title: Periorbital varicella gangrenosa necessitating orbital exenteration in a previously healthy adult.
abstract: A previously healthy 31-year-old man had profound neurologic compromise and necrotizing periorbital infection due to a complication of varicella infection. Despite aggressive treatment, he required orbital exenteration and radical debridement of the involved tissues. He survived in a vegetative state for almost 1 year before succumbing to progressive neurologic deterioration. We present and discuss this complicated case of varicella gangrenosa to show the devastating nature of complications that can occur from varicella infection in the unsensitized adult.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile 36693, USA.
authors.forename: W O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weston
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Evankovich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D003128:Coma / Q000209:etiology; D003646:Debridement; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000209:etiology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005734:Gangrene; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009915:Orbit / Q000601:surgery*; D009916:Orbital Diseases / Q000601:surgery*