Foreign Body in the Orbit Associated with Blowout Fracture: A Case Report

Jin, Hong Ryul

Abstract

An orbital foreign body combined with blowout fracture after blunt trauma to the orbit may be difficult to diagnose clinically and radiologically. The author reports a case of 40-year-old woman who had an unsuspected orbital foreign body after blunt orbital trauma, and initially presumed to have only blowout fracture and conjunctival laceration. Consultation with an ophthalmologist failed to disclose the orbital foreign body and an isolated inferomedial blowout fracture was seen on computed tomography scans with severe diplopia and limitation of eye movement. She was referred to my department for management of the orbital blowout fracture, where a false eyelash was found during the endonasal endoscopic reduction and subsequently successfully removed that resulted in complete resolution of her symptoms. Though it is a rare complication, an orbital foreign body should be suspected considering the mechanism of injury when there are severe and persistent ocular symptoms inconsistent with the degree of the blowout fracture.