Table 1 Summary of clinical features of compressed air injuries
Age, sex | Tool | Pressure of air jet (psi) | Relation to jobs | Entry site | Emphysema | Ocular motility | Ocular damage | Visual acuity | Treatment | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Author) | Eye lid/conj/orbit | Other area | |||||||||
29 M | A compressed air hose (details unknown) | 80 | (+) | UN/L | (+)/(+)/(+) | (−) | Restricted in abduction and elevation | (−) | 6/9 | Systemic and topical antibiotics | Good |
(Hitchings) | |||||||||||
6 M | A high pressure air hose (details unknown) | 125 to 175 | (−) | Conj/R | (+)/(+)/(+) | Face/mediastinum/intracranial space | UN | Mydriasis | No light perception | Prophylactic antibitics | Optic atrophy/blindness/ptosis |
(King) | |||||||||||
16 M | A compressed air jet from a one fourth inch diameter nozzle on the hose to clean foam rubber particles moulds | 90 to 100 | (+) | Conj/R | (+)/(+)/(+) | (−) | Normal | Extensive keratitis/iritis/iris atrophy/IOP increase (25 mmHg) | 20/40 | Cycloplegic and steroid -antibiotic drops and tabs | Good |
(Walsh) | |||||||||||
12Â M | An air hose tip (details unknown) | UN | UN | Conj/L | (+)/(+)/(+) | Intracranial space | UN | Corneal abrasion/iritis | 6/90 | Intravenous penicillin | Good |
(Koenig) | |||||||||||
55 M | A high-pressure air tube used in a garage | UN | (−) | Conj/L | (+)/(+)/(+) | (−) | Vertical limitation | Corneal edema/iritis/mydriasis/IOP increase (80 mmHg) | 6/30 | Incision of conj to release the trapped air/suture of conj wound | Good |
(Teller) | |||||||||||
29 M | A compressed air tube to clean metal dust | 50 | (+) | Conj/L | (−)/(+)/(−) | (−) | UN | Metal foreign body in the cornea/IOP increase (28 mmHg) | Normal | Removal of the foreign body/incision of conj to release the air/antibiotic ointment | Good |
(Biger) | |||||||||||
19 M | A compressed air hose (details unknown) | 75 | UN | Conj/R | (+)/(+)/(+) | Neck/mediastinum/intracranial space | Restricted (details UN) | Keratitis/iritis/commotio retinae/IOP increase (22 mmHg) | 20/20 | Ice packs/steroid, β-blocker, and antibiotic drops/systemic antibiotics | Good |
(Lubniewski) | |||||||||||
34 M | A compressed air gun for automobile mechanic | 100 to 120 | (+) | Conj/R | (+)/(+)/(+) | (−) | Normal | Corneal abrasion | 20/20 | Erythromycin ointment | Good |
(Stroh) | |||||||||||
47Â M | An air compressor hose (details unknown) | 120 | UN | Conj/R | (+)/(+)/(+) | Face/intracranial space | Normal | Iritis/commotio retinae | 20/100 | Irrigation and debridement of conj wound/oral cephalexin/topical steroid and antibiotics | Good |
(Williams) | |||||||||||
29 M | A compressed air gun to clean saws for timberyard workers | 75 | (+) | Conj/R | (+)/(+)/(+) | Face | Restricted in all directions | (−) | 6/6 | Systemic steroid/topical antibiotics | Good |
(Caesar) | |||||||||||
24 M | A compressed air hose (details unknown) | UN | UN | Conj/L | (−)/(+)/(−) | (−) | Restricted in all directions | Keratitis/iritis | 0.5 | Lubricating drops and ointment | Good |
(Kaiserman) | |||||||||||
22 M | A compressed air tube in a metal factory | UN | (+) | Conj/L | (+)/(+)/(+) | Face/intracranial space | Restricted in all directions | (−) | 20/60 | Suture of conj laceration/systemic and topical antibiotics | Good |
(Yuksel) | |||||||||||
23 M | A compressed air gun to clean some tools | UN | UN | Conj/L | (+)/(+)/(+) | (−) | Restricted in all directions | Commotio retinae | 20/30 | Oral ampicillin and ibuprofen/topical ciprofloxacin eye ointment and flubiprofen eye drops | Good |
(Mathew) | |||||||||||
49Â M | A high-pressure compressed air jet to clean a tool in a workshop | UN | (+) | Conj/R | (+)/(+)/(+) fracture of the medial wall | Intracranial space | Diplopia in an upward gaze | Corneal erosion/iritis/commotio retinae | 0.5 | Suture of conj laceration/cooling with ice bags | Good |
(Hwang) | |||||||||||
30 M | A compressed air jet from a one fourth inch diameter nozzle on the hose to clean wood particles in a sawdust factory | 170 | (+) | Eyelid/R | (+)/(+)/(+) | Face/neck/mediastinum | Normal | (−) | 0.6 | Laceration suture of eyelid/systemic and topical antibiotics | Good |
Current case | |||||||||||