Traumatic optic neuropathy accompanying orbital grease gun injury

Grease-gun injury of the orbit: two cases report and literature review

BACKGROUND

The grease-guns injury is an uncommon injury to the orbit. We present the twelfth and thirteenth cases of grease-gun injury to the orbit to be reported in the English language literature since 1964. Here we discus and review the presentation, investigation, and treatment of this unusual trauma.

CASE PRESENTATION

Case 1 was a 29-year-old man who presented 1 day after a grease-gun injury of the left orbit with severe pain, marked periorbital swelling, and proptosis. Computed tomography (CT) revealed penetration of grease into his left orbit. Following surgical removal, proptosis decreased. The limitation of extraocular movement and loss of visual acuity to finger count was discovered after the initial surgery. Motility gradually returned. Visual acuity recovered after phacoemulsification, capsular tension ring and intraocular lens implantation for traumatic cataract and subluxation. Case 2 was a 6-year-old boy who was referred 2 months after a grease-gun injury for worsening swelling with sinus, necrosis and slight ptosis of the upper left eyelids. This is a case of orbital chronic inflammation from grease-gun injuries masquerading as orbital cellulitis. The imaging findings of CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are not typical. Surgical exploration and debridement was inevitable and actually relieved the symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Grease-gun injuries can damage the orbit in different degrees. Careful history inquiry and taking is important to establish the diagnosis. Imaging examinations using CT or MRI are helpful to determine depth of trauma and foreign bodies in the orbit at diagnosis. We suggest that surgical exploration and debridement is a key step in the management.

Diagnostic uncertainty following orbital injury from a grease gun

Orbital trauma involving high-pressure grease guns is rare and can cause significant morbidity due to retained intraorbital grease. Grease can appear similar to intraorbital air on cross-sectional imaging, and clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for retained intraorbital grease and know how to recognise this. In this case, we will share the clinical and radiological findings as well as management of retained intraorbital grease.

Orbital Compressed Air and Diesel Explosion Injury Resembling Orbital Cellulitis: An Unusual Case

BACKGROUND In this observational case report, we describe a case of orbital cellulitis caused by blunt trauma from an orbital compressed air and diesel explosion injury. CASE REPORT A 44-year-old man presented to our emergency department with a marked clinical worsening of right upper eyelid swelling, accompanied by pain, fever, and redness. Four days prior, the patient's right eye was struck by a pressurized diesel engine explosion. He sought treatment at another hospital, where an initial examination was conducted and a small laceration was found and immediately treated with irrigation and medication. The wound became progressively worse, and on examination at our hospital, we diagnosed orbital cellulitis, multiple abscesses, and pneumo-orbital formations. There was no indication of infection from the ears, nose, throat, and oral cavity, which usually causes orbital cellulitis. Drainage, debridement, incision, and necrotomy with orbital decompression (canthotomy and cantholysis procedure) was then performed on the patient. CONCLUSIONS Diesel explosion injury can cause orbital cellulitis which can appear to be a simple case at first but has a poor prognosis. Therefore, evaluating the patient's trauma history, computed tomography scan, and histopathological examination are essential in establishing the diagnosis. As early as possible, a diagnosis should be made to prevent tissue damage due to inflammation. Surgical debridement and the administration of a corticosteroid and antibiotic were key to managing the presented case.

Grease gun injury of the orbit: A rare case report

We report a case of intraconal grease gun injury along with traumatic optic neuropathy in a 20-year-old male. He presented with dimness of vision and proptosis of the left eye (LE) following an accidental injury at work place. The computer tomography of orbit revealed hypodense grease orbit. Cream colored grease was continually exuding from the conjunctival wound. Patient improved rapidly after the surgical removal of the grease by anterior orbitotomy. Grease gun injuries to the orbit have rarely been reported. The present case is the eighth report throughout the world, and the first in India as per our knowledge.

Diesel fuel injury to the orbit

A 48-year-old man was seen in the Wills Eye Institute emergency room for pain and decreased vision after having a diesel engine fuel cylinder explosion in his face. Clinical examination showed proptosis, decreased extraocular motility, and increased intraocular pressure; CT scan imaging revealed hypodense areas within the orbit. His orbital signs rapidly worsened despite aggressive antibiotics, steroids, and surgical intervention. Two orbitotomies revealed diesel fuel infiltration of the intraconal and extraconal spaces that proved impossible to evacuate completely. The patient ended up losing vision from an intense chemical cellulitis with subsequent orbital compartment syndrome and optic neuropathy. This case highlights the severity of orbital chemical injuries and their variable prognoses despite aggressive management.

Subconjunctival latex paint from occupational injury

BACKGROUND

Accidental eye trauma with spray guns are rare, but potentially very serious, injuries. Although it is agreed that these injuries require immediate and vigorous therapy, the specifics of such therapy are poorly defined. With latex paint sprayer injuries to hands and extremities, resulting chemical-induced inflammation, high-pressure necrosis, ischemic necrosis, and gangrene require surgical debridement and possibly, amputation. With eye injuries, treatment is directed at preservation of vision, as there is a potential risk of visual loss.

OBJECTIVE

There is currently no consensus on optimal treatment of ocular spray paint injuries. Here we propose a management approach to ocular spray paint injuries with a successful outcome in the case reported.

CASE REPORT

We report the first case, to our knowledge, of an industrial airless spray gun injury that resulted in subconjunctival deposition of latex paint in a soft contact lens wearer. Vision was preserved with medical management consisting of irrigation and topical corticosteroids, antibiotics and cycloplegics.

CONCLUSION

Although latex paint spray gun injuries to the eye are not encountered frequently in practice, this case shows that conservative medical management with no surgical intervention is effective for ocular injuries with preserved vision.

Predictive value of visual evoked potentials, relative afferent pupillary defect, and orbital fractures in patients with traumatic optic neuropathy

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive value of flash visual-evoked potentials (VEP), relative afferent pupillary defect, and presence of orbital fractures in patients with traumatic optic neuropathy.

METHODS

A prospective study was conducted in 15 patients with indirect traumatic optic neuropathy. All patients underwent a thorough ophthalmic examination. Initial visual acuity, final visual acuity, and relative afferent pupillary defect were determined, and visual acuity was converted into logMAR units. We performed flash VEP and an orbital computed tomography scan in all patients.

RESULTS

There was a good correlation between relative afferent pupillary defect and final visual acuity (r = -0.83), and better initial visual acuity could predict better final visual acuity (r = 0.92). According to findings from flash VEP parameters, there was a relationship between final visual acuity and amplitude ratio of the wave (r = 0.59) and latency ratio of the wave (r = -0.61). Neither primary visual acuity nor final visual acuity was related to the presence of orbital fractures in the orbital CT scan.

CONCLUSION

Patients with traumatic optic neuropathy often present with severe vision loss. Flash VEP, poor initial visual acuity, and higher grade of relative afferent pupillary defect could predict final visual acuity in these patients. Presence of orbital fracture was not a predictive factor for primary visual acuity or final visual acuity.