title: Orbital fractures: national inpatient trends and complications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to examine cost, demographics, and short-term complications associated with orbital fractures and their surgical repair in the inpatient population in the United States over a 7-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study was performed by using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2002 to 2008 and searching the database for discharges classified with International Classification of Disease-9 diagnosis codes of orbital fractures, orbital fracture repair, and associated diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was nearly a 50% increase in the annual number of orbital fracture admissions from 2002 to 2008. Demographics for patients with orbital fractures showed that 68% of them were male, most commonly between 18 and 44 years of age, with 69% of cases at large teaching hospitals. Associated ocular diagnoses included eyelid laceration, commotio retinae, and globe rupture. Approximately 25% of patients underwent surgical repair. Surgical patients were younger than nonsurgical patients by approximately 10 years. An overall complication rate of 15.8% was noted, including: pulmonary complications, diplopia, renal impairment, venous thromboembolism, and wound complications. Orbital fracture repair was associated with approximately 1 extra day of hospitalization and $22,000 in-hospital charges. The rates of pulmonary, wound, and ocular motility complications were significantly higher in the patients undergoing orbital fracture repair (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of orbital fractures and associated cost has dramatically increased over the past decade. Acute repair of orbital fractures is common and is associated with a longer hospital course, increased cost, and higher rate of complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Marcus J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Caleb K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Jonathan W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Shivanand P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Lad
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Arrigo
authors.forename: Eleonora M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Lad
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000191:economics; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult