Periorbital cellulitis.

Periorbital cellulitis is a common complication of sinusitis in children. At some hospitals lumbar puncture is routinely done as part of the complete evaluation of children admitted with periorbital cellulitis. Presumably, the lumbar puncture is done to rule out meningitis which could be the result of extension of infection from the orbit to the central nervous system (CNS). However, the degree to which periorbital cellulitis is associated with CNS complication is not known and the necessity for routine lumbar puncture is questioned. Therefore, records of 102 children admitted to the Children's Hospital National Medical Center from 1975 to 1982 with the diagnosis of periorbital cellulitis were reviewed. There were two cases of meningitis and one case of bilateral subdural effusions. Review of the literature and the findings in this study suggests that routine lumbar puncture in seemingly uncomplicated cases of periorbital cellulitis probably is not indicated in children 6 months of age or older.