title: Transzygomatic Kirschner wire fixation for the treatment of blowout fracture.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Total orbital floor reconstruction with sheet-shape materials is available for the treatment of extensive and crushed-type blowout fractures. Simple blowout fractures, on the other hand, require only manual reduction without fixation. Although several types of blowout fractures do not require total reconstruction, some fixation is usually necessary.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen cases of blowout fracture were treated with transzygomatic Kirschner wire fixation between 2002 and 2009. This technique was applied to simple fracture cases in which periorbital soft tissue re-herniated through the floor defect into the maxillary sinus after manual reduction, despite improvement of the extra-ocular muscle entrapment. The wire was used to directly support the fracture segment in five cases and used together with a maxillary sinus anterior wall bone graft in 13 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean follow-up was 12.5 months. Mild diplopia remained as a subjective symptom in one case. None of the cases developed major complications or conspicuous scars on the cheek.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transzygomatic Kirschner wire fixation for blowout fracture has the advantages of precise and rigid fixation of all parts of the inferior floor, minimal morbidity without requiring an orbital approach and long-term safety without artificial remnants. This technique can be applied for the treatment of simple blowout fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yokohama City University Hospital, 3-9 Fukuura Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan. burngdy@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasumura
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mikami
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yabuki
authors.forename: Kimie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ooishi
authors.forename: Misato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosono
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwai
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maegawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D001864:Bone Wires; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008443:Maxillary Sinus / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015050:Zygoma / Q000601:surgery