Pott's Puffy Tumor Initially Presenting as Eyelid Swelling without Typical Forehead Swelling

Abstract

Pott's puffy tumor is a rare complication of frontal sinusitis characterized by frontal bone osteomyelitis with a subperiosteal abscess typically presenting with forehead swelling. We herein report a 21-year-old man with Pott's puffy tumor presenting as eyelid swelling on the opposite side of the sinusitis, without typical forehead swelling. Initially treated for sinusitis and pre-septal cellulitis with poor response, head magnetic resonance imaging revealed bilateral subdural abscesses and osteomyelitis of the frontal and bilateral parietal bones, leading to the diagnosis. When frontal sinusitis and eyelid swelling are unresponsive to antibiotics, Pott's puffy tumor should be considered, even in the absence of forehead swelling.