Clinical analysis of surgical approaches for orbital floor fractures.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the optimal surgical method for managing blowout fractures of the inferior orbital wall by analyzing the location and type of fracture based on computed tomographic findings and medical records.


METHODS
Medical records of 102 patients with pure inferior blowout fractures who were treated between June 1996 and December 2005 were reviewed regarding fracture type and location and surgical approach.


RESULTS
Ocular symptoms persisted in 14 of the 102 cases after surgery, and revision procedures were performed in 11 of those cases. Cases with persistent symptoms were analyzed in terms of fracture location and type of surgery. For anterior orbital floor fractures, symptoms persisted in 2 of the 4 cases treated using a transantral approach, while no symptoms persisted in any of the 15 cases treated using a transorbital approach or in either of the 2 cases treated using a combined approach. For posterior orbital floor fractures, symptoms persisted in 2 of the 31 cases treated using a transantral approach, in 4 of the 6 cases treated using a transorbital approach, and in 1 of the 19 cases treated using a combined approach. For anteroposterior orbital floor fractures, symptoms persisted in 2 of the 5 cases treated using a transorbital approach and in 3 of the 20 cases treated using transantral and combined approaches.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with large orbital floor fractures or posterior half fractures of the orbit should undergo surgery via a transantral or a combined approach, while patients with trapdoor fractures or anterior half fractures of the orbit should undergo surgery via a transorbital or a combined approach.
Kwon
Jae Hwan
JH
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Maryknoll Medical Center, Dae-Cheong Dong 4 ga, Joong Gu, Busan, Korea. medi4you@naver.com
Kim
Jeong Geun
JG
Moon
Jung Hwan
JH
Cho
Joong Hwan
JH
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology