Abstract Listings 2024

Purpose

In this study, we aimed to follow up on the surprising increase in the incidence of orbital subperiosteal abscesses (SPA) reported in the Iranian pediatric population in the post-COVID era.

Methods

Pediatric patients (≤ 18 years old) diagnosed with orbital SPA following acute sinusitis who were hospitalized between October 1st, 2023, and March 31st, 2024 in Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran, were included. Demographic, clinical, microbiologic, and radiological characteristics of patients were reviewed.

Results

During the 6-month study period, 39 patients were admitted to our tertiary referral hospital. The average age of patients was 7.29 ± 4.13 years and 30 patients (76.92%) were male. The ethmoid sinus was involved in 100% of patients, and SPA involvement was in the medial wall in 27 patients (69.23%). The mean volume of SPA was 1.45 ± 1.77 cm3. Nineteen patients (48.72%) underwent surgical interventions, however, 20 patients (51.28%) received only medical treatment. The best corrected visual acuity of patients increased from 0.63 (0.20 LogMAR) on the first day of admission to 0.84 (0.07 LogMAR) according to the Snellen chart in the first month after treatment.

Conclusion

It seems that the outbreak of orbital SPA in the Iranian children population in the post-COVID era is an increasing trend. In continuation of the outbreak of orbital subperiosteal abscesses in Iranian children that happened in the fall and winter of last year, this outbreak continued with a more significant increase in the fall and winter of this year, so the number of children hospitalized with subperiosteal abscess reached about 1.5 times before. Of course, the decrease in the average volume of abscesses, the increase in their distance from the orbital apex, and their better response to purely medical treatments compared to before show that improvements have been made in their management with their faster referral and treatment.

Additional Authors

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