Orbit Flashcards
Optic foramen
Found on the lesser wing of the sphenoid bone
Transmits the optic nerve and the ophthalmic artery
Superior orbital fissure
Lies between the greater and lesser wings of the sphenoid bone
Contains: Superior ophthalmic vein, lacrimal (CNV1) and frontal nerves (CNV1) and CN4
What structures are found within the superior orbital fissure and the common tendinous ring?
CN3, CN6, and nasociliary nerve (CNV1)
Inferior orbital fissure
Lies between the maxilla and the greater wing of the sphenoid
Contains: infraorbital(CNV2) and zygomatic nerves(CNV2), and the inferior ophthalmic vein
Retrobulbar anesthesia
Affects all the nerves within the common tendinous ring (annulus of Zinn)
Bones of the Orbit
Which wall of the orbit is the weakest
Medial wall
It has a thin transparent membrane called the lamina papyracea through which infection can easily spread. This is how ethmoid cellulitis can lead to orbital cellulitis.
What is shown below?
A Hertel exophthalmometer -used to measure the degree of proptosis.
> > 20mm indicates proptosis and any difference between the eyes should be investigated further
Types of Exophthalmos
Axial proptosis (straight out) indicates a lesion within the tendinous ring such as optic nerve glioma and cavernous haemangioma.
Non-axial proptosis (protrusion at an angle) indicates a lesion outside the tendinous ring such as the lacrimal gland
Pseudoproptosis is the false appearance of proptosis and is typically due to facial anatomy.
Enophthalmos
Can be congenital as a result of atrophy of the ocular contents
Psuedoenophthalmos can be seen in a small eye (microphthalmos), ptosis or proptosis of the fellow eye.
Compare preseptal vs orbital cellulitis
How is orbital vs preseptal cellulitis anatomically demarcated
By the orbital septum which is a membrane that extends from the orbital rim and inserts into the eyelids.
CT of the orbit confirms the diagnosis
Most common cause of axial proptosis in adults?
Thryoid eye disease
Stages of thyroid eye disease
An active inflammatory stage in which the eyes are red and painful
Followed by a fibrotic phase involving the extraocular muscles where there is oedema and fibrosis. This leads to restrictive myopathy, exophthalmos and optic neuropathy
Pathomechanism of thyroid eye disease
TSH IgG binds to TSHr on extraocular muscles and fibroblasts → leads to adipogenesis and hyaluronic acid deposition in orbital muscle → leads to swelling of muscles and fat
Lid retraction occurs due to the sympathetic overstimulation of Muller’s muscle
Most important risk factor for thyroid eye disease?
Smoking
Presentation of thryoid eye disease
Typically hyperthyroid but can be eu/hypothyroid
Axial proptosis
Lid retraction (Dalrymple sign)
Lid lag (Von Graefe sign)
Characteristic staring appearance (Kocher sign)
Restrictive myopathy
Half the patients with superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis also have TED
What causes Lid retraction (Dalrymple sign)
occurs due to sympathetic overstimulation of Muller’s muscle, driven by elevated thyroid hormone
What muscle is affected first in thyroid eye disease?
Restrictive myopathy typically affects the inferior rectus first
Investigations for thyroid eye disease
CT of the orbit characteristically shows thickening of extraocular/levator muscle and sparing of the tendons
Anti-TSHr antibody
(If there are signs of optic neuropathy (dyschromatopsia, RAPD, field and acuity defects) urgent anti-inflammatory treatment is needed to prevent vision loss)
Management of thyroid eye disease
An MRI of a patient with thyroid eye disease. The arrows point to enlarged extraocular muscles.
List 3 other causes of Orbital Inflammation
A is an MRI of a patient with optic nerve sheath meningioma. B is an MRI of a patient with optic nerve glioma. The arrows highlight the nerve and the meninges.
Commonest primary childhood orbital malignancy
Rhabdomyosarcoma
Rhabdomyosarcoma