Abstract
PurposeThe purpose of this study was to evaluate patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) before and after surgical treatment of orbital blow-out fracture.MethodsThis prospective study comprises of all adult patients undergoing a surgical reconstruction of an orbital blow-out fracture in 2006–2010. Their HRQoL was evaluated for 6 months postoperatively with the aid of the standardized 15D instrument and was compared with that of an age- and gender-standardized sample of the general Finnish population. A complementary questionnaire for more detailed information was also administered.ResultsTwenty-six patients completed the study. Mean 15D score among the patients preoperatively (0.898) was statistically significantly and clinically importantly worse than the score of the control population (0.936). Six months postoperatively, the mean 15D score was 0.920, with no significant difference compared with the control population and the significant differences on the different dimensions had disappeared. The most common complaint at 6 months postoperatively was diplopia in daily life (19%). Disturbances in facial sensation (27%) and defects in facial appearance (15%) were the most unpleasant subjective outcomes.ConclusionThe HRQoL is significantly decreased after orbital blow-out fracture compared with the general population but will recover completely in 6 months. Thus, the negative impact of orbital blow-out fracture on HRQoL is only transient. Disturbances in facial sensation, defects in facial appearance, and diplopia are the most common subjective complaints after the injury and its surgical treatment. However, these do not appear to affect the overall quality of life in the long term.
Highlights
Orbital fracture is common in patients with facial trauma [1, 2]
The mean 15D score of the patients was preoperatively (p = 0.046) and 1 week postoperatively (p = 0.007) statistically significantly and clinically importantly lower than that of the control population: the 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of the difference was 0.001–0.074 preoperatively and 0.012–0.070 at 1 week.At 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively, there was no statistically significant difference from the control population: the 95% CI
The results showed that 3 months after treatment all domains of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) had improved significantly compared with the first evaluation
Summary
Orbital fracture is common in patients with facial trauma [1, 2]. Facial trauma can cause esthetic and functional defects as well as psychological distress and significant emotional, social, and behavioral problems, having a great impact on the quality of life of the patients [3,4,5]. Patients are more likely to have marital conflicts, problems with alcohol consumption, legal problems, and deficits in occupational functions after facial trauma [6]. Patients with orbital fracture confront many potential problems that may affect their quality of life, such as disturbances in vision, changes in facial appearance, sensory disturbances, impairment of the lacrimal excretion system and functions of eyelids, prolonged facial pain, anxiety, depression, and interruptions in social and professional life [7, 8].
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