Osteomyelitis of the Maxilla Secondary to Periorbital Cellulitis
in a Neonate: A Case Report
Osteomielitis del maxilar secundaria a celulitis periorbitaria en un
neonato: reporte de un caso
Revista Ecuatoriana de Pediatría
Editorial: Sociedad Ecuatoriana de Pediatría (Núcleo de Quito, Ecuador)
Tipo de estudio: Reporte de Caso
Área de estudio: Pediatría
Páginas: 45-51
Codígo DOI: https://doi.org/10.52011/RevSepEc/e351
URL: https://rev-sep.ec/index.php/johs/article/view/351
RESUMEN
La osteomielitis es la infección del tejido y médula ósea, causado principalmente por bacterias, microorganis-
mos que pueden diseminarse por tres vías: hematógena, por contigüidad o directa. En la etapa neonatal es
una entidad grave y poco frecuente, que puede causar secuelas osteoarticulares permanentes, presentándose
en esta etapa de la vida con características etiopatogénicas e histológicas diferentes a las presentaciones en
otros grupos etarios. Su presentación en el macizo facial es poco y puede ser secundaria a infecciones de
tejidos blandos de la cara. Se presenta el caso de un neonato femenino de 20 días de vida que desencadenó
osteomielitis del maxilar superior secundaria a celulitis facial y periorbitaria, con determinación de Staphylo-
cocus aureus en hemocultivos y secreción ocular, manejado con cobertura antibiótica de amplio espectro y
manejo quirúrgico expectante, con evolución clínica favorable, en seguimiento actual por ambulatorio.
Palabras clave: Celulitis periorbitaria, osteomielitis, neonatal, infección bacteriana, celulitis.
ABSTRACT
Osteomyelitis is an infection of bone tissue and bone marrow, primarily caused by bacteria, which may spread
through three main routes: hematogenous dissemination, contiguous spread, or direct inoculation. In the neo-
Jean Carlos Delgado Macías
1
, Miguel Ángel Hernández Cedeño
1
, Ambar Noemi Armijos Cevallos
1
,
Alex Villalta Herrera
2
, Aurora Chávez Veliz
3
, Reyma Mosquera Peña
3
Reporte de Caso
1. Resident Physician in Pediatrics, Hospital de Niños Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
2. Resident Physician in Pediatrics, Hospital de Niños Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
3. Resident Physician in Pediatrics, Hospital de Niños Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
4. Attending Physician, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital de Niños Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
5. Attending Physician, Department of Neonatology, Hospital de Niños Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
6. Attending Physician, Department of Neonatology, Hospital de Niños Dr. Roberto Gilbert Elizalde, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Jean Carlos Delgado Macías https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0289-4596
Miguel Ángel Hernández Cedeño https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2307-8981
Ambar Noemi Armijos Cevallos https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1768-0925
Alex Villalta Herrera https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8333-2307
Auror Chávez Veliz https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9861-6628
Reyma Mosquera Peña https://orcid.org/0009-0008-7252-1557
Correspondencia: Jean Carlos Delgado Macías; Cdla. Atarazana, Av. Roberto Gilbert y Nicasio Safadi, Guayaquil, Ecuador;
090514; maciasjeancarlosdelgado@gmail.com
Recibido: 10/oct/2025 - Aceptado: 12/nov/2025 - Publicado: 29/dic/2025
Revista Ecuatoriana de Pediatría | ISSNe: 2737-6494
Pagína 46 | VOL.26 N°3 (2025)Septiembre - Diciembre
natal period, it represents a rare but severe condition with the potential to cause permanent osteoarticular
sequelae. During this stage of life, osteomyelitis exhibits etiopathogenic and histological features that differ from
those observed in other age groups. Involvement of the facial skeleton is uncommon and is usually secondary
to contiguous soft tissue infections of the face. We report the case of a 20-day-old female neonate who de-
veloped osteomyelitis of the maxilla secondary to facial and periorbital cellulitis, with Staphylococcus aureus
isolated from blood cultures and ocular discharge. The patient was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotic
therapy and conservative surgical management, showing favorable clinical evolution and currently remaining
under outpatient follow-up.
Keywords: Periorbital cellulitis; osteomyelitis; neonatal period; bacterial infection; cellulitis.
Reporte de Caso
Introducción
Osteomyelitis (OM) is an infection of bone
tissue and bone marrow, primarily caused by
bacteria, which may spread through three
main routes: hematogenous dissemination,
contiguous spread, or direct inoculation
1
. In
the neonatal period, hematogenous spread
represents the predominant mechanism of
infection. During the early phase of the di-
sease, increased bone vascularity occurs
as a result of the inflammatory response,
whereas reduced vascularity is observed in
chronic cases
2,5
.
Identified risk factors include prematurity
and prolonged stays in critical care units,
often associated with catheter-related in-
fections. In neonates, OM presents with
etiopathogenic and histological characteris-
tics that differ from those observed in older
patients
3
.
Maxillary osteomyelitis predominantly affects
infants and young children and may arise
from hematogenous dissemination or as a
complication of adjacent staphylococcal
skin infections
4
. The most commonly repor-
ted etiologic agents include Staphylococcus
aureus, Bacteroides spp., and Streptococcus
spp
5
. Clinical presentation is usually nonspe-
cific and includes prolonged fever, irritabi-
lity, edema, erythema, pain, and functional
impairment
6
.
The diagnosis of maxillary osteomyelitis re-
lies on clinical evaluation, imaging studies,
biopsy, and microbiological cultures
7
, with
blood cultures considered the gold stan-
dard for etiologic identification. Treatment
is primarily based on broad-spectrum an-
tibiotic therapy
8
, with surgical intervention
reserved for selected cases.
Case Presentation
A 20-day-old female neonate, born to a
23-year-old mother, fifth pregnancy, delive-
red via uncomplicated vaginal delivery at
39 weeks of gestation, was admitted with
a 48-hour history of fever up to 38 °C, im-
mediate postprandial vomiting, abdominal
distension, right-sided periorbital edema,
and greenish discharge from the upper ri-
ght gingival region.
On admission, the patient was irritable, fe-
brile, and tachycardic. Physical examination
revealed edema and erythema of the right
eyelid, induration of the right cheek, yellowi-
sh discharge from the right nostril, and a
violaceous mass approximately 0.5 cm in
diameter in the upper right gingiva, asso-
ciated with greenish discharge and whitish
spots on the mucosa.
Given the presentation of a febrile neonate,
an initial diagnostic approach for late-on-
set neonatal sepsis and periorbital cellulitis
was initiated. Blood and site cultures were
obtained. Chest radiography showed right
perihilar reinforcement, while abdominal
radiography revealed poor air distribution
and mild interloop edema. Transfontanellar
ultrasound was normal, whereas abdominal
ultrasound demonstrated hepatomegaly
and splenomegaly.
Laboratory evaluation showed leukocytosis
with neutrophilia (absolute neutrophil count
of 15,200), reactive thrombocytosis, elevated
acute-phase reactants, and indirect hyper-
bilirubinemia. Immunoglobulin and comple-
ment levels were normal for age, as were
organ function tests. Urine and cerebrospi-
nal fluid cultures were negative, and echo-
cardiography was unremarkable.
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Contrast-enhanced computed tomography
(CT) of the orbits and facial bones was
performed (Figure 1). Ophthalmologic eva-
luation revealed a normal fundoscopic
examination and findings consistent with
right periorbital cellulitis, recommending
conservative management and ophthal-
mic antibiotic therapy. In conjunction with
neonatology, the infectious diseases team
maintained ampicillin and added vancomy-
cin. Maxillofacial surgery recommended
gingival cleansing with Dakin’s solution and
continuation of antibiotic therapy.
Subsequent clinical deterioration included
worsening right periorbital edema with in-
ability to open the eye, marked proptosis,
and purulent discharge. Blood cultures and
ocular secretion cultures yielded methici-
llin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Leuko-
cytosis and elevated inflammatory markers
persisted. Following multidisciplinary discus-
sion, conservative management and anti-
biotic therapy were continued.
After 14 days of antibiotic treatment, clinical
improvement of periorbital edema was no-
ted, with improvement in blood counts but
persistent elevation of inflammatory mar-
kers. Follow-up CT of the face and orbits
was performed (Figures 2 and 3), followed
by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) of the right orbit (Figure 4).
Based on clinical and radiological evidence
of osteomyelitis, and considering the pa-
tient’s age and surgical risks, conservative
management with continued vancomycin
therapy and close monitoring of inflam-
matory markers was maintained.
Figure 1. Non-contrast coronal computed
tomography demonstrating mucosal thicke-
ning of the right maxillary sinus and adja-
Figures 2 and 3. Contrast-enhanced axial
computed tomography showing extension
of inflammatory changes to the adjacent
canthal region (white arrows), mild protru-
sion of the right globe (interzygomatic line–
anterior corneal border distance: 14.3 mm
on the right and 11.3 mm on the left), and
millimetric bone fragments within the extra-
conal fat associated with the inflammatory
process (yellow arrow).
Reporte de Caso
cent osteomeatal complex, associated with
irregularity of the medial wall and floor of
the ipsilateral orbit, as well as inflammatory
changes in the anterior third of the conti-
guous extraconal fat, consistent with compli-
cated sinusitis with associated osteomyelitis.
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Reporte de Caso
Figure 4. Axial contrast-enhanced T1-wei-
ghted magnetic resonance imaging de-
monstrating inflammatory changes involving
the extraconal fat and the medial canthal
regions.
to contiguous spread related to trauma,
penetrating wounds, surgical procedures, or
joint replacement; and osteomyelitis secon-
dary to vascular insufficiency, with the he-
matogenous route being the most frequent,
particularly in neonates
11
. Nevertheless, other
predisposing factors have been described
in the literature, including genetic conditions
such as sickle cell anemia and osteopetro-
sis, as well as toxic and environmental fac-
tors, including birth-related trauma
12,13
.
Factors associated with maxillary osteom-
yelitis include infections of the orofacial
region, eyes, nose, paranasal sinuses, and
ears, as well as alveolodental infections
14,15
.
In the present case, the presence of a ru-
dimentary tooth in the palatal region with
subsequent abscess formation represented
a significant risk factor for the development
of maxillary osteomyelitis.
Clinical presentation during the neonatal
period is highly variable and often nons-
pecific, and may manifest solely as irritabi-
lity, fever, or even gastrointestinal symptoms
such as diarrhea
16
. Purulent nasal discharge
or drainage from the canine fossa may also
be observed
17
. In hematogenous acute os-
teomyelitis, symptom onset typically occurs
within less than two weeks
11
, consistent with
the clinical course observed in our patient.
Once the maxilla is involved, rapid spread
to adjacent structures may occur, including
the orbital region, dental follicles, nasal ca-
vity, and medial maxillary sinus. Clinically,
this results in erythema and edema of the
periorbital region, usually involving the me-
dial aspect, as well as cheek and periorbital
soft tissue swelling
14,15,17
. In more severe cases,
proptosis, chemosis, and ophthalmoplegia
may develop
14
, findings that were consistent
with the clinical deterioration and right-eye
proptosis observed in our patient.
The most frequently isolated pathogen
across all age groups is Staphylococcus
aureus, followed by Streptococcus agalac-
tiae, enteric gram-negative bacteria, and
Candida spp., particularly in infants youn-
ger than one year
3
. In the present case,
S. aureus was isolated, in agreement with
global literature. It is important to highlight
In view of the improvement in clinical and
laboratory findings, it was decided to com-
plete 30 days of antibiotic therapy with
vancomycin, followed by a switch to oral
clindamycin to complete a total of six wee-
ks of antimicrobial treatment. After joint re-
assessment by the neonatology, ophthal-
mology, maxillofacial surgery, and infectious
diseases teams, the patient was discharged
with a plan for multidisciplinary outpatient
follow-up.
Discussion
Osteomyelitis is an inflammatory process of
bone caused by bacterial or fungal infec-
tion. Maxillary osteomyelitis in the neonatal
period and early infancy is an exceptionally
rare condition; the first case was described
in 1847 by Jacob and Sagorin
9
. The inciden-
ce of acute osteomyelitis (AO) is estimated
at 1 to 3 cases per 1,000 children
10
. Howe-
ver, in our country, there are no precise
epidemiological data regarding prevalence
or incidence, likely due to the rarity of this
clinical presentation.
According to etiopathogenic classification,
AO is divided into three types: hematoge-
nous osteomyelitis; osteomyelitis secondary
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Reporte de Caso
the increasing emergence of antimicrobial
resistance and methicillin-resistant strains
(MRSA). In our patient, the isolated strain
was methicillin-susceptible, which represents
a favorable prognostic factor.
The diagnosis of maxillary osteomyelitis is
primarily clinical and supported by labo-
ratory and imaging studies. Inflammatory
markers such as leukocyte count and C-re-
active protein (CRP) are useful for monito-
ring disease progression; CRP values below
20 mg/L have been associated with crite-
ria for discontinuation of antibiotic therapy.
However, independent predictors of MRSA
infection have been described, including
elevated body temperature, low hematocrit,
leukocytosis, and increased CRP levels
18
.
Computed tomography and magnetic reso-
nance imaging are essential tools for asses-
sing changes in tissue density, lytic lesions,
and periosteal involvement associated with
maxillary osteomyelitis
19
. In our patient, initial
imaging demonstrated increased density of
the maxillary and ethmoidal sinuses and
hypertrophy of the nasal turbinate mucosa,
followed by progression to lytic lesions of
the maxillary bone, confirmed on subse-
quent imaging studies.
The treatment of maxillary osteomyelitis re-
mains controversial, as there is no absolute
consensus regarding exclusive conservati-
ve management with antibiotics versus the
need for surgical intervention. Since the first
reported cases, treatment has been gui-
ded by microbiological sensitivity; penicillin
has historically been used as first-line thera-
py
14,16
. In our patient, empirical therapy with
an aminopenicillin and an aminoglycoside
was initiated to cover S. aureus and enteric
gram-negative bacteria. However, definitive
antimicrobial selection depends on the iso-
lated pathogen, its susceptibility profile, and
local resistance patterns; in cases of sus-
pected or confirmed MRSA infection, van-
comycin is the treatment of choice
19
.
The duration of antibiotic therapy depends
on the association with acute bacterial ar-
thritis and the presence of osteomyelitis.
In cases without osteomyelitis, a 10–14-day
course of antibiotics is recommended
20
. In
patients with osteomyelitis and isolation of
S. aureus, treatment should be extended to
3–4 weeks, with longer courses required for
resistant organisms
13,21
. In the present case,
with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus isolated
from blood and maxillary secretion cultures,
three weeks of vancomycin therapy were
completed due to initial concern for MRSA,
considering risk factors such as age and
extensive involvement of adjacent structu-
res. The patient showed favorable clinical
evolution without neurological complica-
tions and was discharged on oral linco-
samide therapy, in accordance with inter-
national guidelines for the management of
osteomyelitis
21
.
Conclusion
Maxillary osteomyelitis in the neonatal pe-
riod is an uncommon condition but is asso-
ciated with significant morbidity and morta-
lity. Early diagnosis is often challenging due
to the nonspecific nature of initial clinical
manifestations and the rapid progression to
orbital and systemic complications. This case
highlights the importance of maintaining a
high index of suspicion in infants with facial
or periorbital cellulitis showing poor respon-
se or refractory evolution to initial therapy,
as well as the need for a multidisciplinary
approach involving neonatology, infectious
diseases, and maxillofacial surgery to opti-
mize clinical outcomes. Timely recognition
and early initiation of appropriate antibiotic
therapy remain critical in preserving func-
tion, preventing aesthetic sequelae, and im-
proving overall prognosis.
Author contributions
Armijos Cevallos: Preparation of the original
manuscript drafts. Delgado Macías: Con-
ceptualization and manuscript writing. Her-
nández Cedeño: Critical review and con-
tent validation. Villalta Herrera: Resource
provision. Chávez Aurora: Study supervision.
Mosquera Reyma: Study supervision.
Ethical Statement
This clinical case is presented anonymously,
ensuring protection of patient identity and
Revista Ecuatoriana de Pediatría | ISSNe: 2737-6494
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Reporte de Caso
confidentiality. Informed consent was obtai-
ned from the patient’s legal representative,
and the right to privacy was respected at
all times.
Data availability statement
The data are not publicly available due to
patient confidentiality considerations. Howe-
ver, data may be made available for aca-
demic purposes upon reasonable request
to the corresponding author.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Funding
The authors received no financial support
for the conduct of this study.
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Para referenciar aplique esta cita:
Delgado Macías JC, Hernández Cedeño M Ángel, Armijos Cevallos AN, Villalta Herrera A, Chávez Veliz A,
Mosquera Peña R. Osteomielitis del maxilar secundaria a celulitis periorbitaria en un neonato: reporte de un
caso. REV-SEP [Internet]. 12 de diciembre de 2025; 26(3):45-51. Disponible en: https://rev-sep.ec/index.php/johs/
article/view/351
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