1. Orbital apex syndrome secondary to mucormycosis after a tooth extraction in an immunocompetent patient.
- Author
-
Varghese A and Thomas S
- Subjects
- Biopsy, Blindness immunology, Blindness pathology, Humans, Hypertrophy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Maxillary Sinus pathology, Middle Aged, Mucormycosis immunology, Mucormycosis pathology, Oculomotor Muscles pathology, Ophthalmoplegia immunology, Ophthalmoplegia pathology, Orbit pathology, Orbit Evisceration, Orbital Cellulitis immunology, Orbital Cellulitis pathology, Pupil Disorders immunology, Pupil Disorders pathology, Syndrome, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Blindness diagnosis, Immunocompetence immunology, Mucormycosis diagnosis, Ophthalmoplegia diagnosis, Orbital Cellulitis diagnosis, Pupil Disorders diagnosis, Tooth Extraction
- Abstract
Mucormycosis is rare in immunocompetent patients. We describe an unusual case of orbital apex syndrome secondary to mucormycosis that occurred in an immunocompetent 64-year-old man following multiple tooth extractions. We found no frank involvement of the maxillary sinus, which is the usual pathway of spread for this fungal infection. Therefore, we suggest two possible alternate pathways from the oral mucosa to the orbital apex: one via the anterosuperior and posterosuperior alveolar vessels and one via the infraorbital branch of the maxillary artery.
- Published
- 2010