A retrospective study of pure medial orbital wall fracture management

To describe the clinical presentation of isolated medial orbital wall fractures, the duration of symptoms and their management.

Retrospective study of 60 orbits of 60 patients over 18 years of age with isolated medial wall fractures of the orbit at the facial and trauma center of the Pitié-Salpêtrière university hospital of Paris between June 2012 and November 2015. Diplopia, enophthalmos and limitation of extraocular muscle movements were investigated. The location of the fractures was confirmed with three-dimensional computed tomography. Intraocular trauma was ruled out. Incomplete data were excluded.

Eighty-three patients were identified (June 2012-November 2015). Sixty patients (39 males and 21 females) had a complete medical record. The mean age was 37 years, ranging from 18 to 75 years. Assault was the most common cause in 45 patients (75%), followed by sports accidents in 8 patients (13%), motor vehicle accidents in 6 patients (10%), and a fall in 1 patient. On presentation, 51 patients (85%) had no symptoms. Diplopia was present in 9 patients (15%). Four of them (6.7%) had associated enophthalmos. The diplopia resolved spontaneously in 5 patients (5.5%) and persisted more than 2 weeks in 4 patients (6.7%), for whom surgical intervention was recommended. Only 4 patients (6.7%) were managed surgically due to the presence of combined persistent diplopia and enophthalmos. The mean time from trauma to surgery was 18 days (15-45 days). At the 45-day postoperative follow-up, persistent diplopia was present in 1 patient out of the four treated surgically, with no residual enophthalmos. Fifty-six patients were managed conservatively.

Asymptomatic fractures do not require surgical repair, and conservative management is adequate. Such fractures heal on their own without any consequences.