Sphenoethmoidal mucocele presenting with unilateral visual loss

BACKGROUNDSphenoethmoidal sinus mucocele causing uniocular progressive vision loss is a rare entity and was first described by Bery in 1985. It is generally diagnosed in its advanced stage when the patients develop subjective ophthalmic symptoms. CASEA 43-year-old male presented to our institute for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Eye and brain 2010, Vol.2, p.117-120
Main Authors: Bhattacharjee, Harsha, Soibam, Ronel, Deori, Nilutparna
Format: Report
Language:English
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Summary:BACKGROUNDSphenoethmoidal sinus mucocele causing uniocular progressive vision loss is a rare entity and was first described by Bery in 1985. It is generally diagnosed in its advanced stage when the patients develop subjective ophthalmic symptoms. CASEA 43-year-old male presented to our institute for further evaluation and treatment of progressive visual deterioration in his left eye. The patient complained of visual impairment in his left eye for the past three months, in the form of a dark area in his left side of the visual field. OBSERVATIONSMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large expansile lesion in the left sided posterior ethmoidal air cells, abutting on the left optic nerve and displacing it in the region of the orbital apex. The patient underwent an urgent endoscopic sinus surgery by an Ear-Nose-Throat surgeon which resulted in stable visual acuity in the sixth postoperative month. CONCLUSIONSSphenoethmoidal mucocele can cause irreversible blindness. Progressive vision loss with a neurological visual field defect should raise a high index of suspicion and computed tomography and MRI are to be performed to confirm the diagnosis. Collaboration between radiologists, ENT specialists, and ophthalmologists is essential for treating such cases.
ISSN:1179-2744
1179-2744
DOI:10.2147/EB.S9719