[Orbital complications of rhinosinusitis]

Orbital complications were observed in 53 patients (1.35%, n=53/3912 of all treated patients; 11.04%, n= 53/480 of hospitalized patients). Complications in the orbit can occur in 3-5% of adults with the inflammatory condition of sinuses, while the percentage in children ranges from 0.5-8%.

The objective of our work was to determine the frequency of the occurence of orbital complications of the rhinosinal inflammatory origin in a group of adults and children.

The retrospective analysis of patients treated of rhinosinusitis in the period 1992 to 2007, in the Clinical Center in Kragujevac.

In the period of 15 years, a total number of 3912 patients were treated for inflamatory conditions of paranasal cavities. Orbital complications were found in 53 patients (1.35%, n=53/3912 of all treated patients). The number of children showing orbital complications caused by rhinosinusitis was 0.79%, while the number of adults was 1,88%. Acute rhinosinusitis in children was manifested as orbital complication in 14 patients (n=14/15, 93.33%), while 33 adults (n=33/38, 86.84%) had the exarcerbation of the chronic rhinosinusitis at the time of diagnosis of orbital complication. 80% of examined children had the maxillary and ethmoid sinus infected (n=12/15), while the adults most often had polysinusitis (n=22/38, 57.89%). In the juvenile age the most frequent complication was the cellulitis of the orbite (n=7/15, 46.66%), while in the adults it was the subperiostal absces (n=14/38, 36.84%). The adults were mostly treated surgically (n=31/38, 81.58%), while the children were treated by using conservative treatment (n=13/15, 86.67%). There were no cases of mortality.

The prevention of complications is based on the adequate and timely treatment of acute sinusitis in children, as well as the curative treatment of chronical processes in adults.