Surgical indications for orbital burst fractures

  For orbital burst fractures, the goal of surgery is to repair the original shape and ease of the orbit, retract the orbital contents, and restore oculomotor function. The key to successful orbital burst fracture surgery is complete exposure of the fracture area, clear visualization of the posterior margin of the fracture area, and complete patch coverage of the fracture area.  If the orbital burst fracture is neither functionally nor aesthetically problematic, surgical treatment is not necessary. In addition, conservative treatment or delayed surgery is also no longer a recommended treatment.  Early surgical intervention (within three days of trauma) is indicated if there are clinical signs of orbital burst fracture: 1) early protrusion or depression of the eye, indicative of a total orbital floor fracture; 2) a live plate-like orbital floor fracture in children; 3) an orbital fracture with oculocentric reflexes and no signs of self-remission.  In the case of combined orbital and facial trauma, orbital integrity can be restored 3-9 days after trauma and is performed in the absence of both life-threatening and visual loss or visual impairment.  The indications for surgery for elective orbital burst fractures are: 1) the presence of diplopia in important gaze positions, such as 30 degrees of downward medial and lateral gaze for two weeks, with imaging-confirmed fracture and positive retraction test; 2) an orbital depression of more than 2 mm; 3) an orbital floor fracture extending beyond half of the full orbital floor; 4) significant downward prolapse of the orbital contents, with an increase in orbital volume of at least 20%, and an orbital depression that will reach at least 3 If the orbital burst fracture is particularly extensive, implantation of an artificial bone fragment alone will not achieve the desired result and orbital osteoplasty is often required. Otherwise, patients with orbital fractures may develop anophthalmic depression and ocular dislocation.