Surgical Management of a Firearm Injury in the Infraorbital Area

Abstract

The surgical management of firearm injuries to the zygomaticomaxillary complex is a topic that needs to be addressed with much care. The complications that can arise during treatment, as well as the potential residual problems that can appear, lead to the need of recognizing these injuries as a maxillofacial treatment challenge. The infraorbital zone is the second most common area of injury in the face, accounting for up to 45% of midfacial fractures. The case presented is of a 54 year old man affected by the backward firing of a gun rifle that caused an oblique impaction towards the posterior lateral inferior side of the infraorbital complex. He was rapidly stabilized with an antibiotic and analgesic scheme, yet presented the following: a comminute fracture of the orbit floor with consequent communication towards the maxillary sinus, a non-displacing fracture of the frontomalar suture, a non-displacing fracture of the zygomatic arch and a lesion with loss of osseous tissue in the petrous region of the temporal bone. Rigid fixation followed stabilization, and the area was covered with a titanium mesh. Occasional tinnitus and photopsia were reported by the patient upon return, yet all other evaluated factors were in order. There have been different forms of management described in the literature, and it is recognized that each patient has different needs, therefore each case must be closely evaluated, so it is approached in the most appropriate manner.