Orbital emphysema: nose blowing leading to a blown orbit.

A 32-year-old woman with a painful swelling around the right eye few hours after blowing her nose, presented to the accident and emergency department. There was no associated history of facial trauma. Examination revealed a grossly swollen right eye and palpable subcutaneous emphysema. The patient's visual acuity and eye movements were normal. A CT scan of the orbit confirmed orbital emphysema secondary to a fracture of the floor of the orbit into the maxillary sinus, as a result of increased intranasal pressure during nose blowing. The patient was admitted and managed conservatively with antibiotics. She made a full recovery with complete resolution of all her symptoms. A nasal bone fracture was also seen on CT scan and even though the patient could not recall any history of facial trauma, it was an incidental finding. 2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.