Minor Traumas with Major Consequences: Penetrating Transorbital Injuries with Sharp Objects

Abstract

Transorbital penetrating injuries are rare but can cause severe life-threatening intracranial injuries to the brain, brainstem, or internal carotid artery. They often present dramatically with an obvious trauma and extensive collateral damage to surrounding structures [1]. However, some injuries are subtle, with a seemingly trivial trauma and little or no obvious damage to the surrounding tissues. These innocuous injuries carry the risk of being overlooked and the extent of the injury not being recognized. Very rarely are isolated third and sixth nerve palsies caused by penetrating trauma [2], [3]. We present two rare cases of penetrating transorbital traumas leading to third and sixth nerve palsies.