Cavernous sinus thrombosis with bilateral orbital vein involvement and diffuse ischemic retinopathy

Abstract

A 53-year-old man with a 3-day history of periorbital swelling and vision loss in the left eye was found to have septic cavernous sinus thrombosis with bilateral orbital vein involvement causing congestive orbitopathy. He was treated with an emergent canthotomy and cantholysis, intraocular pressure-lowering drops, antibiotics, anticoagulation, and serial examinations. Optical coherence tomography ultimately revealed diffuse ischemic destruction of both layers of the retina, which suggested occlusion of the ophthalmic artery or the short posterior ciliary arteries and central retinal artery without intracavernous internal carotid artery involvement. The patient remained without light perception in the left eye after treatment.