[Pyocele of the posterior ethmoidal cell as the cause of visual loss].
BACKGROUND
Mucocele is a cystic slow-growing lesion of paranasal sinuses with sterile content. Pyocele contains purulent substance. Muco-/pyocele is rarely localised in ethmoid or sphenoid sinus and may involve the orbit and cause ophthalmic complications including visual loss.


METHODS
We report the case of a 25-year-old woman who suffered from sudden visual loss of her left eye. She was treated for optic nerve papillitis by neurologists and ophthalmologists with steroids and recovered after about 6 weeks. Magnetic resonance imaging was ordered to find the cause of visual disturbance and revealed an oval-shaped lesion in the left posterior ethmoid sinus. The patient underwent functional endoscopic surgery and transethmoidal marsupialisation of the muco-/pyocele.


RESULTS
After endoscopic microsurgery the patient recovered without complications, she is under follow-up and has no symptoms of any disease. Because there were no evidence of any other causes of optic nerve affection, the muco-/pyocele was regarded as the cause of visual loss.


CONCLUSIONS
The posterior ethmoid muco-/pyocele can present with ophthalmic manifestations including blindness. Endonasal operation and steroids administration are the treatment of choice in such cases.
Matyja
Grzegorz
G
Katedra i Klinika Otolaryngologii i Onkologii Laryngologicznej, Pomorskiej Akademii Medycznej w Szczecinie.
Kawczyński
Maciej
M
Tarnowska
Czesława
C
D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009078:Mucocele / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome