AIM: To report the clinical and histopathologic findings, treatment, and outcomes in patients with orbital implants infection.

METHODS: Clinical data of 12 patients 12 eyes with implants infection undergoing implant removal from March 2004 to June 2012 in our hospital were reviewed.

RESULTS: The clinical manifestations were discharge and socket tenderness, conjunctiva hyperemia and edemda(12 eyes), implants exposure(11 eyes), the artificial eyes automatically shedding(10 eyes), recurrent pyogenic granuloma(1 eye). Staphylococcus epidermidis were cultured in 3 eyes, fungal hyphae were smeared in 3 eyes from discharge, but 6 eyes were negative. Histopathologic examination showed inflammatory cell infiltrates and necrosis without fibrovascular tissue in the anterior of the explanted implants, whereas inflammatory cell infiltrates with fibrovascular tissue in the posterior of the explanted implants. 12 patients underwent implant removal combination with systemic and local anti-infection therapy. 7 eyes underwent secondary orbital implantation, 5 refused plastic operation. After a mean 52 months follow-up, all eyes had no recurrence of infection.

CONCLUSION: Orbital implants infection is a rare and most serious complication of orbital implantation. Implant removal combined with anti-infection therapy is usually required.