Power Plug of a Mobile Phone Charger in the Orbit: A Case Report of a Domestic Injury

This is the case of a girl who sustained orbital injury while playing with a mobile phone charger.

The patient presented to the tertiary hospital 5 h after she sustained a penetrating injury with the power plug of a mobile phone charger to the right upper lid. There was associated headache, tearing, bleeding, discharge, and inability to open the right eye.

She was ill-looking and anxious, not febrile or pale. Systemic examination did not reveal any abnormality. Unaided visual acuity in the right eye (OD) could not be tested, left eye (OS)-6/9. The right eyelid was completely closed with a penetrating power plug of the phone charger in the supero-lateral aspect of the upper eyelid. A diagnosis of penetrating power plug of a charger in the right upper lid and orbit was made. Computed tomography scan showed the power plug of the charger in the right orbit with a little blood collection in the right maxillary sinus. She underwent examination under anaesthesia, foreign body removal, and repair of the lid penetration. The findings were right upper lid penetration with ptosis, corneal epithelial erosion, phone charger power plug in the medial orbital wall, and cataract. The foreign body was removed, and lid and conjunctival lacerations repaired. Eight weeks post-operatively, ptosis had resolved, leaving the anterior polar cataract (<3 mm) and a best corrected visual acuity of (OD) 6/6 and (OS) 6/5. About 6 months afterwards, the cataract matured with a visual acuity of 6/60 for which she had right phacoemulsification with posterior chamber intra-ocular lens implant insertion.

Prompt presentation and management lead to good visual outcomes in this patient.