Evaluation of common procedures for assessing the accuracy of reduction and fixation of unilateral orbital fractures in Iranian patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The purpose of this study was the quantitative assessment of accuracy of surgical approaches for reconstruction of unilateral orbital wall fractures by means of measuring orbital volume changes through analysis of pre- and post-operative computed tomography scan (CT scan).METHODS: Twenty-two patients with unilateral orbital wall fractures were included in this study. CT scans were used to obtain computer-based measurement of orbital volume in uninjured and injured orbit before and after surgery. The Shapiro-Wilk test, t-test, and paired t-test were used to analyze the data, such that P < 0.05 was significant.RESULTS: The orbital volume of fractured orbit was significantly increased compared with unfractured orbit before surgery (P = 0.0001). There was no significant difference between the two orbits after orbital reconstruction (P = 0.42), but there was a significant difference between orbital volume of fractured orbit before surgery and after reconstruction (adequate reduction of the fractured orbit, P = 0.0001).CONCLUSION: This study showed that common surgical approaches to reconstruct unilateral orbital fractures were adequate methods to restore the orbital fractured volume.