A 14-year-old girl who presented in 2017 with headache, unilateral right eye ptosis and secondary amenorrhoea had an initial workup consistent with non-functioning pituitary macroadenoma. She underwent debulking of pituitary tumour in October 2017. Postoperatively, she developed recurrent cavernous sinus thrombosis. In view of recurrent thrombosis, she was reinvestigated and was found to have adrenocorticotropic hormone-dependent Cushing. Follow-up MRI 1 year after initial presentation showed that there was structural recurrence of pituitary macroadenoma. She subsequently underwent a petrosal craniotomy for debulking of tumour. Postsurgery she remained biochemically Cushingnoid. MRI 5 months after second surgery showed an enlarging pituitary mass which was deemed inoperable. A multidisciplinary meeting discussion consensus for treatment included radiotherapy and somatostatin analogue, pasireotide. She completed 30 cycles of radiotherapy and MRI post radiotherapy showed reduction in the size of the macroadenoma. Currently, she is waiting for pasereotide initiation.
Complications of breast cancer metastasis may be the first manifestation of the disease. We report a rare case of left eye ptosis secondary to cavernous sinus syndrome in a 34-year-old lady due to refusal of proper medical treatment for metastatic breast cancer. The delay in seeking medical treatment was attributed to her use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) is an ocular emergency because of its devastating effect and it is prone to cause serious complications. Diagnosis of cavernous sinus thrombosis is a challenging task despite medical advancement. Efforts to promptly diagnose and initiate treatment require a high index of suspicion and a deep understanding of the disease. Unfortunately, patients suffering from CST may not always present with typical symptoms, thus making diagnosis all the more challenging. We would like to describe a 22-year-old man who presented with atypical symptoms and radiological presentations of CST. The patient was admitted and treated in our institution with full recovery demonstrated after the treatment.
We were presented with a teenage female who developed superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis and cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis after a 1-week history of a single acne-like lesion or furuncle at the anterior tip of the nose. She was managed aggressively with heparin and intravenous antibiotic. Signs and symptoms improved after 2 weeks of treatment, and she was discharged with an anticoagulant.
We report a case of cavernous sinus thrombosis in a post-splenectomy male with underlying Haemoglobin E Thalassemia major. A 35-year-old man presented with a first episode of sudden onset of diplopia on lateral gaze for 1 week. He had no other ocular and systemic symptoms. There was no history of trauma or recent infection. However, he admitted that he was not compliant to his oral penicillin V and aspirin, which was prescribed to all post splenectomy patients. Unaided visual acuity in both eyes was 6/6. On examination, there was limited abduction over the left eye, suggestive of left lateral rectus palsy. Full blood count revealed leucocytosis with thrombocytosis. Magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance angiography and magnetic resonance venography of the brain showed bulging of the left cavernous sinus, with a persistent focal filling defect, in keeping with left cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST). He was diagnosed with left isolated sixth nerve palsy secondary to aseptic cavernous sinus thrombosis with pro-thrombotic state post-splenectomy. He was started on subcutaneous fondaparinux and oral warfarin. His diplopia fully resolved after 1 month of treatment with complete resolution of CST on computed tomography venogram.
Co-occurrence of cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD) and phaeochromocytoma (PCC) and paraganglioma (PGL) are rare, although some cases have been reported. We report a case of left paraganglioma in a 20-year-old lady with an underlying CCHD who underwent palliative Glenn shunt, subsequently developed polycythaemia and cavernous sinus thrombosis presented with palpitation, sweating, headache and hypertension of 3-months duration at the age of 17. The abdominal CT scan revealed an enhancing left paraaortic mass measuring 5.2 cm x 4.4 cm x 3.8 cm. A 24-hour urine catecholamine demonstrated raised noradrenaline level to six times upper limit of normal and hence diagnosis of left sympathetic (sPGL) was made. In view of the delayed diagnosis and significant morbidity associated with her condition, surgical treatment is no longer an option. Therefore, vigilant screening and early treatment of PCC-PGL in patients with CCHD are crucial in order to avoid significant morbidity and ensure a good quality of life.
Paediatric orbital cellulitis is a potential sight- and life-threatening condition. It is a serious infection in children that can result in significant complications, including blindness, cavernous sinus thrombosis, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, meningitis, subdural empyema, and brain abscess. Of the patients with orbital cellulitis, 17% died from meningitis, and 20% of the survivors had permanent loss of vision. Therefore, the potential for sight- and life-threatening complications makes prompt diagnosis and early treatment very important. We report here a case of a two-year-old girl who presented with a three-day history of left periorbital swelling, preceded by left upper perioral swelling that extended upward to the left cheek and left lower lid and was associated with low-grade fever. The patient had been admitted and was treated as having left preseptal with facial cellulitis; the patient was started on intravenous amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (200 mg three times per day dose), and chloramphenicol ointment was applied to the periorbital area. On day 3, the condition worsened, and dental examination showed multiple dental caries, upper gum swelling and abscess, and mobility of teeth 61 and 62 (two baby teeth). Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of the orbit, paranasal, and brain showed a left periosteal abscess collection extending to the inferomedial region of the orbit. Examination and tooth extraction were performed under general anesthesia. The intraoperative results showed the presence of a left upper gum abscess, which was possibly the primary source of infection. Clinical improvement was observed postoperatively. Orbital cellulitis can be a complication of a dental abscess. This case emphasizes the importance of primary tooth care in children. A lack of care can result in fatal complications.
Orbital cellulitis is a relatively common disease affecting predominantly the paediatric population. Most cases occur as a result of spread from the nearby sinuses. Other causes include penetrating trauma or extension from infected adjacent structures.If left untreated, this condition may result in devastating sequelae such as orbital apex syndrome, cavernous sinus thrombosis, meningitis, cranial nerve palsies, intracranial abscess formation and even death. A 47 year old immunocompetent Burmese lady presented with left eyelid swelling of 2 days duration associated with eye redness, blurring of vision and diplopia. Previously, there was history of right maxillary sinusitis and parapharyngeal abscess 9 months prior to presentation. On examination, she was afebrile with vision of 1/60 for the left eye with positiverelative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD). The eye was proptosed and swollen with restricted extraocular movements in all gazes. Conjunctiva was injected with chemosis and there was corneal epithelial bedewing. Otherwise anterior chamber was quiet and intraocular pressure was 51mmHg. Bilateral fundus examination was normal. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the orbit and paranasal sinus showed dense sinusitis and periosteal abscess at the lateral orbital wall.She was started on intravenous (IV) Cefuroxime and Metronidazole and underwent Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) and orbital decompression. Intra-operatively there was pus and debris at the left anterior ethmoid, maxillary and sphenoid air sinuses and cultures revealed Klebsiella pneumoniae which was sensitive to Cefuroxime. Despite medical and surgical treatment, left orbital swelling only reduced minimally. However after starting intravenous Dexamethasone the swelling dramatically improved. She completed 10 days of intravenous Dexamethasone. Upon discharge, she was given oral Dexamethasone 2mg daily for 2 weeks and completed 2 weeks of oral Cefuroxime and Metronidazole. Intraocular pressure normalised and vision recovered to 6/9. A repeat CT orbit 3 weeks later showed resolving preseptal and periorbital collection.