title: Recurrent periorbital cellulitis in a child. A random event or an underlying anatomical abnormality?
abstract: We present a case of recurrent periorbital cellulitis in a child. From the age of 2 years the child was admitted with periorbital cellulitis a total of six times with the first five episodes responding to conservative management with intravenous antibiotics. On the sixth admission endoscopic surgical treatment was carried out. Two abnormalities were noted: an anatomically abnormal uncinate process and an isolated abscess in an ethmoidal cell. It is believed that the abnormal uncinate process caused obstruction of the osteomeatal area, predisposing to recurrent peri-orbital cellulitis. We discuss the importance of early imaging and surgery in recurrent periorbital cellulitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, The Freeman Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. pkarkos@aol.com
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Karkos
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Karagama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karkanevatos
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
mesh_terms: D002481:Cellulitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D015521:Ethmoid Sinusitis / Q000150:complications; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome