Sinusitis and Orbital Complications

After working through this material, the learner can: - separate the viral cold that most people have from acute bacterial rhinosinusitis, and explain why that separation protects both the patient and the community from unnecessary antibiotics; - describe the anatomical routes that carry sinus infection into the orbit and the cranium, and name the five Chandler stages; - recognize the findings that move a patient from "sinus infection" to "threat to sight or brain": proptosis, painful or limited eye movement, reduced visual acuity, double vision, severe headache, vomiting, confusion and photophobia; - carry out focused eye and neurological checks, document them against a baseline, and escalate urgently within provincial or territorial scope; - support the antimicrobial plan, teach saline irrigation and spray technique, and teach return precautions.