OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical characteristics, diagnostic and treatment principle of orbital cellulitis in children, and to improve the experience of antibiotic treatment in orbital cellulites.

METHODSTwenty children were admitted to Shenzhen Children's Hospital with the diagnosis of nasal orbital cellulitis between January 2009 and December 2013. The children were severe enough to warrant hospital admission. There were 13(65%) males and 7 (35%) females. The median age was 3.5 years (2 months to 7.2 years). The relationship between the serum C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count and the hospitalization days were analyzed. The children were divided into 2 groups: Cefoperazone Sodium and Sulbactam Sodium for injection group and other antibiotic treatment group, the difference was compared. Statistical calculation was performed using SPSS 13.0 software.

RESULTSThe serum CRP [(29.8 ± 22.0) mg/L] at the time of admission had a positive correlation with the time of hospitalization[ (6.3 ± 4.1) d, r = 0.46, P < 0.05]. The time of CRP decreased to normal range after admission [(3.4 ± 1.8) d] were apparently related to the hospitalization time (r = 0.81, P < 0.01). The hospital days whose CRP could be decreased to normal within 3 days [n = 12, (4.3 ± 1.7) d] were significantly shorter than that in the others [n = 8, (9.1 ± 5.0) d, t = 2.61, P < 0.05]. The hospitalization of 12 cases with Cefoperazone Sodium and Sulbactam Sodium for injection [(4.3 ± 1.9) d] was shorter than that in other 8 cases with other drugs [(9.3 ± 4.7) d, t = 2.83, P < 0.05]. Bacterial pathogens were only identified in 4 children, including 3 cases of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 1 case of streptococcus anginosus. Only 1 case in 20 cases with positive blood culture for Staphylococcus aureus, consistented with the pus culture.

CONCLUSIONSIf early treatment at the first three days is valid, the course of nasal orbital cellulitis will be shorter and the orbital abscess can be prevented. Cefoperazone sulbactam and Sulbactam Sodium for injection is effective in treating pediatric orbital cellulitis.