title: Porous polyethylene implants in orbital floor reconstruction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Various alloplastic materials are used in orbital wall reconstruction. This study investigated the outcome of patients treated with porous polyethylene sheet implants in the reconstruction of orbital floor fracture.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one patients who underwent orbital reconstructions using 0.85-mm porous polyethylene sheets for the repair of orbital floor fracture were included. A transconjunctival approach was used in all patients. The mean duration of postoperative follow-up was 29.7 +/- 12.3 months. Postoperatively, results and complications such as infection and implant extrusion were followed-up on the first day, the first week, monthly for the first 3 months and then every 3-6 months thereafter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 21 patients had symptomatic diplopia before surgery. The diplopia resolved in 14 patients and improved in seven patients within the first month after surgery. All patients except one were free from diplopia at follow-up periods exceeding 6 months. Preoperative enophthalmos resolved in four of seven patients and improved in three. None of the patients developed orbital infection, implant exposure or migration, worsening diplopia, infraorbital anesthesia or loss of vision during follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study demonstrated that porous polyethylene implants in the repair of orbital wall fractures had good results with few complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Keelung Municipal Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: I-Chan
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shu-Lang
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Luke L K
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D020273:Orbital Implants; D020959:Polyethylene; D016062:Porosity; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020959:Polyethylene