Long-Term Visual Disturbance Affected by Infraorbital Cell Mucocele and Fully Recovered after Surgical Management: A Case Report

Abstract

Mucocele of the paranasal sinuses is a benign, expansible, and cystic mass filled with mucous collection. Infraorbital cells are extramural ethmoid cells that develop into the roof of the maxillary sinus and the base of the orbital cavity. Although infraorbital cells are asymptomatic in most cases, inflammation or mucocele in those cells may cause various symptoms including facial pain, hypoesthesia, and secondary rhinosinusitis. They sometimes invade the orbital cavity, which may cause ophthalmic symptoms such as visual disturbance, orbital swelling, and orbital pain. Most of the cases with ophthalmic symptoms are related to sphenoethmoidal cell mucocele. Delayed treatment of more than two days is known to have a poor prognosis for visual disturbances caused by acute optic nerve compression. We describe a case of 61-year-old man who complained of visual disturbance related to infraorbital cell mucocele and fully recovered right after surgical management.