PERIORBITAL CELLULITIS

Course overview

PERIORBITAL CELLULITIS IS SOMETIMES CALLED PRESEPTAL CELLULITIS. IT IS IS A SKIN AND SOFT TISSUE INFECTION AROUND THE EYE THAT IS ANTERIOR TO THE ORBITAL SEPTUM. SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS OF PERIORBITAL CELLULITIS ARE RARE, HOWEVER A MORE SERIOUS CONDITION CALLED ORBITAL CELLULITIS IS SOMETIMES MISDIAGNOSED AS PERIORBITAL CELLULITIS. PERIORBITAL CELLULITIS IS MOST COMMON IN CHILDREN AND PRIMARILY CAUSED BY TRAUMA OR SINUSITIS. PATIENTS PRESENT WITH UNILATERAL EYELID SWELLING AND EDEMA. IN CONTRAST, PATIENTS WITH ORBITAL CELLULITIS PRESENT WITH SIMILAR FINDINGS PLUS OCULAR SYMPTOMS SUCH AS PROPTOSIS, EYE PAIN, DECREASED VISION, AND LIMITED EXTRAOCULAR MOTILITY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF PERIORBITAL CELLULITIS AND ILLUSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM APPROACH TO ITS MANAGEMENT.