stable GCS and X-rays.

Treatment of a transorbital penetrating injury: a particular endovascular approach

The management of craniocerebral penetrating injury currently represents a challenge for neurosurgeons and neuroradiologists and requires innovative planning. This report describes the case of a worker admitted to hospital with an intracranial piece of concrete-cutting saw stuck through the right eye. At the time of admission the patient was conscious and this fact influenced the choice of a particular approach. This patient escaped without neurological deficit or complications, except for the inevitable removal of an eye.