title: Diplopia and enophthalmos after surgical repair of blowout fracture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the incidence of residual diplopia and enophthalmos and the possible risk factors leading to their occurrence in patients who had orbital blowout fracture repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two patients with pure orbital blowout fracture who had at least 6 months postoperative follow-up were included in the study group. Nineteen (45.2%) patients had orbital floor, two (4.8%) patients had medial orbital wall and 21 (50%) patients had a combination of orbital floor and medial orbital wall fractures. The fracture was reconstructed with porous polyethylene (Medpore) in 22, supramide in 12 and gelatin (Gelfilm) in 8 orbits. Mean postoperative follow-up was 11 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperatively, 35 patients (83%) had diplopia and 13 patients (30.9%) had enophthalmos greater than 2 mm. Of 35 patients who had preoperative diplopia, only 7 (17%) patients experienced diplopia postoperatively. Diplopia improved 1 to 4 weeks (mean, 3 weeks) following surgery in 28 patients. Timing of surgery and age of the patient were significant for the development of postoperative diplopia (p < 0.05). Sex, location of the blowout fracture and the alloplast material were not found to be significant for the development of postoperative diplopia (p > 0.05). Enophthalmos persisted in three (7%) patients postoperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Old patients were more likely to have residual postoperative diplopia. Surgical repair of blowout fractures within two weeks of trauma decreases the incidence of residual diplopia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA. shosal@ada.net.tr
authors.forename: Banu M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hoşal
authors.forename: Randall L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Beatty
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004172:Diplopia / Q000209:etiology*; D015841:Enophthalmos / Q000209:etiology*; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors