Case Report: Transorbital approach for the management of an orbito-temporal penetrating brain injury (skull base region) secondary to wooden spikes

Abstract

Background and importance: Transorbital penetrating brain injury (PBI) due to a non-projectile foreign body is rare. It can lead to life-threatening severe neurovascular damage. Surgery is the primary treatment choice; however, there are a number of approaches that can be considered based on the patient's condition in terms of foreign body location and state of the patient. Clinical presentation: An 18-year-old male carpenter was hit by a log and sustained transorbital PBI while cutting wood with a machine. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed a wooden spike that was approximately 11 cm from the left medial orbital to the superior part of the posterolateral of the petrous bone, crossing the right side at the base of the skull. CT angiography (CTA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and magnetic resonance venography (MRV) revealed no internal carotid artery (ICA) and cavernous sinus lesions, respectively. We had a 3D-printed model for preoperative planning, and surgery was performed using a transorbital approach to extract the wood 14 days after the accident. The impacted wood was removed without any complications. Conclusion: There are many surgical approaches for transorbital PBI. We decided to perform the transorbital approach because it is perpendicular to the entry zone. Surgeons should consistently perform minimally invasive procedures based on the clinical and radiological findings.