title: Endoscopic transantral and transnasal repair of orbital floor fracture with the ballooning technique, and classification and characterization of orbital floor fractures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The level of difficulty during an endoscopic approach for an inferior orbital fracture depends on the fracture pattern and the presence of a ruptured membrane (orbital periosteum and sinus mucosa). The purpose of our study was to examine fracture patterns according to age group and to determine the relationship between the type of fracture and the type of membrane injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the records of 30 patients who, from 2006 to 2010, underwent endoscopic transantral and transnasal approach with a balloon catheter technique to repair orbital floor fracture. The procedure was done through middle or inferior meatal antrostomy and two small antrostomies made in the anterior wall of the maxillary sinus by using an endoscope and specially designed curved dissectors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 3 linear, 20 trapdoor-type and 7 blowout fractures. There was a tendency toward a higher incidence of linear fractures at younger ages and of blowout fractures in older patients. All linear fractures had rupture of both membranes, whereas both membranes were intact in 15 of the 20 patients with trapdoor fractures. Among blowout fractures, there was no membrane rupture in five and both membranes were ruptured in two patients. No patient reported diplopia after fracture repair.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rupture of the periosteum, which makes visualization and reduction of orbital tissue difficult for the surgeon during endoscopic repair of the orbital floor fracture, was observed in 3 of 3 linear fractures and 5 of 20 trapdoor fractures. We found that linear fractures were more common in pediatric patients. Care of pediatric orbital floor fracture requires particular caution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Il-Ho
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Heung-Man
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yanagi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods*; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057605:Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D009666:Nose; D009915:Orbit / Q000601:surgery; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult