Clinical Features and Treatment of Pediatric Orbit Fractures

Clinical characteristics and associated features of pure orbital roof fractures: A ten-year retrospective review

PURPOSE

To present the demographics and clinical characteristics of pure (rim-sparing) orbital roof fractures.

METHODS

This retrospective observational study used 10 years of data from a single institution. Patient age, sex, laterality, field of binocular single vision, associated injuries, and radiologic features were analyzed. Orbital roof fractures were categorized into four groups: comminuted/open, hinged, trapdoor, and linear. These were further subdivided into blow-in (-down) and blow-out (-up) fractures. Injury etiology was classified into fall, traffic accidents, sports injuries, assault, work-related, and others.

RESULTS

Data documented a low incidence rate of 2.5% (27 patients) in 1074 patients. Most patients were male (81%). The most common cause of injury was fall (48%), followed by traffic accidents (22%). Comminuted/open fractures constituted the bulk of fracture types (54%), followed by hinged, and linear fractures. Blow-in and blow-out fractures had an incidence rate of 50% each. Concomitant fractures of the medial and inferior orbital walls were predominant. Low surgical intervention was noted owing to acceptable field of binocular single vision outcomes, and the field of binocular single vision included the primary position of gaze in 88% of patients.

CONCLUSION

Pure orbital roof fractures occurred in 2.5% of patients with pure orbital fractures. Patients were predominantly male with trauma caused by high energy forces, which regularly caused comminution of the roof and fractures of the medial and inferior orbital walls. Most patients were managed conservatively.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Orbital Imaging and Vision Loss-Child

Orbital disorders in children consist of varied pathologies affecting the orbits, orbital contents, visual pathway, and innervation of the extraocular or intraocular muscles. The underlying etiology of these disorders may be traumatic or nontraumatic. Presumed location of the lesion along with the additional findings, such as eye pain, swelling, exophthalmos/enophthalmos, erythema, conjunctival vascular dilatation, intraocular pressure, etc, help in determining if imaging is needed, modality of choice, and extent of coverage (orbits and/or head). Occasionally, clinical signs and symptoms may be nonspecific, and, in these cases, diagnostic imaging studies play a key role in depicting the nature and extent of the injury or disease. In this document, various clinical scenarios are discussed by which a child may present with an orbital or vision abnormality. Imaging studies that might be most appropriate (based on the best available evidence or expert consensus) in these clinical scenarios are also discussed. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision process support the systematic analysis of the medical literature from peer reviewed journals. Established methodology principles such as Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE are adapted to evaluate the evidence. The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method User Manual provides the methodology to determine the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where peer reviewed literature is lacking or equivocal, experts may be the primary evidentiary source available to formulate a recommendation.

Closed head injury combined with orbital blowout fracture and displacement of the eyeball into the maxillary sinus in a 14-year-old boy: a case report

BACKGROUND

Trauma-induced orbital blowout fracture (OBF) with eyeball displacement into the maxillary sinus is rare.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present the case of a 14-year-old with a closed head injury, OBF, and displacement of the eyeball into the maxillary sinus following a car accident. A prompt transconjunctival access surgery was performed for eyeball repositioning and orbital reconstruction in a single session, mitigating anaesthesia-related risks associated with multiple surgeries. At the 12-month follow-up, his visual acuity was 20/200. Despite limited eye movement and optic nerve atrophy, overall satisfaction with the ocular appearance was achieved.

CONCLUSIONS

This report offers novel insights into the mechanisms of OBF occurrence and the development of postoperative complications.

Incidence and severity of asymptomatic ocular injury in adult and pediatric orbital fractures

PURPOSE

To evaluate the incidence of severe ocular injury requiring emergent ophthalmic evaluation in visually asymptomatic patients presenting with orbital fractures.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective chart review of all adult and pediatric orbital fractures between 2012-2022 at a level 1 trauma center. Ocular injuries were categorized into severe, moderate, and mild. We evaluated symptoms, mechanism of injury, visual acuity (VA), and severity of injuries using the Cochran-Armitage and linear-by-linear tests.

RESULTS

Of the 2495 cases, 1534 had ophthalmology evaluation. The mean ± standard deviation age was 40.4 ± 20.4 years. Most patients were male (73.1%) and Caucasian (75.9%). The mean time to evaluation was 0.6 ± 2.5 days. 486 (31.7%) were visually symptomatic, 760 (49.5%) were asymptomatic, and 288 (18.8%) were unknown. Of the symptomatic, 135 (27.8%) had severe injuries, 108 (22.2%) had moderate injuries, 216 (44.4%) had mild injuries, and 27 (5.6%) had no injuries. Of the asymptomatic, 67 (8.8%) had severe injuries, 183 (24.1%) had moderate injuries, 468 (61.6%) had mild injuries, and 42 (5.5%) had no injuries. Symptoms correlated with injury severity (p-value <.001). The most common mechanism of injury were falls (24.0%), assaults (22.2%), and motor vehicle accidents (14.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Visually asymptomatic orbital fractures were less likely to have severe ocular injuries; however, many patients were unable to express symptoms. Emergent ophthalmology evaluation should be considered in all patients presenting with orbital fractures, especially patients with visual symptoms or are unable to report symptoms.

Review of 451 Patients Presenting With Orbital Wall Fractures: A Retrospective Analysis

A retrospective review of the electronic medical records of patients presenting to the University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas with orbital wall fractures. Clinical data such as associated ocular injuries and different management approaches are analyzed and discussed to help clarify the specific indications for, and timing of, a formal ophthalmologic examination. All patients who presented to the emergency department for an orbital fracture after suffering various types of traumas between 2008 and 2017 were included. The study reviewed 451 patients with orbital wall fractures with a wide variety of presentations as well as demographics. There were 411 cases of adults presenting with an average age of 34 years and 40 pediatric presentations with an average age of 14 years. The average age of the combined study population was 30 years. Only 16.9% of patients required surgical correction for their orbital fractures and assault accounted for nearly 50% of all the orbital fractures reviewed in this study. In this large retrospective review, no notable relationship was found between orbital wall fractured and ocular injury. Alarm symptoms for more visual threatening injuries such as retinal tears, detachments, open globe injury, and extraocular muscle entrapment are all reasonable indications to consult ophthalmology emergently. Most orbital fractures are not vision threatening, do not usually require surgical correction, and typically occur in the setting of assault.

Isolated paediatric orbital fractures: a case series and review of management at a major trauma centre in the UK

Purpose

Paediatric orbital fractures are rare. Existing literature demonstrates wide variation in estimates of incidence, aetiology, management protocols and outcomes. Despite this, it is generally acknowledged that orbital fractures with entrapment of the extraocular muscles constitute a surgical emergency due to the potential for persistent diplopia secondary to muscle ischaemia and necrosis.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted to determine the characteristics and outcomes of management of orbital fractures amongst the paediatric population. It involved patients presenting to a major trauma unit in London between 2010 and 2020.

Results

Thirteen patients with isolated orbital fractures presented to our unit in this period. The average age was 13 years. Surprisingly the predominant aetiology was interpersonal violence. The most common fracture pattern involved the orbital floor and medial wall. One medial wall fracture case was missed in the emergency department.

Eight patients required surgical intervention due to diplopia caused by muscular entrapment of extraocular muscles; the final patient had a large defect resulting in enophthalmos requiring a large titanium plate. A transconjuctival approach was preferred for surgical access and resorbable sheet was used in the remaining cases. Five patients had nausea, vomiting or bradycardia associated with the oculocardiac reflex. Surgical intervention occurred within 24–48 h of injury in 6 cases. Resolution of diplopia occurred in 7 patients within 6 months.

Conclusion

Paediatric patients with orbital fractures should be assessed on the day of injury by a maxillofacial surgeon. Due to the risk of persistent diplopia, urgent surgical intervention in patients with entrapment of extraocular muscles should occur as soon as possible.

The Management of Orbital Roof Fractures and Defects: A Review

PURPOSE

To explore the anatomy, etiopathogenesis, diagnosis and classification, current evidence on intervention and the surgical management of orbital roof fractures and defects (ORFD) for oculoplastic surgeons presented with such cases.

METHODS

A review of the current literature through the MEDLINE database using the following search terms: "orbital roof fracture (+treatment/management)," "orbital roof defect (+treatment/management)," "orbital roof erosion (+treatment/management)," "orbital roof repair," "orbital roof," "orbital fracture," "pediatric orbital roof (defect/fracture/erosion)," "orbital anatomy," and "orbital roof anatomy" was conducted. As relatively little has been published on this topic, inclusion criteria were broad and peer-reviewed articles judged to be of clinical importance, relevant to the aims of this review, were included. Non-English abstracts were also included if relevant. Year of publication was not a strict exclusion criterion, and older articles were judged for their suitability based on clinical importance and relevance to current practice. Additional references were obtained from citations in key articles and recommendations from the coauthors based on their areas of expertise.

RESULTS

The etiopathogenesis of ORFD varies. Classification systems have been formulated to guide management decisions and can range from conservative management to complex neurosurgery. Eyelid approaches have also been described. This review provides a summary of the evidence for each and a management framework oculoplastic surgeons can use when presented with ORFD.

CONCLUSION

Oculoplastic surgeons can be involved, either alone or as part of a multidisciplinary team, in the management of ORFD, and for some, conduct orbital approach reconstructive surgery.

Periorbital and Globe Injuries in Pediatric Orbital Fractures: A Retrospective Review of 116 Patients at a Level 1 Trauma Center

Study Design

Retrospective chart review of pediatric and globe injuries associated with orbital fractures.

Objective

Our study seeks to examine these injuries and their association with orbital fractures at our trauma center to gain a better understanding of how to approach pediatric patients with orbital fractures.

Methods

A retrospective review of all facial fractures in pediatric patients at an urban level 1 trauma center was performed for the years 2002 to 2014. Patient demographics were collected, as well as orbital fracture location, mechanism of injury, concomitant injuries, ophthalmologic documentation, imaging, and perioperative records.

Results

One hundred sixteen pediatric patients over a 12-year period sustained an orbital fracture. The orbital floor was the most commonly fractured orbital bone in our series (60%). Thirty-four (30%) of the pediatric patients with orbital fractures had documented periorbital and/or globe injuries at the time of presentation. The most common periorbital injury was entrapment related to orbital floor fractures. Significant eyelid lacerations were present in seven patients, with five of these patients had canalicular injuries and two had canthal malposition. Five pediatric patients presented with traumatic optic neuropathy. Two patients had ruptured globes requiring enucleation.

Conclusions

Periorbital soft tissue and globe injuries associated with orbital fractures occurs in a substantial number of pediatric patients. There are no guidelines for treatment of these type of injuries in the pediatric population. Further research should be performed to better understand the appropriate management of periorbital injuries in conjunction with surgical management of the orbital fractures.

Factors influencing surgical outcomes in orbital trapdoor fracture

This study is aimed to determine the appropriate timing of performing surgical reduction on trapdoor fractures for bringing out better visual outcomes and the factors influencing surgical outcomes in this special subgroup of fracture victims. Data for 72 patients of orbital trapdoor fracture were analyzed retrospectively. Post-operative diplopia is the main posttreatment outcome of orbital bone fracture reduction. The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated the cut-off point of surgical reduction timing at day 10 post-fracture. The rate of postoperative diplopia showed a significant difference between patients who underwent surgical reduction within 10 days and those who did after 10 days of injury (5.3% vs. 38.2%). Multivariate analysis revealed that preoperative infra-duction limitation (p = 0.02), muscle incarceration (p = 0.01), duration from injury to surgical reduction (p = 0.004), and postoperative supra-duction limitation (p = 0.004) were independent factors for poor surgical outcomes. In younger patients with head injury, the diagnosis of orbital trapdoor fracture should be kept in mind. Timely recognition and surgical reduction, especially within 10 days, can result in better visual outcomes without the occurrence of postoperative diplopia.

Pediatric Orbital Roof Fractures: A Ratio of Orbital Dimensions Correlated to Prevalence of Fracture

Objective Orbital roof fractures are more likely to occur in younger children, specifically younger than 7 years. Cranium to face ratio decreases with age; however, there is no definition for measurement of the neurocranium or face. We propose using the length of the orbital roof as a measurement of the neurocranium and length of the orbital floor as a tool to estimate midface size. The purpose of this study is to test this measurement as a correlation rate of orbital roof fractures within the pediatric population.

Design This is a retrospective study.

Setting This study was done at the LeBonheur Children's Hospital.

Participants Sixty-six patients with orbital roof fractures were identified and stratified by gender and age, specifically younger than 7 years and 7 years or older.

Main Outcome Measures The main outcome measures were orbital roof length, floor length, and ratio thereof.

Results Mean orbital roof length was 43.4 ± 3.06 and 45.1 ± 3.94 mm for patients <7 and ≥7 years, respectively (p = 0.02). Mean orbital floor length was 41.3 ± 2.99 and 47.7 ± 4.19 for patients <7 and ≥7 years, respectively (p < 0.00001). The mean roof to floor ratio (RTFR) for patients <7 years was 1.051 ± 0.039 and for patients ≥ 7 years was 0.947 ± 0.031 (p < 0.00001).

Conclusion As children age, the relative length of the orbital roof decreases when compared with the orbital floor. The RTFR was more than 1.0 in children younger than 7 years. These differences were statistically significant when compared with children 7 years and older. This measurement shift follows the differences noted in orbital fracture patterns during childhood.

Resolution of Vertical Gaze Following a Delayed Presentation of Orbital Floor Fracture With Inferior Rectus Entrapment: The Contributions of Charles E. Iliff and Joseph S. Gruss in Orbital Surgery

Introduction

Orbital floor fractures occur commonly as a result of blunt trauma to the face and periorbital region. Orbital floor fractures with a "trapdoor" component allow both herniation and incarceration of contents through a bone defect into the maxillary sinus as the bone rebounds faster than the soft tissue, trapping muscle, fat, and fascia in the fracture site. In children, the fractured floor, which is often hinged on one side, tends to return toward its original anatomical position due to the incomplete nature of the fracture and elasticity of the bone. The entrapment of the inferior rectus muscle itself is considered a true surgical emergency-prolonged entrapment frequently leads to muscle ischemia and necrosis leading to permanent limitation of extraocular motility and difficult to correct diplopia. For this reason, prompt surgical intervention is recommended by most surgeons. In adults, true entrapment of the muscle itself is not as common because the orbital floor is not as elastic and fractures are more complete.

Methods

We present an adult patient with an isolated orbital floor fracture with clinical and radiologic evidence of true entrapment of the inferior rectus muscle itself.

Results

Despite the delayed surgical repair (4 days after the injury), the patient's inferior rectus muscle function returned to near normal with mild upward gaze diplopia.

Conclusions

Inferior rectus entrapment in adults may more likely be associated with immobilization of the muscle without total vascular compression/incarceration significant enough to lead to complete ischemic necrosis.

Surgical indication analysis according to bony defect size in pediatric orbital wall fractures

Background

Orbital fractures are the most common pediatric facial fractures. Treatment is conservative due to the anatomical differences that make children more resilient to severe displacement or orbital volume change than adults. Although rarely, extensive fractures may result in enophthalmos, causing cosmetic problems. We aimed to establish criteria for extensive fractures that may result in enophthalmos.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients aged 0–15 years diagnosed with orbital fractures in our hospital from January 2010 to February 2019. Computed tomography images were used to classify the fractures into linear, trapdoor, and open-door types, and to estimate the defect size. Data on enophthalmos severity (Hertel exophthalmometry results) and fracture pattern and size at the time of injury were obtained from patients who did not undergo surgery during the follow-up and were used to identify the surgical indications for pediatric orbital fractures.

Results

A total of 305 pediatric patients with pure orbital fractures were included–257 males (84.3%), 48 females (15.7%); mean age, 12.01± 2.99 years. The defect size (p= 0.002) and fracture type (p= 0.017) were identified as the variables affecting the enophthalmometric difference between the eyes of non-operated patients. In the linear regression analysis, the variable affecting the fracture size was open-door type fracture (p< 0.001). Pearson’s correlation analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between the enophthalmometric difference and the bony defect size (p= 0.003). Using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, a cutoff value of 1.81 cm² was obtained (sensitivity, 0.543; specificity, 0.724; p= 0.002).

Conclusion

The incidence of enophthalmos in pediatric pure orbital fractures was found to increase with fracture size, with an even higher incidence when open-door type fracture was a cofactor. In clinical settings, pediatric orbital fractures larger than 1.81 cm² may be considered as extensive fractures that can result in enophthalmos and consequent cosmetic problems.

Clinical Decision Rule to Identify Orbital Wall Fracture Among Children: Retrospective Derivation and Validation Study

OBJECTIVES

Head and face injuries are leading causes of emergency department visits in children. There is yet no clinical decision rule on face CT such as pediatric head CT rules. The goal was to develop and validate a clinical decision rule for identifying orbital wall fractures in children with periorbital trauma in the emergency department.

METHODS

This was a retrospective derivation and validation study. Children younger than 18 years who underwent orbit CT after periorbital trauma were included between January 2011 and December 2013 in 3 emergency centers. Among 16 candidate clinical variables, 13 clinical signs and symptoms were selected as clinical predictors. For the fracture model, these clinical predictors were analyzed by 3-fold cross-validation. Diagnostic performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve in both cohorts.

RESULTS

Four variables (orbital rim tenderness, periorbital ecchymosis, painful extraocular movement, and nausea/vomiting) had the best predictive model with the highest AUROC value. The AUROC values for fracture prediction were 0.793 (95% confidence interval, 0.741-0.844) and 0.809 (95% confidence interval, 0.742-0.877) in the derivation cohort and validation cohort, respectively. The sensitivity and negative predictive values were 96.4% and 93.4%, respectively, in the derivation cohort, and 97.8% and 98.1%, respectively, in the validation cohort. The sum of these scores ranged from 0 to 4. Patients with a sum of scores of 1 or higher showed significantly increased risk for fracture.

CONCLUSIONS

The 4-variable predictive model can be useful for finding clinically important orbital wall fractures in children.

Orbital Fractures in Childhood

Pediatric orbital floor fractures exhibit distinctive features that distinguish them from orbital injuries seen in the adult population. This is mainly due to different anatomy and mechanical properties of the orbital bones in children. The management of pediatric orbital floor fractures requires consideration of these factors, including the age of the patient and therefore child's growth potential, using, if possible, a minimally invasive surgical approach. The aim of this paper is to report a case of a 1-year-old male child with a surgically treated blowout fracture of the orbital floor. To enable early diagnosis and treatment, accurate physical examination is mandatory, but a computed tomographic examination is important, especially in younger patients because of their inability to fully express their symptoms and poor compliance. We discuss the specific presentation and diagnostics of orbital floor fractures in early childhood and the related surgical planning and treatment.

Orbital fractures in children: clinical features and management outcomes

PURPOSE

To report the clinical characteristics and management outcomes of orbital fractures in children.

METHODS

The medical records of pediatric patients (<18 years of age) who presented with orbital fractures over a 15-year period (January 2001-December 2015) were reviewed retrospectively. The cause of injury, imaging findings, clinical features, management, and outcomes were noted.

RESULTS

A total of 52 patients (39 males) were included. Mean age at presentation was 10.9 years (range, 2-18). Road traffic accidents (18/52 [35%]) were the most common cause, with the orbital floor (42/52 [81%]) being the most common fracture site. The most common complaint was double vision (52%). Thirty-eight patients underwent surgical intervention, and extraocular muscle entrapment (56%) was the most common indication for surgery. Early surgical intervention within 15 days of injury resulted in complete resolution of diplopia.

CONCLUSION

In our study cohort, orbital floor fracture was most common. The trapdoor type of fracture was seen in almost half of the patients, with diplopia being the most common presenting complaint. Early surgical intervention was associated with complete resolution of ocular motility limitation and diplopia.s.

Pediatric orbital wall fractures: Prognostic factors of diplopia and ocular motility limitation

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the factors affecting recovery of diplopia and limited ocular motility in pediatric patients who underwent surgery for orbital wall fracture.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational case series.

METHODS

In this retrospective observational case series, 150 pediatric patients (1-18 years old) who were diagnosed with orbital medial wall or floor fracture and underwent corrective surgery between 2004 and 2016 at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital were included. The medical records of patients with orbital medial wall or floor fracture were reviewed, including sex, age, diplopia, ocular motility, preoperative computed tomographic finding, and surgical outcomes. Factors affecting recovery of diplopia and ocular motility limitation were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 150 patients (134 boys; mean age, 14.4 years) who underwent corrective surgery for orbital wall fracture, preoperative binocular diplopia was found in 76 (50.7%) patients and limited ocular motility in 81 (54.0%). Presence of muscle incarceration or severe supraduction limitation delayed the recovery of diplopia. In case of ocular motility limitation, presence of muscle incarceration and retrobulbar hemorrhage were related with the delayed resolution. Multivariate analysis revealed supraduction limitation (Hazard ratio [HR] = 1.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.19-2.55), larger horizontal orbital floor defects (HR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.07-1.38), and shorter time interval to first visit (HR = 0.73) as negative prognostic factors for the recovery of diplopia. In addition, muscle incarceration (HR = 3.53, 95% CI = 1.54-8.07) and retrobulbar hemorrhage (HR = 3.77, 95% CI = 1.45-9.82) were found as negative prognostic factors for the recovery of motility limitation.

CONCLUSIONS

Presence of muscle incarceration and retrobulbar hemorrhage, horizontal length of floor fracture, supraduction limitation, and time interval from trauma to first visit were correlated with the surgical outcomes in pediatric orbital wall fracture patients. These results strengthen that the soft tissue damage associated with bony fracture affects the orbital functional unit. When managing children with orbital wall fracture, meticulous physical examination and thorough preoperative computed tomography based evaluation will help physicians to identify damage of orbital functional unit.

Orbital trapdoor fractures: different clinical profiles between adult and paediatric patients

BACKGROUND

To compare clinical findings of orbital trapdoor fractures between adult and paediatric patients.

METHODS

Paediatric patients were categorised into two groups by age: children (0-9 years) and adolescents (10-19 years). Adult patients were categorised into two groups by age: early (20-44 years) and middle-late adulthood (≥45 years). Demographic data, ocular and periocular complications, CT findings and binocular single vision field (BSVF) were compared among age groups.

RESULTS

This study included 105 patients (105 sides, 22 children, 59 adolescents, 14 patients in early adulthood and 10 patients in middle-late adulthood). In patients with fractures of the orbital floor and medial wall, both walls presented as trapdoor fractures in paediatric patients, while one wall presented as a non-trapdoor fracture in adult patients (p=0.061). None of the adult patients showed extraocular muscle incarceration, whereas this was present in 8 of 22 children (36.4%) and 7 of 59 adolescents (11.9%) (p=0.005). Hypoesthesia of the infraorbital nerve more frequently occurred in adults (p=0.004). As the preoperative BSVF was larger in adult than in paediatric patients (p=0.007), the percentage of adult patients who underwent surgical reduction of orbital fractures tended to be lower (p=0.058). Postoperative change in BSVF was smaller in adult patients (p=0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Fracture pattern, type of incarcerated tissue and incidence of hypoesthesia of the infraorbital nerve were different between adult and paediatric patients. Adult patients had a larger preoperative BSVF and less need for surgical reduction; however, there was less improvement in postoperative BSVF.

Pediatric orbital blowout fractures

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The current study reviews the recent literature on pediatric orbital blowout fractures and provides guidelines on their management.

RECENT FINDINGS

The most common problem among patients requiring surgical revision of a previously repaired orbital floor fracture is an improperly placed orbital floor implant, usually erroneously placed under the posterior bony ledge. Although the transconjunctival incision can be combined with a lateral canthotomy and cantholysis, excellent surgical exposure can be obtained without the need for these latter relaxing maneuvers. In surgically repaired pediatric orbital blowout fractures with preoperative diplopia (both trapdoor and nontrapdoor), approximately 85% of patients recover completely over time. Delayed orbital tissue atrophy may play a role in the development of late enophthalmos.

SUMMARY

Most cases of pediatric orbital fracture can initially be followed conservatively to determine if disabling diplopia, when present, resolves without surgery. A notable exception is the trapdoor fracture, in which herniated tissue becomes entrapped by a recoiled bone fragment, causing marked or complete reduction in motility and/or an oculocardiac reflex; we recommend that these fractures be repaired within 24 h from the time of diagnosis. Enophthalmos resulting from an orbital floor fracture does not need to be prevented with early surgery. Enophthalmos can be allowed to develop over time to determine if it is noticeable, and then repair undertaken, if necessary, at that time. When surgery is indicated, a simple transconjunctival incision is preferred over a cutaneous incision, and care should be taken to insure that the implant is placed on the bony ledge at the posterior edge of the defect. Many children with blowout fractures will not require surgery, and those that do usually have excellent outcomes provided the recommendations are closely followed.

Characteristics of orbital wall fractures in preschool and school-aged children

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the injury patterns in pediatric patients with an orbital wall fracture (OWF) and to identify the differences in injury patterns between preschool and school-aged patients with OWF who presented to the emergency department.

Methods

We performed a retrospective observational study in the emergency department of a tertiary hospital between January 2004 and March 2014. A total of 177 pediatric patients (<18 years) with OWF who underwent facial bone computed tomography scans with specific discharge codes were included. Patients were categorized into preschool (≤7 years) and school-aged (>7 years) pediatric groups.

Results

The inferior wall was the most common fracture site in both the preschool and school-aged pediatric groups (50.0% vs. 64.4%, P=0.15). The male-to-female ratio and the mechanism of injury showed significant differences between the two age groups. Violence was the most common mechanism of injury in the school-aged pediatric group (49.3%), whereas falls from a height caused OWF in approximately half of the patients in the preschool pediatric group (42.9%). Concomitant injuries and facial fractures had a tendency to occur more frequently in the school-aged pediatric group.

Conclusion

Significant differences according to the sex and mechanisms of injury were identified in preschool and school-aged pediatric patients with OWF.

Patterns and injuries associated with orbital wall fractures in elderly patients who visited the emergency room: a retrospective case-control study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine orbital wall fracture (OWF) patterns and associated facial injuries in elderly patients and compare them with those in their younger adult counterparts.

DESIGN

A retrospective case-control study.

SETTING

An emergency department of a university-affiliated hospital located in an urban area.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1378 adult patients with OWF diagnosed by CT from 1 January 2004 through 31 March 2014 were enrolled. Patients were categorised into elderly (≥65 years) and non-elderly (<65 years) groups.

RESULTS

The elderly group (n=146) had a mean age of 74.0 years compared with 37.5 years in the non-elderly group (n=1232). Slipping was the most common cause of OWF in the elderly group (43.8%, p<0.001), whereas violence was the most common cause in the non-elderly group (37.3%, p<0.001). The lateral orbital wall was the more common site of fracture in the elderly group, and their injuries were more often associated with concurrent facial bone fractures, including the mandible, maxilla and zygoma, compared with the non-elderly group. After adjusting for sex and the mechanism of injury, inclusion in the elderly group was a significant risk factor for fracture of the lateral wall (OR 1.658; 95% CI 1.074 to 2.560) and concomitant facial bone fractures of the maxilla (OR 1.625; 95% CI 1.111 to 2.377) and zygoma (OR 1.670; 95% CI 1.126 to 2.475).

CONCLUSIONS

Elderly patients were vulnerable to facial trauma, and concurrent facial bone fracture associated with OWF was more commonly observed in this age group. Therefore, a high index of suspicion and thorough investigation, including CT, for OWF-associated facial bone fractures are important.

Isolated orbital floor fractures in the paediatric patient: case series and review of management

Orbital injuries warranting surgical intervention are infrequent in the paediatric population, but 'blowout, trap door' fractures are unique in children and may constitute a relative surgical emergency. A retrospective review of isolated orbital floor fractures at the Royal Children's Hospital of Melbourne over a 10-year period was undertaken to evaluate the outcome of those patients who required surgical exploration. Twenty-two patients with documented isolated orbital floor injuries were studied. Preoperative signs and symptoms including diplopia, ocular motility, paresthesia, enophthalmos, hypoglobus, and the presence of nausea and vomiting were recorded. Thirteen patients underwent non-surgical management and nine patients underwent surgical exploration of the orbital floor via a trans-subconjunctival approach to reduce any entrapped soft tissue. Postoperative follow-up of these patients varied between 1 month and 18 months and none had any visual disturbance or diplopia in central gaze; however, two patients experienced diplopia in upward gaze at follow-up, although this did not impair the quality of life. Due to the risk of permanent soft tissue damage from the entrapment of the periorbita with or without extraocular muscle tissue, it is recommended that exploration be undertaken as soon as possible to minimize the risk of persistent diplopia due to impaired ocular motility.

Diplopia of pediatric orbital blowout fractures: a retrospective study of 83 patients classified by age groups

Orbital blowout fractures are relatively rare in patients under 18 years of age, but may lead to serious complications. We conducted this retrospective study to evaluate diplopia, clinical characteristics, and postoperative results in cases of orbital blowout fractures in the pediatric population. Eighty-three patients, all less than 18 years old, with orbital blowout fractures, were divided into 3 groups by age: 0 to 6 years old, 7 to 12 years old, and 13 to 18 years old. The cause of injury, fracture locations, diplopia grades, ocular motility restrictions, enophthalmos, and postoperative results were reviewed from their records. Chi-square tests, Fisher's exact analyses, analyses of variance, and logistic regressions were performed to determine characteristics associated with diplopia, and to identify factors related to residual diplopia in pediatric patients. The most common causes of injuries were traffic accidents in the 0 to 6 years old group, normal daily activities in the 7 to 12 years old group, and assaults in the 13 to 18 years old group. Floor fractures were the most common location in both the 0 to 6- and 7 to 12 years old groups, and medial-floor fractures were the most common location in the 13 to 18 years old group. The occurrence of preoperative diplopia was related to ocular motility restriction and enophthalmos, but not with the age group, the gender, the cause of injury, or the fracture locations. The time interval from injury to surgery was significant in the outcome of postoperative diplopia (P < 0.01). A statistical difference was also found in the recovery time from diplopia among the 3 age groups (P < 0.01). The characteristics of orbital blowout fracture varied among the different age groups. It was related to 2 factors, the cause of injury and fracture locations, which probably resulted from structural growth changes and differences in daily habits. Children had a slower recovery from orbital fractures, and the younger the patient, the longer it took for recovery from diplopia after surgery.