Orbital deformity after craniofacial fracture repair: avoidance and treatment.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

To achieve the optimal preoperative appearance following craniofacial fracture repair, the surgeon must be facile in the most sophisticated reconstructive techniques and able to determine their application. The purpose of this article is to describe the common deformities following such repairs, outline a strategy to avoid them, and review the surgical techniques to correct them.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: The deformities are categorized by the anatomic zones of the orbit, i.e., zygomatic, frontal, and nasoethmoidal, affected by low-, middle-, and high-energy impact. The common types of deformity and acute and late treatments are discussed for each category.

RESULTS AND/OR

CONCLUSIONS

The optimal time to correct posttraumatic orbital deformities is during the acute phase. Extended open reduction and rigid fixation techniques have their own morbidity, which must not outweigh the deformity of an untreated or partially treated injury. The results of late reconstruction are always limited by scarring of the overlaying soft tissue envelope.