Vaso-occlusive Infarction of the Lateral Orbital Wall With Ipsilateral Temporalis Muscle Ischemia.

An 18-month-old boy with sickle cell disease developed progressive left periorbital edema and temporalis fullness. Imaging revealed two inferotemporal subperiosteal fluid collections and adjacent temporalis muscle thickening. After undergoing an anterior orbitotomy with drainage and biopsy, the patient was diagnosed as having a vaso-occlusive sickle cell crisis involving the lateral orbit. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2020;57:e78-e81.].

Etiologies of Proptosis: A review.

Proptosis, the protrusion of the eyeball from the orbit, results from a wide variety of pathologies that can be vision- or life-threatening. Clinical history, associated physical exam findings, and imaging features are all crucial in establishing the underlying etiology. The differential diagnosis is broad, and includes infectious, inflammatory, vascular, and neoplastic entities that range from benign and indolent, to malignant and aggressive. While treatment varies significantly based on the disease process, all are aimed at preserving vision, salvaging the globe, preventing disfigurement, and reducing mortality. Both internists and general ophthalmologists should be familiar with the causes of proptosis in order to initiate the work-up for, and appropriately triage, affected patients.

Are cannabinoids a new treatment option for pain in patients with fibromyalgia?

Preliminary studies suggest that the synthetic cannabinoid nabilone might be an effective therapy in patients with fibromyalgia. Skrabek et al. performed a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial to analyze the effects of nabilone on pain and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. After 4 weeks of treatment (0.5 mg once daily in week 1, 0.5 mg twice daily in week 2, 0.5 mg in the morning and 1 mg in the evening in week 3, and 1 mg twice daily in week 4), patients who received nabilone (n = 15) experienced significant improvements in clinical pain, measured on a visual analog scale (P <0.02), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire score (P <0.02) and the 10-point anxiety scale of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (P <0.02). After a 4-week wash-out period at the end of the trial, all benefits were lost in the nabilone cohort, which returned to their baseline levels of pain and quality of life. Patients who received placebo (n = 18) experienced no change throughout the study. Although nabilone was not associated with serious adverse effects, some patients did experience drowsiness, dry mouth, vertigo and ataxia as a result of treatment.