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Orbital cellulitis in children

Savithri Nageswaran1, Charles R Woods, Daniel K Benjamin

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University Health Sciences and Brenner Children's Hospital, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|July 29, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Orbital cellulitis, an infection behind the eye in children, is common in males and often linked to sinusitis. Some cases, even with abscesses, can be treated effectively with antibiotics alone, avoiding surgery.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Ophthalmology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Otolaryngology

Background:

  • Orbital cellulitis is a serious condition requiring prompt diagnosis and management in children.
  • Understanding its epidemiology and treatment patterns is crucial for effective clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the epidemiology and management of orbital cellulitis in children.
  • To evaluate treatment outcomes, including the role of surgical intervention versus antibiotic therapy alone.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of medical records for children diagnosed with orbital cellulitis (ICD-9 code) confirmed by CT scan.
  • Inclusion criteria: patients ≤18 years old hospitalized between June 1992 and May 2002.
  • Conducted a literature search for a systematic review.

Main Results:

  • Forty-one children (mean age 7.5 years; 73% male) were identified with orbital cellulitis.
  • All cases were associated with sinusitis (98% ethmoid); 83% had subperiosteal or orbital abscesses.
  • 71% underwent surgical drainage, while 29% received antibiotics only; mean antibiotic duration was 21 days.

Conclusions:

  • Orbital cellulitis affects children of all ages, with males more frequently affected.
  • Selected cases, including those with subperiosteal abscesses, can be successfully managed non-surgically with antibiotics.
Abstract

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