Bilateral proptosis: an unusual primary presentation of scurvy—a case report

Abstract

Background: Scurvy is a nutritional vitamin C deficiency disease which shows classical signs on radiographs most commonly along long bones with subperiosteal hemorrhage being a classical finding. Primary presentation of scurvy with orbital hemorrhage presenting as proptosis is however uncommon. Case presentation: We report an unusual primary presentation of scurvy in a 4-year-old boy with West syndrome and global developmental delay who presented to the emergency with complaints of bilateral proptosis and eyelid swelling (right > left) which on examination revealed bluish discolouration of bilateral eyelids. On further multimodality imaging investigation, orbital subperiosteal hemorrhages were identified as the cause, along with classical radiographic features of scurvy in bilateral lower limb long bones. The diagnosis was further bolstered by rapid resolution of periorbital ecchymosis after initiating oral vitamin C supplementation. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, primary presentation of scurvy in the form of bilateral proptosis due to orbital hemorrhages although uncommon can still be a manifestation of scurvy in addition to the more routinely detected subperiosteal hemorrhages along long bones. The significance of establishing the aetiology in such cases of orbital hemorrhage cannot be overemphasised, in view of drastic clinical recovery after starting vitamin C therapy.