Article Type : Case Report
Authors : Zwayed AH and Lucke-Wold B
Keywords : Cerebral spinal fluid leak; Orbit; Ophthalmorrhea; Repair
Background:
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak from the nose (rhinorrhea) or the ear (otorrhea)
are common with traumatic brain injuries. CSF leak from the orbital roof
(ophthalmorrhea) is something rare and warrants further discussion.
Case:
We present a unique case of CSF leak from the orbital roof proceeded by three
days history of trauma to the orbit.
Discussion:
Using the clinical case, we discuss unique aspects of the clinical picture,
radiological findings of interest, and the surgical procedure for repair.
The overall incidence of
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients varies
between 0.25 to 0.5% [1]. Most of these leaks manifest as either rhinorrhea or
otorrhea. Majority stop spontaneously in the 3rd - 5th day post injury and
rarely continue until the 7th day [2]. Occasionally, CSF leak can continue
and requires surgical repair to prevent long-term risk of meningitis. CSF leak
from the orbit is exceptionally rare and warrants careful workup if suspected
[3]. Here within, we present this unique case of CSF leak via the orbit
(ophthalmorrhea) in a 17-year-old boy and utilize the case to discuss the
symptoms and signs to clue the clinician to the diagnosis. We also highlight
the radiological features and management, which in this case included
explorative craniotomy with extraction of a foreign body that was the cause of
the leak. We also discuss importance of follow up to ensure stability of the
repair.
A 17-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with a history of trauma to the left eye. The patient was shoved by his friend into the sharp edge of a pen at school. On examination, the patient was conscious, oriented to time, place & person, and had normal vital signs. Glasgow coma scale assessment was as follows: right eye opened spontaneous, left eye was closed with significant periorbital edema, normal verbal response, and followed commands without difficulty giving overall score of 15. Local examination revealed small perforation wound of less than 0.5 cm in the left upper eyelid. An ophthalmologist was consulted and saw the patient and his advice was to be treat conservatively with eye ointment. Skull x-ray was done after initial evaluation and showed a foreign body settled in the left temporal area (Figure 1).
Figure 1: plain lateral skull X-ray showing the metallic head of the pen in the temporal fossa region.
Figure 2A: shows intact pen with its 2 parts B: picture of the same pen with demonstration of metallic portion that was extracted from temporal fossa.
At this point
neurosurgery was consulted and patient was admitted to the unit. The patient
was complaining of severe headache in the left frontal region, which was not
responding to analgesia. He developed nausea and vomiting. On day 3
post-injury, a clear watery discharge was noted. The leakage became profuse, so
urgent exploration was planned with a left sub temporal craniotomy. Standard
approach was utilized with 4 burr holes and 1 over the keyhole at the zygomatic
fossa. The dura was opened in a rectangular flap with the base on the medial
side. Brain retraction at the edge of the inferior temporal lobe was utilized.
At this point the translucent metallic head of a pen was noted at the bottom of
the temporal fossa (Figure 2). A puncture hole through the orbit was noted as
well as dural violation. The foreign body was removed, area irrigated, and dura
closed in watertight fashion. A trial of valsava showed no residual CSF leak.
The bone flap was replaced, and closure done in standard fashion. The patient
was admitted to the intensive care unit for 48 hours and continued antibiotics
and antiepileptics. He was then transferred to the floor. The patient
discharged on post-op day 7 with prophylactic antibiotics for 1 week and suture
removal at day 14.
The arachnoid forms a
sheath for the optic nerve as it extends into the orbital cavity through the
optic canal. Ultimately this will fuse with the sclera and provides a closure
without CSF egress. Notably the subarachnoid space extends around the optic nerve
for most of its course [4]. CSF fluid leak via the orbital roof is
exceptionally rare due to the protected nature of the orbit. In this case
report, we show that direct penetration of the orbital wall can cause high flow
CSF leak requiring emergent surgical repair. The foreign body had penetrated
the orbital wall and dura and ultimately settled in the temporal fossa. Despite
ophthalmology evaluation, skull x-ray was the initial clue for the presence of
a foreign body. ~ 30 craniocerebral injuries caused by nail-guns have been
reported in the literature but this case is unique due to a school pen
penetrating the orbit, which is a lower velocity impact [5].
Nail gun injuries often
had less damage and better prognosis compared with gunshot injuries, although
CSF leak was high [6]. If left untreated, the risk of infection and vascular
injury are possible lethal complications. In this case, preoperative
examination and imaging was valuable. Once high flow CSF leak was noted, early
surgical repair was very effective in removing the foreign body, controlling
the CSF leak, and providing excellent outcome for the patient. The anatomical
location of the penetration site is important in determining the ideal surgical
plan. For this case, although the injury was through the orbit, the foreign
body had settled in the temporal fossa warranting a wider surgical approach for
management. Therefore consideration of trajectory of injury and damage to other
nearby structures is imperative to choose the safest surgical corridor [7]. A
craniotomy debridement technique was recommended for penetrating craniocerebral
injuries as early as 1940 following World War II. However, with high rates of
bacterial contamination associated with penetrating injuries, the outcomes of
the initial surgeries were poor. As the availability of widespread antibiotics
has evolved, the safety of craniotomy for removal of foreign body and closure
of dural defect has improved dramatically [8]. Penetrating injuries of the
orbit and nasal sinuses due to foreign bodies are rare. This report of a
patient with a ballpoint pen penetration injury through the left orbit is
unique in the literature. Nails normally stay in the penetration trajectory.
Due to the shape and disconnection of the ball point pen, the foreign body
actually migrated to the temporal fossa likely worsening the CSF defect [9].
Isolate orbital wall
injuries are rare but the principles from this case can be applied to nail gun
injuries, bullet injuries, and glass fragment injuries during motor vehicle
collisions [10]. Early imaging is critical to assess for presence of foreign
body. If one is noted, suspicion for CSF leak should be high and monitored
closely. Patient should be placed on broad spectrum antibiotics. In our case,
CSF leak was high flow and required emergent surgical repair. The early
intervention was successful in removing the foreign body, repairing the CSF
leak, and allowing excellent recovery with continued broad-spectrum
antibiotics. Standard is typically cefepime and vancomycin for 2 weeks. We also
continued AEDs for 1 week (levetiracetam) due to the retraction on the temporal
lobe required to remove the foreign body. Penetration trajectory is critical in
determining operative approach.