Orbital and intracranial complications after acute rhinosinusitis

Abstract

Background/objectives: Nowadays, intracranial abscess is a rare complication of acute rhinosinusitis. The consequent orbital and intracranial complications of acute rhinosinusitis are rare but must be mutually excluded in complicated rhinosinusitis even when proper surgical and medical treatment tend to efficiently heal the orbital complication. Methods: We report a case of a patient who primarily revealed symptoms of orbitocellulitis as a complication of odontogenous rhinosinusitis. Proper diagnostic and therapeutical measures were undertaken to manage the disease immediately after stationary admission. Results: Two weeks after an inconspicuous healing period, hemiparesis due to formation of an intracranial abscess developed. An emergent situation reveals which was unusual to the clinical situation. Conclusion: The possible role of underlying mechanisms of intracranial abscess formation is discussed and review of literature concerning orbital and intracranial rhinosinusitis complications is performed. The correct indication of imaging methods and accurate evaluation of diminutive symptoms are essential. We assume that performance of a complementary CT of the brain or MRI even when previous CT scan of the orbit/paranasal sinuses reveals no cerebral pathology should be done to avoid or minimize future patients with consecutive orbital and intracranial complications of acute rhinosinusitis.