[Early treatment of secondary muscle restriction due to orbital blow-out fractures].

INTRODUCTION: Orbital blow-out fractures can result in chronic oculomotor restriction. This is the consequence of orbital fasciae or muscle trapped within the fracture. A delayed treatment usually results in incomplete repair. However, when the extrapped tissues are freed by reconstruction of the orbital floor, oculomotor sequelae can be prevented or at least limited.

PATIENTS AND TREATMENT: Twelve adults and 2 children were treated for blow-out fracture in the past two years at the Eye Department of Geneva University Hospital. All of these patients had a non regressive oculomotor restriction, an enophthalmus and/or an infraorbital hypoesthesia with evidence of a blow-out fracture on the CT-scan. They were operated on between the second and the sixth week following trauma. Extrapped fasciae were freed under microscope and the orbital floor was reconstructed with a thin plate of biomaterial (PDS).

RESULTS: Tissues could be entirely removed and kept separated from the underlying structures by the biomaterial used for reconstruction. Ocular motility returned to normal in 13 cases within 1 to 3 months, without further intervention. Only one patient had to wear a low grade prism with vertical action.

DISCUSSION: In case of blow-out fractures, the long term prognosis of the ocular motility depends on immediate management following the trauma. Orbital floor reconstruction is indicated when consecutive oculomotor restriction is likely avoiding in the majority of the cases any residual oculomotor restriction. On the contrary when delayed, treatment is often difficult generally with limited mobility.

CONCLUSION: From an ophthalmological point of view, microsurgical extraction of incarcerated orbital fasciae and reconstruction of the orbital floor is indicated for early treatment of oculomotor restriction.