Turkish Neurosurgery
Intraorbital penetrating and retained foreign bodies –a neurosurgical case series
Bianca Szabo1, Raluca Pascalau3, Dana Bartoș2, Adrian Bartoș4, Ioan Szabo5
1Clinical Emergency County Hospital Cluj, Department of Ophthalmology, Cluj-Napoca,
2Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Cluj-Napoca,
3Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Faculty of Medicine, Cluj-Napoca,
4Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Surgery, Cluj-Napoca,
5Clinical Emergency County Hospital Cluj, Department of Neurosurgery, Cluj-Napoca,
DOI: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.24265-18.2

Aim:Intraorbital foreign bodies represent a complex pathology which requires multidisciplinary management. It is relatively uncommon in the neurosurgical practice so that extensive studies and clinical algorithms are lacking from the literature. The present study aims to present the particularities of the intraorbital foreign bodies from a neurosurgical perspective by summarizing the findings from a case series.Material and Methods:A retrospective study was conducted including a consecutive series of 30 patients with intraorbital foreign bodies treated between 1999 and 2017. Statistical analysis was performed in order to characterize the factors that influence the location of the foreign bodies and the clinical signs.Results:The orbital trauma occurred mostly in working accidents. 23.3% of patients had multiple intraorbital foreign bodies. 66.6% had metallic foreign bodies and 30% had wooden foreign bodies. Nonmetallic foreign bodies were significantly associated with displacement of the eyeball, palpebral oedema and upper lid ptosis. Posterior orbit location was associated with displacement of the eyeball and conjunctival hemorrhage. Intraconal location was associated with mydriasis and conjunctival hemorrhage. The posterior orbit was occupied by foreign bodies in 63% of the patients. The foreign bodies were in the extraconal compartment in 55.55% of the cases. Small foreign bodies tend to be retained in the anterior orbit while large ones tend to be retained in the posterior orbit.Conclusion:The diagnosis and management of intraorbital foreign bodies must be tailored according to their type and location and to the clinical aspect of the patient.

Corresponding author : Raluca Pascalau