Management of diplopia in patients with blowout fractures

PURPOSE: To report the management outcomes of diplopia in patients with blowout fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data for 39 patients with diplopia due to orbital blowout fracture were analyzed retrospectively. The inferior wall alone was involved in 22 (56.4%) patients, medial wall alone was involved in 14 (35.8%) patients, and the medial and inferior walls were involved in three (7.6%) patients. Each fracture was reconstructed with a Medpore(®) implant. Strabismus surgery or prism correction was performed in required patients for the management of persistent diplopia. Mean postoperative follow up was 6.5 months. RESULTS: Twenty-three (58.9%) patients with diplopia underwent surgical repair of blowout fracture. Diplopia was eliminated in 17 (73.9%) patients following orbital wall surgery. Of the 23 patients, three (7.6%) patients required prism glasses and another three (7.6%) patients required strabismus surgery for persistent diplopia. In four (10.2%) patients, strabismus surgery was performed without fracture repair. Twelve patients (30.7%) with negative forced duction test results were followed up without surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, diplopia resolved in 30.7% of patients without surgery and 69.2% of patients with diplopia required surgical intervention. Primary gaze diplopia was eliminated in 73.9% of patients through orbital wall repair. The most frequently employed secondary surgery was adjustable inferior rectus recession and <17.8% of patients required additional strabismus surgery.