We report the case of a 14‐year‐old girl with pain and protrusion of the left eye and treated with diclofenac. Clinical and paraclinical examinations revealed a cerebral empyema and a left retro‐orbital abscess complicating an acute ethmoiditis. Parenteral antibiotic remains essential in the management of acute ethmoiditis to prevent complications.

We report the case of a 14-year-old girl with pain and protrusion of the left eye and treated with Diclofenac. Clinical and paraclinical examinations revealed a cerebral empyema and a left retro-orbital abscess complicating an acute ethmoiditis. The delay in diagnosis would have led to the occurrence of these complications.