A 34-year-old man without any underlying disease was transferred to our hospital for swelling of the left periorbital area after being hit by a baseball. An orbital computed tomography (CT) scan showed an orbital floor fracture (). Reconstruction of the depressed orbital floor with porous polyethylene implant (Medpor; Porex Corp., College Park, GA, USA) and insertion of a negative pressure drainage tube were performed. Before surgery, ophthalmologists confirmed the absence of abnormalities on the left eye. No complications were observed until the third postoperative day. On the 4th postoperative day, the patient went outside and smoked a cigarette. It was winter at the time, and the temperature was –3°C. A few hours later, the patient suddenly presented with severe eye pain, edema, and chemosis. Relevant medical information including vital signs and smoking history are presented in . The patient’s blood pressure and pulse rate were slightly increased after the onset of these symptoms. Unilateral proptosis and a dilated pupil were observed and the patient’s visual acuity on his left eye decreased from 20/20 initially to hand motion. A diagnostic enhanced facial CT scan revealed a 22× 16× 12 mm retrobulbar hematoma and 25 mm of exophthalmos (-). Since the signs of retrobulbar hematoma were unequivocal, a decompression procedure was immediately performed without measuring the intraocular pressure. Bedside decompression via suture removal was performed immediately. Medical treatment including intravenous steroids and 20% mannitol were administered simultaneously. Approximately 2 hours after the onset of initial symptoms, emergency exploration under general anesthesia was conducted (). Intraoperatively, 3 mL of hematoma as a form of fluid collection was evacuated from the inferior portion of the orbital cavity near the previously inserted Medpor. The quantity of hematoma was also measured as 3.025 mL using the picture archiving and communication system software, Dejaview (Dongeun IT, Bucheon, Korea). Active arterial bleeding was not seen, but diffuse oozing was observed. Meticulous hemostasis was performed after removal of the Medpor. A negative pressure drainage tube was inserted, and the wound was closed. No abnormal findings were observed during the postoperative ophthalmic examination. Subsequently, visual acuity on his left eye was restored to 20/20. On the 4th postoperative day, the drainage tube was removed. On the seventh day, the patient was discharged. No complications were observed in subsequent follow-up examinations at 1, 2, and 4 weeks, and protrusion of the left eye also resolved ( and ).
A healthy 24-year-old man fell and struck his left eye prior to admission. His visual acuity and intra-ocular pressure were normal. The CT scan revealed approximately 25 mm×21 mm and 18 mm×15 mm fractures, and pneumo-orbits of the left orbit medial wall and floor, respectively (). There was also a 2 mm enophthalmos on his left eye. Orbit wall reconstruction was performed using porous polyethylene (Medpor, Howmedica Osteonics, Newnan, USA) on the eighth day after the injury. The visual acuity and light reflex in both eyes were normal after the surgery. About 29 hours after the orbit wall reconstruction, the patient suddenly complained of blurred vision, mild pain, bulbar pressure, and circumbulbar hardness without any precipitating factors. Due to the observation of ecchymosis in the medial canthal area and of subconjunctival hemorrhage, retrobulbar hematoma, and significant proptosis in a CT scan (), emergency surgery was performed within one hour of the manifestation of the symptoms. An active bleeding point was not observed during the exploration. However, decompression was performed through hematoma drainage after the region of the suspected microbleeding was gently cauterized with hemostatic forceps. A scalp vein set tube was located and fixed in the reduced fracture region. A suction drain was connected and continuously drained during the surgery. Afterwards, a negative-pressure syringe was connected to enable drainage. The pain was immediately reduced and the vision improved after the surgery, and the eyeball movement, visual acuity, and intra-ocular pressure remained normal during the follow-up period.