Blindness after facial fractures: a 19-year retrospective study.
OBJECTIVE
We conducted a 19-year review of patients with facial fractures who were treated in the Iranian Maxillofacial Unit at the Mobasher Emergency Hospital, Hamedan Province, Iran, to specifically consider those fractures that resulted in blindness or severe visual impairment.


METHODS
During the period of February 16, 1984, to March 20, 2003, a total of 2,503 patients with facial fractures were operatively treated. Of these, 550 (22%) patients had orbital region fractures and were specifically studied.


RESULTS
From our facial fractures database, 83 (3.31%) patients were identified as having ocular or extraocular injuries. Of these, 39 patients (1.56%) had severe visual impairment or blindness.


CONCLUSIONS
Laterally directed forces are implied as major causative factors in blindness or visual impairment. Males (83.3%), left eye (63.3%), third and fourth age decades (53.3%), and motor vehicle accidents (63.3%) were the most commonly involved gender, site, age, and cause of monocular blindness, respectively.
Ansari
Mohammad Hussein
MH
Department of Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery, Dental School, University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Iran. ansari@umsha.ac.ir
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008446:Maxillofacial Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020221:Optic Nerve Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000150:complications*; D014857:Warfare; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000453:epidemiology
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D008775:Methylprednisolone