Author: Craig Brown / Editor: Jamie Cooper / Reviewer: Louise Burrows / Code: O9 / Published: 25/02/2022
You are on the ED observation unit morning ward round. Your next patient is a 25-year-old man, admitted during the night for head injury observations following an alleged assault. The patient describes that he was punched in the face and then knocked to the floor. He tells you that he had his hands up over his head to protect himself from further blows whilst he was on the ground.
There is obvious external bruising to the right side of the face and his eye is swollen shut.
You are able to prise open his eye and discern that there is no proptosis or enophthalmos and that he is able to see you clearly. Further, you establish that he has a full and pain free range of eye movement and no diplopia.
You review his facial x-ray.
