[Potentially fatal orbital disorder]

Fulminant processes of the orbit can cause considerable diagnostic difficulties with regards to the clinical, radiological and microbiological appearance. Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis is a rare but, when untreated, fatal orbital disease capable of destructive infiltration of soft tissue and bone. It occurs preferably in the ill adjusted diabetic or in the course of an immunodeficiency. The following case report describes a leukaemia patient developing a severe rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis which was initially not recognised. Since untreated mucormycosis is fatal, an aggressive surgical approach with excision of the whole necrotic area is necessary even if the diagnosis cannot be confirmed with certainty.