Orbital floor reconstruction with flexible Ethisorb patches: a retrospective long-term follow-up study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether a flexible, biodegradable material (Ethisorb) shows better long-term results with regard to diplopia, bulbus motility, and exophthalmos/enophthalmos compared to the use of lyophilized dura-patches and polydioxanone (PDS) foils.

METHODS:

During a period of 6 years 435 patients with an orbital fracture were investigated retrospectively. Inclusion criteria were patients with fractures of the orbital floor with a maximum size of 2 x 2 cm. Bulbus motility, exophthalmos, enophthalmos, and diplopia were investigated during a period of 2 years.

RESULTS:

One hundred twenty orbital floors were reconstructed by lyophilized dura-patches, 81 by PDS, and 136 by Ethisorb. An exploration without an implantation was performed in 91 patients. The long-term investigation 12 to 15 months after surgery showed an exophthalmos and enophthalmos incidence of 1%, whereas a reduced bulbus motility and diplopia were found in 5% and 4%, respectively. Fifteen to 24 months after surgery 2% of the patients had an exophthalmos and 1% had an enophthalmos. A reduction of bulbus motility was found in 4% of the patients, and diplopia was found in 3%. The use of Ethisorb resulted in a significantly lower incidence of exophthalmos 3 months after surgery compared to PDS.

CONCLUSION:

The low rate of acquired bulbus motility demonstrates acceptable results in using Ethisorb in the floor of the orbit.

• Authors: Siegfried Jank, Rüdiger Emshoff, Barbara Schuchter, Heinrich Strobl, Iris Brandlmaier, Burghard Norer
• Journal: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology, and endodontics (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod) Vol. 95 Issue 1 Pg. 16-22 (Jan 2003) ISSN: 1079-2104 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12539022 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Evaluation Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Biocompatible Materials
• Ethisorb
• Polyesters
• Polyglycolic Acid
• Polydioxanone

Topics

• Absorbable Implants
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Biocompatible Materials
• Diplopia (etiology, prevention & control)
• Dura Mater (transplantation)
• Enophthalmos (etiology, prevention & control)
• Exophthalmos (etiology, prevention & control)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Ocular Motility Disorders (etiology, prevention & control)
• Orbit (surgery)
• Orbital Fractures (complications, surgery)
• Orbital Implants
• Pliability
• Polydioxanone
• Polyesters
• Polyglycolic Acid
• Retrospective Studies