Reconstruction of Orbital Floor Fractures with Porous Polyethylene Implants: A Prospective Study.

PURPOSE: The main aim of our study was to assess and evaluate the efficacy, long standing outcome and infection of porous polyethylene implants in treatment of orbital floor fractures.

PATIENT AND METHODS: Twelve patients with fractures of orbital floor were included in the study. The cause of fracture was road traffic accident, self fall and cow hit respectively. They also complained of enophthalmos (n = 9), diplopia (n = 3), restricted eye movement (n = 2), impairment of infraorbital nerve (n = 3) and dystopia (n = 6). All the fractures were reconstructed with thin porous polyethylene sheets.

RESULTS: No implants were extruded and there were no signs of inflammatory reactions against porous polyethylene implant. In all nine patients with pre-op enophthalmos it was corrected post-operatively with p value = 0.000 and was statistically significant; diplopia in one patient was corrected; persistence of double vision was noted in two patients. Restricted eye movement was corrected in all patients, dystopia was corrected in four patients and in two patients have persisting dystopia. Paresthesia persisted in all three patients.

CONCLUSION: Our experience was that reconstruction of orbital floor fracture using porous polyethylene implant is reliable, safe and effective and may be used for reconstruction of the orbital floor fracture with no donor site morbidity.