[Functional and esthetic results after reconstruction of orbital walls]

From 1985 to 1992 40 patients with large defects of the orbital wall were operated by reconstructive surgery. Defects were caused by trauma (35), facial cleft (3), tumor (1) and osteoradionecrosis (1). Small defects were covered with lyophilised dura mater or thin PDS-film, larger defects with autogenous or xenogenous cartilage, PDS-plates, ceramic plates or titanium micro mesh. After tumor surgery and osteoradionecrosis the orbital wall was reconstructed with free resp. microvascularised bone. In all cases a clear improvement of the initial position was possible. Dislocation of the zygomatic bone should be corrected by osteotomy in order to reconstruct as much as possible of the orbital wall with local bone.