PERIORBITAL EDEMA

Ask the Following Questions:

1. Is there a periorbital or facial rash? The presence of a periorbital or facial rash should suggest contact dermatitis, angioneurotic edema, trichinosis, and herpes zoster. Remember, herpes zoster is usually unilateral.
2. Is there a generalized edema? The presence of generalized edema suggests myxedema, cirrhosis, acute and chronic glomerulonephritis, congestive heart failure, and other disorders.
3. Is there fever? The presence of fever suggests acute sinusitis, cavernous sinus thrombosis, orbital cellulitis, meningitis, and neurosyphilis.

DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP

Routine diagnostic studies include a CBC, sedimentation rate, urinalysis, chemistry panel, thyroid profile, chest x-ray, VDRL test, and x-ray of the sinuses and orbits. If there is fever, a nose and throat culture and blood culture should be done and antibiotics begun without delay. A CT scan of the brain and sinuses probably ought to be done in these cases, but why not get an ear, nose, and throat or neurologic consultation first?

If there is generalized edema, the workup should proceed as outlined on page 138 .

Trichinosis can be diagnosed by the skin test, serologic studies, or a muscle biopsy. Superior vena cava syndrome may be diagnosed by a chest x-ray in many cases, but a CT scan of the mediastinum may be necessary.

Book Source Details

• Book Title: Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs
• Author(s): R. Douglas Collins
• Year of Publication: 2003
• Copyright Details: Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs, Copyright © 2003 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Other Book Chapters Related to Periorbital oedema

Read excerpts from these other book chapters related to Periorbital oedema:

Copyright Details: Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs, Copyright © 2008 Williams & Wilkins.

More About Causes of Periorbital oedema

• Back to symptom: Periorbital oedema: Introduction (review 22 causes)
• Next Book Extract About Periorbital oedema: Periorbital Edema (In a Page: Signs and Symptoms)
• All Book Extracts: All Online Book Extracts for Periorbital oedema

More About This Book: Title: Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs Authors: R. Douglas Collins Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Copyright: 2003 ISBN: 0-7817-3805-9

 » Next page: Periorbital Edema (In a Page: Signs and Symptoms)

Rate This Website

What do you think about the features of this website? Take our user survey and have your say:

Website User Survey

Medical Tools & Articles:

Next articles:

• Periorbital Edema (In a Page: Signs and Symptoms)
• Periorbital Edema (In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms)
• PERIORBITAL AND FACIAL EDEMA (Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care)
• PERIORBITAL AND FACIAL EDEMA (Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care)
• Videos relating to Periorbital oedema

Tools & Services:

• Bookmark this page
• Symptom Search
• Symptom Checker
• Medical Dictionary
• Give your feedback

Medical Articles:

• Disease & Treatments Search
• Misdiagnosis Center
• Full list of interesting articles

Forums & Message Boards

• Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
• I cannot get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for my condition?
• See all the Boards.

Enter your search terms Submit search form
Search The Web Search wrongdiagnosis.com

Common Health Mistakes

Symptom
Checker

Search Specialists by State and City