Intraorbital wooden foreign body mimicking traumatic emphysema: An intriguing case report

Abstract

We report the case of a 73-year-old woman who sustained left orbital injury following a fall over a bush, 2 days ago. Computed tomography (CT) of the orbit demonstrated preseptal soft tissue swelling along with a low-attenuation streak of air density focus abutting inferior rectus muscle, mimicking emphysema. The presence of a wooden foreign body was suspected, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was advised. Subsequently, a wood splinter measuring 26 mm × 6 mm was removed on surgical exploration. Low-density signals relative to surrounding orbital fat on CT scan should evoke suspicion of a retained wooden foreign body. Early clinical suspicion and adjunctive MRI scan would help in recurrence-free treatment.

Keywords

• case report
• intraorbital foreign body
• orbital imaging
• traumatic emphysema
• wooden foreign body