Radiological findings of orbital blowout fractures: a review

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To summarize the radiological findings in patients with orbital blowout fractures.

Methods: We reviewed the published literature on radiological findings of orbital blowout fractures that were searched on PubMed and included our own radiologic findings on patients with orbital blowout fractures that were seen at our hospital.

Results: Radiologic examination reveals a variety of findings in each case. However, common radiological findings of orbital blowout fractures include comminuted/unhinged, hinged, and linear fractures. These fractures are usually located in the orbital floor medial to the infraorbital nerve and in the medial orbital wall. Orbital fat is frequently herniated in the paranasal sinus or incarcerated at the fracture site. Orbital emphysema and haematoma sometimes occur as complications.

Conclusions: This review will provide surgeons with a better understanding of various radiological findings, which could be helpful in the management of patients with orbital blowout fracture.

KEYWORDS:

• Medial orbital wall
• orbital blowout fracture
• orbital floor
• radiological findings

Authors’ contributions

All authors qualify for authorship based on contributions to the conception and design (YT), acquisition of data (MI, KN, YT), literature search (YT), and analyses and interpretation of data (all authors). All authors contributed to drafting the article and revising it critically for important intellectual content and final approval of the version to be published.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.