Pediatric orbital subperiosteal abscess outbreak in Iran: characteristics and causes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate demographics, characteristics, and management of pediatric patients with subperiosteal abscesses (SPA) secondary to orbital cellulitis and discuss the etiology of a dramatic rise in SPA. METHODS: Data were gathered by retrospective chart review of patients admitted to a tertiary referral eye hospital (Farabi Eye Hospital) diagnosed with orbital cellulitis with subperiosteal abscess from October 2022 to March 2023 (six months). Data on demographic information, clinical examination, radiographic evidence of sinusitis, orbital cellulitis, SPA, surgical and non-surgical management taken, isolated bacteria, and duration of hospital stay were gathered. RESULTS: 24 patients were admitted during these six months, with a diagnosis of orbital SPA secondary to paranasal sinusitis, confirmed by an orbital Computed Tomography (CT) scan. The age range was 11 months to 16 years. 75% of patients were male. All patients had a history of flu-like illness before developing orbital cellulitis. All patients had concurrent sinusitis, and 18 underwent initial surgical abscess drainage. The ethmoid sinus was the most involved, and most patients had a medially located SPA. Abscess volume ranged from 0.78 to 7.81 cm3 (mean: 3.52 cm3). One patient had concurrent central retinal artery occlusion due to orbital cellulitis. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we report a dramatic increase in the incidence of SPA referred to our hospital. Larger abscess volumes and an increased number of cases that needed initial surgical drainage are also of note. An influenza outbreak in the autumn and winter, undiagnosed Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, increased antimicrobial resistance due to excessive off-label use of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more virulent bacterial infections are the most probable hypotheses to justify this observation.

Orbital intramuscular hydatid cyst causing compressive optic neuropathy: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Echinococcosis, commonly known as hydatid disease, is a zoonotic infection resulting from the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. The occurrence of hydatid cysts in the orbital region is uncommon, representing less than 1% of all reported hydatid cases. This report details a unique case of an intramuscular hydatid cyst in the orbital region that led to compressive optic neuropathy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 22-year-old male from Kabul, Afghanistan presented with a five-month history of progressive proptosis in his left eye, associated with a gradual decrease in vision over the past three weeks. The left eye exhibited upward globe dystopia, ocular motility limitation, mild conjunctival injection, and chemosis. Diagnosis was achieved through imaging and histopathological examination. Treatment involves surgical removal of the cyst and prolonged albendazole therapy. The postoperative course showed significant improvement in the patient's condition and restoration of his vision. CONCLUSIONS: Despite its rarity, this case underscores the importance of awareness and knowledge of hydatid disease among physicians, especially those working in endemic areas. It emphasizes the importance of including hydatid disease in the differential diagnosis of orbital masses, particularly in endemic regions.

Lower Eyelid Position Changes Following Müller's Muscle-Conjunctival Resection Blepharoptosis Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Asymmetry of the lower eyelids and a lower position of the lower eyelid on the ptotic side are common issues in patients with upper lid ptosis. Understanding the relationship between upper lid ptosis correction and lower eyelid position will facilitate better treatment strategies for ptosis. OBJECTIVES: To assess the lower eyelid position before and after Müller's muscle-conjunctival resection (MMCR) in unilateral myogenic ptosis (MP) and aponeurotic ptosis (AP). METHODS: This prospective interventional before-and-after study, included adults with blepharoptosis. Measurements were taken before and 6 months after the surgery. RESULTS: A total of 47 patients included, with 29 having MP and 18 having AP. The mean ages were 31.55 ± 5.30 years and 50.11 ± 6.45 years, respectively. In MP group, there was a significant association between baseline MRD2 and the severity of ptosis (MRD1) (ß= -0.739, p=0.004, multivariate regression analysis). After MMCR, significant decreases were observed in MRD2 for both MP (-0.38 ± 0.48 mm, p<0.001) and AP (-0.39 ± 0.47 mm, p=0.003). The symmetry of MRD2 remained stable at 41.4% in the MP, while it decreased from 44.4% to 16.7% in the AP. The baseline MRD2 was the only factor associated with postoperative MRD2 in the MP. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with myogenic and aponeurotic ptosis often exhibit a lower position of the lower eyelid, which typically elevates after posterior upper lid ptosis surgery. In myogenic cases, the severity of preoperative lower eyelid position correlates with the severity of upper lid ptosis and predicts postoperative elevation of the lower lid.

COVID-19 associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis, risk factors and outcome predictors; a multicentric study.

BACKGROUND: Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, an increase in mucormycosis cases has been observed in many countries, including Iran. However, the role of covid-19 and associated risk factors have not been thoroughly investigated. OBJECTIVE: This study is designed to identify epidemiologic characteristics, risk factors, and outcome predictors of Covid-19-Associated Rhino-Orbito-Cerebral Mucormycosis (C-ROCM). METHODS: Data of pathology proven Covid Associated ROCM cases were retrospectively obtained from 7 tertiary care centers throughout Iran from February 20, 2021, to July 22, 2021. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using binary logistic regression to assess the effects of various factors on the outcome. RESULTS: A total of 132 patients with C-ROCM were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 61.6 ± 13.9 (60.6% male). In 12 patients (9.1%), both eyes were involved. Diabetes was the most common comorbidity (94.7%). The mortality rate was 9.1%, higher in males (12.5%) than females (3.8%). Severe vision impairment was seen in 58 patients (43.9%). Main factors that had a negative impact on the outcome in the univariate analysis include older age (P < 0.001), higher steroid dosage (P < 0.001), higher HbA1c level (P < 0.001), Covid-19 severity (P < 0.001), and brain involvement (P < 0.001). However, in the multivariate analysis, the effects of age (P = 0.062), steroid dosage (P = 0.226), and Covid-19 intensity (P = 0.084) decreased, and the difference was no longer statistically significant. CRAO was a predictor of mortality in the univariate analysis (P = 0.008, OR = 4.50), but in the multivariate analysis, this effect decreased and was no longer significant (P = 0.125). CONCLUSION: The risk of C-ROCM and its complications may increase in patients with more severe Covid-19, steroid over-prescription, ICU admission due to Covid-19, and poor glycemic control during and after Covid-19 treatment.

Orbital schwannoma arising within inferior rectus muscle: A rare orbital tumor.

Purpose: To report a rare orbital schwannoma arising within inferior rectus muscle in a young woman. Observations: In this case report, we describe a young patient with slowly progressive proptosis for one year. Preoperative imaging was suggestive of a benign tumor arising within inferior rectus muscle, and histopathologic evaluation revealed an orbital schwannoma with cystic degeneration. Conclusion and importance: This case report highlights the importance of including schwannoma in the differential diagnosis of any orbital tumor arising within muscle.

Comparative efficacy of probing with or without intubation, and/or inferior turbinate fracture in simple congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction: a randomized clinical trial.

To compare the success rates of probing with or without monocanalicular intubation, and/or inferior turbinate fracture in resolving simple congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO). A randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted on children aged 12-36 months exhibiting symptoms of epiphora and/or mucous discharge along with a positive fluorescein dye disappearance test (DDT). Patients were randomly assigned to one of the following interventions: (1) probing; (2) probing and monocanalicular intubation; (3) probing and inferior turbinate fracture; (4) probing, inferior turbinate fracture, and monocanalicular intubation. Participants were categorized into two age groups (12-24 months and 24-36 months) and assessed for resolution of CNLDO three months post-surgery. Success was defined as the absence of epiphora or mucopurulent discharge and a negative DDT. Among the 201 participants, 51 underwent probing alone, 53 underwent probing with intubation, 47 underwent probing with turbinate fracture, and 50 underwent probing with turbinate fracture and intubation. No significant differences were observed in age, gender, or laterality of the disease between the groups (Ps > 0.05). While there was no significant difference in success rates among interventions in both age groups (Ps > 0.05), patients aged 24-36 months who underwent interventions involving intubation exhibited a significantly higher success rate compared to those without intubation (93.0% vs. 76.2%; P = 0.018). However, this difference was not observed in patients aged 12-24 months (95.7% vs. 92.9%; P = 0.551). Incorporating interventions such as intubation and/or turbinate fracture alongside conventional probing does not significantly alter the success rate of simple CNLDO resolution in children aged 12-24 months. However, older patients (24-36 months) may derive greater benefits from interventions involving intubation.

Superficial ocular vascular changes after orbital decompression in patients with thyroid ophthalmopathy measured by anterior segment OCT angiography; an observational study.

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is a common ophthalmologic manifestation of thyroid dysfunction. Despite various imaging techniques available, there hasn't been a widely adopted method for assessing the anterior segment vasculature in TED patients. Our study aimed to evaluate alterations in ocular surface circulation following orbital decompression surgery in TED patients and investigate factors influencing these changes. Using anterior segment optical coherence tomography-angiography (AS-OCTA), we measured ocular surface vascularity features, including vessel density (VD), vessel diameter index (VDI), and vessel length density (VLD), both before and after decompression surgery, alongside standard ophthalmic examinations. Our AS-OCTA analysis revealed a significant decrease in most of the temporal vasculature measurements six weeks post-surgery (p < 0.05). However, differences in the nasal region were not statistically significant. These findings indicate notable changes in ocular surface circulation following orbital decompression in TED patients, which may have implications for intraocular pressure (IOP) control and ocular surface symptoms management. AS-OCTA holds promise as a tool for evaluating the effectiveness of decompression surgery and assessing the need for further interventions.

The continuous rise in orbital subperiosteal abscess incidence in the Iranian pediatric population.

In this study, we aimed to follow up on the surprising increase in the incidence of orbital subperiosteal abscesses (SPA) reported in the Iranian pediatric population in the post-COVID era. Pediatric patients (≤ 18 years old) diagnosed with orbital SPA following acute sinusitis who were hospitalized between October 1st, 2023, and March 31st, 2024 in Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran, were included. Demographic, clinical, microbiologic, and radiological characteristics of patients were reviewed. During the 6-month study period, 39 patients were admitted to our tertiary referral hospital. The average age of patients was 7.29 ± 4.13 years and 30 patients (76.92%) were male. The ethmoid sinus was involved in 100% of patients, and SPA involvement was in the medial wall in 27 patients (69.23%). The mean volume of SPA was 1.45 ± 1.77 cm3. Nineteen patients (48.72%) underwent surgical interventions, however, 20 patients (51.28%) received only medical treatment. The best corrected visual acuity of patients increased from 0.63 (0.20 LogMAR) on the first day of admission to 0.84 (0.07 LogMAR) according to the Snellen chart in the first month after treatment. It seems that the outbreak of orbital SPA in the Iranian children population in the post-COVID era is an increasing trend.

"Pushed" stent intubation for treatment of complex congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction.

PURPOSE: To assess the success rate of pushed stent intubation in children with complex congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO). METHODS: This prospective study was performed in a single academic center. Forty-four eyes with complex CNLDO were treated with pushed stent intubation. Outcome measures included clinical signs plus a parental history of residual symptoms at 6 months after surgery. Relative risk with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for outcomes was reported. RESULTS: The mean follow-up after surgery was 9.0 months (range 6.5-13 months). Complete resolution was achieved in 26 of 44 eyes (59.1%; 95% CI 43.3%-73.3%) after pushed stent. Sex (odds ratio [OR] 2.9; 95% CI 0.4-18.9), age (OR 0.9; 95% CI 0.5-1.5), previous history of probing (OR 1.1; 95% CI 0.1-8.1), and presence of mucopurulent discharge (OR 1.1; 95% CI 0.1-7.8) did not have significant impact on the failure rate in all subjects. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with complex CNLDO, treatment with a pushed stent intubation alleviated the clinical signs and symptoms of CNLDO. Pushed stent has the advantage of reduced operating time and easy placement.