title: Orbital apex syndrome secondary to mucormycosis after a tooth extraction in an immunocompetent patient.
abstract: Mucormycosis is rare in immunocompetent patients. We describe an unusual case of orbital apex syndrome secondary to mucormycosis that occurred in an immunocompetent 64-year-old man following multiple tooth extractions. We found no frank involvement of the maxillary sinus, which is the usual pathway of spread for this fungal infection. Therefore, we suggest two possible alternate pathways from the oral mucosa to the orbital apex: one via the anterosuperior and posterosuperior alveolar vessels and one via the infraorbital branch of the maxillary artery.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Christian Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana-141 008, Punjab, India. ashishvargheseent@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ashish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varghese
authors.forename: Satish
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D001766:Blindness / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007121:Immunocompetence / Q000276:immunology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008443:Maxillary Sinus / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D009886:Ophthalmoplegia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D009915:Orbit / Q000473:pathology; D017233:Orbit Evisceration; D054517:Orbital Cellulitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011681:Pupil Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013577:Syndrome; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014081:Tooth Extraction