Quantitative Analysis of the Orbital Volume Change in Isolated Zygoma Fracture

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The zygoma(Zygomaticomaxillary) complexes make up a large portion of the orbital floor and lateral orbital walls. Zygoma fracture frequently causes the posteromedial displacement of bone fragments, and the collapse or overlapping of internal orbital walls. This process consequently can lead to the orbital volume change. The reduction of zygoma in an anterolateral direction may influence on the potential bone defect area of the internal orbital walls. Thus we performed the quantitative analysis of orbital volume change in zygoma fracture before and after operation. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of preoperative and postoperative three-dimensional computed tomography scans in 39 patients with zygoma fractures who had not carried out orbital wall reconstruction. Orbital volume measurement was obtained through Aquarius Ver. 4.3.6 program and we compared the orbital volume change of injured orbit with that of the normal contralateral orbit. RESULTS: The average orbital volume of normal orbit was 19.68cm3. Before the operation, the average orbital volume of injured orbit was 18.42cm3. The difference of the orbital volume between the injured orbit and the normal orbit was 1.18cm3(6.01%) on average. After operation, the average orbital volume of injured orbit was 20.81cm3. The difference of the orbital volume between the injured orbit and the normal orbit was 1.17cm3(5.92%) on average. CONCLUSION: There are considerable volume changes in zygoma fracture which did not accompany internal orbital wall fracture before and after operation. Our study reflects the change of bony frame, also that of all parts of the orbital wall, in addition to the bony defect area of orbital floor, in an isolated zygoma fracture so that it evaluates orbital volume change more accurately. Thus, the measurement of orbital volume in isolated zygoma fractures helps predict the degree of enophthalmos and decide a surgical plan.