Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness and complications related to the use of a partially absorbable mesh for the reconstruction of orbital floor fractures. This is a retrospective review of 34 consecutive patients who suffered orbital trauma from August 2007 to March 2013 treated with a partially absorbable mesh for orbital reconstruction. Data collected included gender, age, nationality, cause of injury, date of admission, date of surgery, date of discharge, type of fracture, signs and symptoms such as diplopia, enophthalmos, and sensory disturbance related to the infraorbital nerve, complications before and after surgery, and follow-ups at 1 week, 1 month, 6 months, and after 1 year.
Results: Since January 2007, 34 patients were treated in our department with orbital fractures: 28 males (82.4%) and 6 females (17.6%). The mean age was 31 years (minimum 14, maximum 45). The main causes of trauma were road traffic accidents (20 patients, 58.8%), followed by work-related accidents (9 patients, 26.5%), aggressions (3 patients, 8.8%), and sports (2 patients, 6%). Posttraumatic Diplopia was present in 20 patients (58.8%), and enophthalmos was in 9 (26.5%). The incidence of postoperative diplopia was present in 8 patients (23.5%), which decreased to 1 (2.9%) after one year. Paresthesia due to trauma was first noticed in 8 patients (20.6%) and completely disappeared after 12 months. Post surgical enophthalmos was noticed in 3 patients (7.5%). There was one case of migration of the mesh and one case of adherence in the lower lid. Both required surgery and resolved completely. Time from trauma to surgery was on average 5.5 days (min 0, max 27, SD 5.15), and the number of days before discharge was 3.5 days (min 1, max 16, SD 2.61).
Conclusions: This study describes the results of the first series of orbital floor reconstructions with a partially absorbable mesh (Monofilament polypropylene fibre and monofilament poliglecaprone-25) to date. Although there are a wide variety of materials for treatment, we believe it is a suitable option with an acceptable rate of complications.
Keywords: Orbital fractures; Surgical mesh.