[Rhino-orbital zygomycosis]

Zygomycosis is rare but highly invasive fungal infection, with high mortality rate. A 67 years old diabetic man was presented with rhino-ocular form of the disease. Fungal elements invaded the skin and subutaneous facial tissue, with involvement of the nose, paranasal sinuses and orbit. The portal of entry of fungus was through paranasal sinuses, after the tooth extraction. Various clinical manifestations were presented: headache, facial swelling, tenderness over the involved sinuses, unilateral orbital cellulitis with proptosis, facial and orbital pain, black nasal discharge, decreased visual acuity, blindness. Patient was treated surgically and by liposomal amphotericin B. He underwent maxillectomy, ethmoidectomy and sphenoidectomy and orbital exenteration because of the dissemination of the disease into the orbit. The specific diagnosis of the infection was established upon the microscopic demonstration of casual agent in the debridement tissue. Early diagnosis was important in this highly fatal disease. Aggressive surgical debridement, therapy with amphotericin B and correction of underlying metabolic acidosis must be performed. The successful medical therapy in this patient suggests that lipid formulation of amphotericin B should be given, because this antifungal agent performed the best control of the infection with the minimal adverse effects.