Pattern of orbital injuries presenting to a teaching hospital in Karachi

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the Study is to identify the frequency pattern and causes of orbital injuries. The study was conducted at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital Karachi over a period of one year from February 2004 to January 2005. A convenience sample of all patients presenting with orbital trauma were included. A 6-item questionnaire with various variables was used to record the parameters. The parameters including age, gender, referral source, cause of injury, site of injury and imaging methods were evaluated. All injuries were assessed and recorded by a single observer. Total study sample was 100 subjects. Male preponderance with male female ratio of 61 approximately, 86%males and 14% females, the mean age of the sample was 29 year. The most common cause of injury was recorded as road traffic accidents 57% followed by assault 19% and fall accounted for 15%. The most common site involved right orbit and the most common site of orbital fracture was inferior orbital rim followed by orbital floor fracture. This study demonstrated that the most common cause of orbital injury was road traffic accidents and inferior orbital rim was involved most frequently