Pneumocephalus due to Compressed Air Injury without Facial Bone Fracture

Pneumocephalus without any evidence of fracture or sinusitis is a rare occurrence. Most cases reporting this condition are associated with orbital emphysema (1-5). High pressure air as from a compressed air gun is a major cause of pneumocephalus which is applied intraorbitally (1-5). The mechanism of the air flow into the cranial cavity from orbit cavity was suggested to be secondary to a blast of air from the optic canal to the subarachnoid canal (1, 2). In this case report, we present the accidental occurrence of pneumocephalus due to a high pressure air gun into the orbit of the eye.