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Nguyen Le Trung,1 Nguyen Dinh Ngan,1 Pham Thi Mai,2 Ngo The Manh3 1Department of Ophthalmology, Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam; 2Department of Oncology, Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam; 3Department of Maxillofacial and Reconstructive Surgery, Military Medical University, Hanoi, VietnamCorrespondence: Nguyen Le Trung, Email nguyenletrungb4@vmmu.edu.vnBackground: Orbital myiasis is a rare and destructive infestation caused by fly larvae, often associated with chronic ulcerative lesions or malignancies in the head and neck region.Case Presentation: We report the case of an 85-year-old female with stage IVB maxillary sinus squamous cell carcinoma who developed severe orbital myiasis. The patient presented with a large ulcerative facial lesion involving the lower eyelid and maxillary region, with multiple live larvae visible within necrotic tissue. Emergent removal of larvae, wound debridement, daily antiseptic irrigation, systemic antibiotics, and palliative care were performed.Conclusion: Orbital myiasis in the setting of advanced head and neck malignancy is uncommon but can rapidly progress and significantly increase morbidity. Prompt recognition and early intervention are essential.Plain Language Summary: Myiasis is an infection caused by fly larvae growing in human tissue.Elderly patients with large open wounds or untreated cancers are at high risk.In this case, an 85-year-old woman had advanced maxillary sinus cancer that created a large necrotic wound on her face.Flies laid eggs in the wound, which hatched into larvae that invaded the tissues around her eye.Doctors removed the larvae, cleaned the wound, used antibiotics, and provided palliative care.Early recognition and prompt treatment are crucial in preventing serious complications.Keywords: orbital myiasis, maxillary sinus carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, ocular emergency, palliative care |