Predicting the Need for Surgical Intervention in Pediatric Orbital Cellulitis

In pediatric orbital cellulitis, the likelihood of surgical intervention can be estimated accurately based on the ophthalmic examination on initial presentation to the hospital. Risk factors for surgery include age older than 9 years, proptosis, EOM restriction, and elevated IOP. These factors may be used to identify patients at high risk for failure of medical management early in the clinical course.