Orbital emphysema (/ˈɔː(r)bɪt(ə)l ˌemfɪˈsiːmə/, also known as pneumo-orbit) is a medical condition that refers to the trapping of air within the loose subcutaneous around the orbit that is generally characterized by sudden onset swelling and bruising at the impacted eye, with or without deterioration of vision, which the severity depends on the density of air trapped under the orbital soft tissue spaces.It is most commonly result from forceful sneezing, nose blowing, or coughing among patients with a history of periorbital trauma or orbital fractures that happened several hours-days in advance. Rare occasions have also been reported in relation to individuals with no traumatic past events that include: infection, esophageal rupture, postoperative complications, pulmonary barotrauma, with the same predisposing factors (sneezing, nose blowing, or coughing). A four-stage system of orbital emphysema was developed for severity classification. Clinical diagnosis can be made based on a combination of medical history, physical examination, and computed tomography. There are three kinds of orbital emphysema including palpebral emphysema, true orbital emphysema, and orbitopalpebral emphysema.Orbital emphysema on its own is a mild and self-limiting disease, and usually requires no treatment. If related visual symptoms or other acute orbital compression symptoms are present, lateral canthotomy or cantholysis, orbital decompression by needle aspiration, and bone decompression may be required to relieve orbital pressure and preserve vision. Cause
Trauma
Blunt trauma caused by a direct blow at the orbital is the major leading cause of orbital emphysema.
Contamination of the fermentation tanks was a persistent problem and in 1951, the company biologist, Ernst Brandl, attempted to solve this by adding phenoxyethanol to the tanks as an anti-bacterial disinfectant. This resulted unexpectedly in an increase in penicillin production: but, the penicillin produced was not benzylpenicillin, but phenoxymethylpenicillin. Phenoxyethanol was fermented to phenoxyacetic acid in the tanks, which was then incorporated into penicillin via biosynthesis. Importantly, Brandl realised that phenoxymethylpenicillin is not destroyed by stomach acid and can therefore be given by mouth. Phenoxymethyl penicillin was originally discovered by Eli Lilly in 1948 as part of their efforts to study penicillin precursors, but was not further exploited, and there is no evidence that Lilly understood the significance of their discovery at the time. : 119–121 Biochemie is now part of Sandoz. Names
There were four named penicillins at the time penicillin V was discovered (penicillins I, II, III, IV), however, Penicillin V was named "V" for Vertraulich (confidential);: 121  it was not named for the Roman numeral "5". Penicillin VK is the potassium salt of penicillin V (K is the chemical symbol for potassium). References
External links
"Penicillin V". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.