Relationship between Preoperative Clinical Features and Postoperative Recovery of Ocular Motility Restriction in Blow-out Fractures

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Diplopia and ocular motility restriction after blow-out fracture repair may often be permanent. We attempted to analyze various factors associated with preoperative and postoperative ocular motility restriction after blow-out fracture. METHODS: We assessed retrospectively the recovery of ocular movement in 60 eyes of 60 patients with blow-out fractures, which were repaired by orbital reconstruction from April 1997 to October 1999. We analyzed the relationship between patient age, fracture size, severity of ocular motility restriction before and after surgery, and CT evidence of muscle entrapment. RESULTS: Fracture size was smaller in the patients aged 18 years or younger than those 19 years or older, and ocular motility restriction before surgery was greater in the patients with small-sized fractures. Postoperatively, ocular motility restriction was remained more frequently in the patients with severe ocular motility restriction before surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In pediatric patients who have severe motility restriction, CT evidence of small-sized fracture and some tissue entrapment, immediate surgical repair would be helpful for recovery of extraocular movement.