Nylon foil (supramid) orbital implants in pediatric orbital fracture repair.

PURPOSE: To present the authors experience with the nylon foil (Supramid) implant as a safe and effective method to repair pediatric orbital wall fractures.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of all pediatric patients (≤18 years) that underwent orbital wall fracture repair with an unsecured 0.4-mm Supramid implant between 2007 and 2010. Outcome variables were diplopia and surgical complications. This study was carried out with IRB approval.

RESULTS

A total of 59 orbits in 57 patients underwent orbital fracture repair using solely the 0.4-mm Supramid implant that were included in this retrospective chart review with the average age being 12 years. Trauma related to daily activities (42.1%) was the most frequent cause of orbital fractures. Eight patients (14.0%) had associated ocular/orbital injuries. Thirty-one patients (54.8%) were symptomatic at presentation with the most common presenting symptom being diplopia (n = 19, 33.3%). The most common fracture pattern sustained was combined orbital floor and medial wall fractures, which occurred in 21 patients (36.8%). Of the 3 patients (5.3%) that required immediate intervention due to extraocular muscle entrapment resulting in vasovagal responses, all returned to full and normal extraocular motility. There were 2 postoperative complications without any permanent sequelae; no patient developed postoperative enophthalmos recognizable by both physician and parents, and diplopia improved in all the 6 patients who suffered from immediate postoperative diplopia (10.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

The nylon foil implant is a safe and effective method to repair pediatric orbital wall fractures given the low complication rate.