Invasive aspergillosis of orbit in immunocompetent patients: treatment and outcome.

Objective: Invasive sino-orbital aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients is a rare clinical entity and often misdiagnosed. Invasive sino-orbital aspergillosis is potentially fatal; however, mortality may be avoided with timely treatment. Presently, there are no universal guidelines for its treatment. We present the clinical features, treatment, and outcome in 15 cases of invasive sino-orbital/orbital aspergillosis in healthy individuals.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Participants: Fifteen cases of invasive sino-orbital/orbital aspergillosis in immunocompetent individuals.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all patients with sino-orbital/orbital aspergillosis who were treated at the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Center for Ophthalmic Sciences between June 1999 and September 2009. Diagnosis was based on histopathologic documentation of tissue invasion by septate fungal hyphae with acute angle branching and presence of granulomatous inflammation.

Main Outcome Measures: Treatment outcome in terms of patient survival, resolution of symptoms, and resolution of orbital mass on imaging.

Results: Fifteen patients (11 male and 4 female) were studied. Mean age of patients was 35 years. One patient declined treatment. Surgery was performed for orbital disease in 6 patients. Medical therapy consisted of intravenous amphotericin B followed by itraconazole in 10 patients, itraconazole alone in 2 patients, and voriconazole followed by itraconazole in 2 patients. Eleven patients are alive without recurrence at a median follow-up of 20 months. Of these patients, 5 had residual mass on imaging at last follow-up. One patient died of progressive disease.

Conclusions: This is a large case series of orbital aspergillosis reported in healthy individuals. The role of orbital surgery is not clear in treatment of this entity and requires further evaluation. Newer antifungal agents alone seem to be effective in controlling the infection.