When the Cost of Vaping Is an Eye: A Case of an Open Globe and Superior Orbital Roof Fracture

Abstract

The authors report a penetrating orbitocerebral vape pen injury necessitating a primary enucleation and craniotomy to remove the foreign body fragments. A 31-year-old male presented with acute right vision loss after a modifiable vape pen explosion launched multiple projectile fragments into his right eye. CT revealed a deformed globe with multiple radiodense curvilinear fragments in the superior orbital roof and intracranial space. A right frontal craniotomy and orbitotomy with removal of vape pen fragments, reconstruction of the orbital roof, primary enucleation, and eyelid repair were performed in conjunction with neurosurgery. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported penetrating globe injury from a vape pen explosion.