Intraorbital foreign bodies – 5 own cases and review of literature

Abstract

Five patients were surgically treated for intraorbital foreign body: a 14-year-old girl had a door glass splinter, a 23-year-old man a metallic foreign body – gunshot pellet, a 55-year-old man a splinter from a metallic bar, a 48-year-old patient the splinters of circular saw and 61-year-old man with shot. Two foreign bodies were removed using the Krönlein-Reese-Berk lateral orbitotomy, two others by Sewell medial orbitotomy and one with superior orbitotomy of Dandy-Naffziger. Radiographs and CT scans were used to identify and localize intraorbital foreign bodies. In one case we found coexistence foreign body (shot) and tumor – inflammation pseudotumor of the orbita. It is possible, that in this case long-time occupy foreign body in the orbita was a cause of that tumor. All foreign bodies were successfully removed, and postoperative course was uneventful. The Krönlein-Reese-Berk orbitotomy provides a satisfactory access to the lateral and posterior orbit, which is of particular importance in the case of a deeply penetrating foreign body (metallic or glass). Surgical removal of intraorbital foreign bodies is a classic example of an interdisciplinary therapeutic approach. Best outcome is usually a result of a team of an ophtalmologist, ENT surgeon, maxillary surgeon and possibly also neurosurgeon performing the operation.