Transorbital penetrating head injury by a toilet brush handle

Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2009 Jun;151(6):685-7. doi: 10.1007/s00701-009-0221-9. Epub 2009 Mar 4.

Abstract

Background: Transorbital penetrating brain injuries are rare lesions without defined therapy standards.

Clinical presentation and intervention: A male patient presented at our institution with a toilet brush handle in the right cerebral hemisphere. CT imaging identified the object entering the right orbit and having crossed the right hemisphere in the ventricular plane. After performing a medium-sized craniotomy, the object was removed step-by-step under monitoring with an intraoperative CT scan to ensure no involving major hemorrhage.

Conclusion: Transorbital penetrating brain injuries are treated best by utilizing all up-to-date technical developments such as intraoperative CT-scanning to increase the safety in the management of such exceptional lesions with increased risk of immediate life-threatening intracranial bleeding.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Accidental Falls
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain / surgery
  • Brain Abscess / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain Abscess / etiology
  • Brain Abscess / pathology
  • Brain Injuries / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain Injuries / etiology
  • Brain Injuries / pathology*
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage, Traumatic / diagnostic imaging
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage, Traumatic / prevention & control
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage, Traumatic / surgery
  • Craniotomy
  • Decompression, Surgical
  • Disability Evaluation
  • Epilepsy / complications
  • Foreign Bodies / diagnostic imaging
  • Foreign Bodies / pathology*
  • Foreign Bodies / surgery
  • Head Injuries, Penetrating / diagnostic imaging
  • Head Injuries, Penetrating / etiology
  • Head Injuries, Penetrating / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Intraoperative Complications / diagnostic imaging
  • Intraoperative Complications / etiology
  • Intraoperative Complications / prevention & control
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Monitoring, Intraoperative / methods*
  • Orbital Fractures / diagnostic imaging
  • Orbital Fractures / etiology
  • Orbital Fractures / pathology*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*
  • Treatment Outcome