Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Iris Fixation via External Pentagram Suturing
Published on: May 5, 2022
Pneumocephalus and presumed meningitis following inconspicuous penetrating periocular trauma
Efstathios T Detorakis1, Ioannis Drositis, Eleni E Drakonaki
1Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA. detorakis@jsei.ucla.edu
Purpose:
To report a case of serious intracranial complications in an adolescent youth following a seemingly trivial periocular injury.
Methods:
An adolescent youth was examined and discharged after a small penetrating injury to his left medial canthus. He later presented with blurred vision, nausea and mild pyrexia and underwent a computed tomography (CT) scan of the head and orbits as well as a lumbar puncture.
Results:
The CT scan revealed a fracture in the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone and the medial orbital wall, as well as pneumocephalus. The lumbar puncture revealed 3000 white cells/mm3 in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). After treatment with meningitic doses of intravenous antibiotics, a significant improvement was noted.
Conclusions:
A CT scan, instead of an ordinary head radiograph, may be considered as a first-choice mode of diagnosis in evaluating even inconspicuous penetrating periocular wounds. Early administration of meningitic doses of antibiotics may significantly improve prognosis.
Related Concept Videos
Brain Abscess l: Introduction
Glaucoma: Overview
Pneumothorax-I
Pneumothorax can be even further classified as spontaneous, traumatic, and tension pneumothorax.
Bacterial Meningitis II: Pathophysiology
Bacterial Meningitis I: Introduction
Pneumonia I: Introduction