[Rhinogenous inflammatory diseases of the orbit]

Patients of young age predominated in the group of 113 patients (69 males, 44 females) with orbital rhinogenic inflammation observed by the authors. 57.5% of the cases arose due to acute sinusitis, 42.5%-due to exacerbation of chronic sinusitis. The inflammation focus developed more frequently in the frontal sinuses and ethmoid labyrinth. Periostitis was diagnosed in 17 patients, subperiosteal orbital abscess in 9 patients. Inflammation of the orbital soft tissues presented as eyelid and orbital fat edema in 66 patients, as retrobulbar abscess in 11 and phlegmon in 10 patients. The treatment policy combined intensive antiinflammatory therapy and surgery if indicated. The treatment aimed at both elimination of the inflammatory focus in the sinus and drainage of the inflammatory focus in the sinus and drainage of the secondary suppuration focus in the orbit. A 100% cure was achieved, though residual phenomena such as limited movements of the eyeball, partial ptosis, reduced visual acuity, loss of vision (3, 3, 2 and 1 patients, respectively) remained.