S212: Orbital Surgery for the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon: Anatomical and Imaging Considerations

Abstract

The orbit is one of the most fascinating areas of anatomical enquiry because it exhibits unparalleled features of architectural organization to accommodate the complex demands of vision. Orbital involvement in trauma, infections as well as neoplastic processes spreading from the maxillofacial region, and during the course of certain orthognathic surgical techniques requires a thorough understanding of orbital anatomy by the Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon. Although the core principles of orbital surgery have not radically altered during the past decade, improvement in our knowledge of orbital anatomy has improved our understanding of orbital pathophysiology and has brought refinement to orbital surgery. Multislice CT and High resolution MR display orbital anatomy with considerable clarity and provide most of the information needed. However, the nature of pathological process and the compact anatomy of the orbit sometimes necessitate the use of more than one modality with creative juxtaposition of information through image data management to permit a lucid interpretation of the characteristics of orbital pathology. In this presentation, we will provide a comprehensive survey of orbital anatomy with particular emphasis on those aspects of particular relevance in orbital surgery. The application of various imaging modalities to display normal orbital anatomy and delineate specific changes induced by various pathological processes will be demonstrated and discussed. Case studies of common as well as uncommon orbital pathology from our experience illustrating specific problems and challenges in orbital surgery will be presented.