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Case Reports
. 2018 Apr 10;18(1):88.
doi: 10.1186/s12886-018-0751-0.

Clostridium perfringens panophthalmitis and orbital cellulitis: a case report

Ghita Guedira  1 , Nabil Taright  1 , Hélène Blin  1 , Thameur Fattoum  2 , Jordan Leroy  3 , Youssef El Samad  4 , Solange Milazzo  1 , Farida Hamdad  5   6
Affiliations
Case Reports

Clostridium perfringens panophthalmitis and orbital cellulitis: a case report

Ghita Guedira et al. BMC Ophthalmol. .

Abstract

Background: Clostridium perfringens is an uncommon pathogen in endophthalmitis, causing rapid destruction of ocular tissues. Clostridium perfringens infection typically occurs after penetrating injury with soil-contaminated foreign bodies.

Case report: Here, we describe the case of a 17-year-old male who sustained a penetrating injury with a metallic intraocular foreign body and who rapidly developed severe C. perfringens panophthalmitis with orbital cellulitis. He was managed by systemic and intravitreal antibiotics, resulting in preservation of the globe, but a poor visual outcome.

Conclusion: Clostridial endophthalmitis secondary to penetrating injuries is a fulminant infection, almost always resulting in loss of the globe in the case of advanced infection. When feasible, early vitrectomy and intravitreal antibiotics should be considered in patients with penetrating eye injuries with contaminated foreign bodies.

Keywords: C. perfringens; Diagnosis; Panophthalmitis; Treatment.

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Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor-in-Chief of this journal.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interest.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The conjunctiva is congested with subconjunctival hemorrhage
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Orbital computed tomography demonstrates a metallic intraocular foreign body with edema of the left eye
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
a Orbital computed tomography showing proptosis, posterior dislocation of the lens, thickening of the periorbital soft tissue and the posterior wall of the globe. b Gas bubbles in the left eye
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
a Phthisis bulbi, (b) Esthetic overlay prosthesis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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