Repairing an Orbital Fracture
Obviously, breaking or cracking the bones of the eye socket is serious. This can be the result of a car accident, a sports injury, a fall, and various other reasons. An orbital fracture can affect your sight, or it can make the eye appear more recessed, dictating a cosmetic reason for surgery. Dr. Shams has experience in repairing orbital fractures and breaks.
Sizing up the situation
Swelling is usually an initial problem, so, in addition to antibiotics to prevent any infection, Dr. Shams usually administers anti-inflammatory medications to try and rapidly reduce swelling. In many cases, she will order imaging tests such as an orbital CT scan to provide a precise location of the injury and to judge its severity.
Dr. Shams may opt for observation, or recommend surgery. The factors to weigh are the severity and location of the fractures, and whether there is a risk of double vision or a sunken eye in future.
The surgery
With the patient under general anaesthesia, Dr. Shams makes an incision on the inside of the eyelid in order to access the orbital walls. Once she has a view of the fracture, she removes any fragments of loose or broken bone. She assesses the damage to the orbital bones. Sometimes an implant may be necessary to provide support when repairing the fracture. These implants can be made from the patient’s bone, nylon, medpor or titanium. Once the implant is attached, any muscles and other tissues are repositioned as necessary, and the incision is closed.
Recovery
You will typically stay one night in the hospital. Once home, you’ll receive antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication, eye drops, and possible eye ointments to aid your healing. There will be some pain at the incision site, but it is manageable. The eye area will be sensitive, and care must be taken to avoid putting any pressure on the repaired bones.
If you been in a car crash or have had another injury that may have caused damage to the eye socket, please call Dr. Shams, 07488 909 008 for a consultation.
Posted in: Orbitall Surgery
