ORBITAL CELLULITE AND PRESEPTAL CELLULITE IN CHILDHOOD

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Abstract
A study was made of 112 children with preseptal cellulitis, orbital cellulitis, subperiosteal abscess, and orbital abscess. These were consecutive admissions to the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Sydney [Australia] during the period June 1976 to August 1985. The average age was 3 years 6 months. The clinical and radiological signs for each group were defined. Of the 112 children, 43.8% (with an average age of 3 years 3 months) had a clinical history of an upper respiratory tract infection. Trauma was a factor in 13.4% of patients. Haemophilus influenzae was recovered from blood culture in two patients and from conjuctival culture in seven patients. The average age of this group was 3 years 7 months. Plain radiographs taken of 53 patients revealed evidence of paranasal sinus disease In 29 (54.7%). Computerized tomography was performed in 14 patients. Of seven patients requiring surgical drainage of orbital or subperiosteal abscess (average age 7 years 2 months), five had clinical upper respiratory tract infection.