Penetrating orbit injury: challenge to emergency medicine

Penetrating orbital injuries pose a serious threat to vision, ocular motility, and in some cases, life. The setting and causes of eye injury are diverse, but previous studies have demonstrated that the risk and type of injury is often correlated with age, gender, and race. Pediatric ocular injury is often accidental and may be preventable. A focused history and prompt ocular examination are essential to immediate management.

This article describes a case of protruding foreign body-related penetrating orbit injury with a retained foreign body in a 4-year-old male from a town in the eastern part of Nepal. The child presented to the emergency with foreign body in situ without receiving any pre emergency care without any medical attendance. The patient was managed with non-operative removal of foreign body in the emergency. The case discussion will review the initial presentation, examination, resultant management decisions, and final outcome.

Foreign body presentations may be diverse and non-operative management may be considered in selected cases. Resource availability and conditions at presentations may also influence the management decisions. This case presentation has described such a scenario in developing country like Nepal and is expected to be interest across various medical specialties.