Frontal bone infarctions masquerading as bilateral orbital cellulitis in a patient with sickle cell disease

Abstract

Repeated vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) are the hallmark of sickle cell disease (SCD). These repeated crises can lead to bone infarcts, necrosis, and, over time, degenerative changes in the bone marrow. Orbital complications in SCD patients are infrequent and usually present as orbital cellulitis. We report the appearance of orbital bone infarction intraoperatively in the case of an 18-year-old Saudi male patient who has been diagnosed with SCD and presented with severe headaches and generalized body aches. He was admitted with a case of SCD with acute VOC and started on the hospital sickle cell protocol. During the admission, the patient developed bilateral periorbital swelling and left inferior dystopia secondary to bilateral frontoparietal bone infarction, which was evident on the magnetic resonance imaging.