Spontaneous orbital subcutaneous emphysema mimicking lacrimal duct obstruction after sneezing: A case report

Abstract

Introduction: Orbital subcutaneous emphysema after trauma has been carefully reported, but its development in the absence of trauma is rare. Case presentation: We report on a 70-year-old patient who developed unilateral orbital subcutaneous emphysema, mimicking lacrimal duct occlusion, after this man sneezed, and presented with right crepitant eyelid swelling and progressive ptosis. Orbital subcutaneous emphysema develops when air can get into the periorbital soft tissue, which presents as a result of facial bone trauma, iatrogenic procedures, and gas-forming infectious microorganisms, as seen in many published articles. It is very uncommon to see this kind of case report after sneezing; however, in our case, spontaneous orbital subcutaneous emphysema occurred after sneezing that resolved slowly after a few weeks without surgical intervention. Our patient denied any painful sensation over the right orbital area, including no visual problems with the right eye but right eyeball limited movements. It can be stressful to patients due to its symptoms but is not a true emergency. Conclusion: In this article, we should bring awareness to physicians of the possibility of a spontaneously orbital subcutaneous emphysema with complications after sneezing, yielding relevant information for patients to be informed about avoid excessive nose blowing or occluding the nose, creating controlled symptoms.