[Management of suicidal orbital gunshot wounds to the temple]

Orbital gunshot wounds are rarely found after suicide. A gunshot fired at point blank range into the temple has devastating effects on all intraorbital and neighboring structures.

This article reports on two cases of gunshot wounds to the lateral orbit in attempted suicides with different weapons from 2012 and 2013 and treated at the Ruhr University Eye Hospital in Bochum. In both cases treatment was carried out in cooperation with the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery, Ruhr University Hospital, Bochum. In the first case a 7.65 mm gun was used. The patient presented with a double penetration of both orbits with total destruction of both globes and a reconstruction was not possible. The second patient presented with multiple shots to the head from a small caliber gun (5.6 mm) where one bullet entered the right orbit behind the globe. The bullet could be localized using computed tomography (CT) and surgically removed with preservation of the globe and with a postoperative visual acuity of 20/60.

The preservation of visual function after orbital gunshot wounds depends on both the projectile channel and the characteristics of the gun and bullet. Close collaboration in surgical management between ophthalmologists, maxillofacial surgeons and neurosurgeons in specialized centers is necessary because patients often present with multiple trauma and prompt interdisciplinary treatment is needed.