Healing of experimentally induced orbital floor defects

Biomaterials for reconstruction of the internal orbit

Orbital floor injuries, alone or combination with other facial fractures, are one of the most commonly encountered midface fractures. Techniques for orbital reconstruction have migrated away from autogenous bone grafts to well-tolerated alloplasts, such as titanium and Medpor. Material for reconstructing the orbit can then be selected based on requirements of the defect matched to the mechanical properties of the material. Material selection is largely and ultimately dependent upon surgeon preference.

Early treatment of orbital floor fractures with catheter balloon in children

Fifteen pediatric patients with orbital floor fractures were successfully treated early, following injury by a transantrally introduced catheter-balloon technique. The latter stabilizes and supports the torn, but still vascularized periosteum at the edges of the fracture and also serves as a guide for its further proliferation and new bone formation. Apart from a transient anesthesia in the dermatome of the infraorbital nerve in certain patients no complication or sequela was noted in this series. Accordingly early repair with the use of catheter-balloon appears to be a viable alternative in the repair of orbital floor fracture in children.