Orbital Subcutaneous Emphysema in a Child

Abstract

The authors present a rare case of nontraumatic medial orbital wall fracture in an 11-year-old girl. Fractures of the orbital wall secondary to nose blowing have not been previously described in the pediatric population. The patient reported a history of chronic forceful nose blowing, followed by periorbital swelling after an episode of vigorous nose blowing. Erroneous diagnoses of sinusitis and periorbital cellulitis lead to unnecessary antibiotic treatment. The authors hypothesize that repeated and aggressive nose blowing is analogous to stress fractures, leading to weakening and eventual fracture of the medial orbital wall.