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Assault primary cause of orbital blowout fractures in U.S. military
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A high incidence of concomitant injury in midfacial and orbital blowout fractures, particularly ocular and intracranial injury, emphasizes the importance of a thorough physical examination, according to a long-term, large study.
Jeffrey L. Shere, MD, and colleagues at the Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash., and other military facilities in the United States conducted a multicenter, 20-year retrospective analysis of hospitalization of U.S. active duty soldiers. The researchers identified 3,599 midfacial and 1,141 orbital blowout fractures.
Men between the ages of 20 and 29 were most affected. Of the blowout fractures, 70.2% occurred with concomitant injury, and 50.9% involved other facial fractures. Of the midfacial fractures, 54.8% occurred with concomitant injury, and 36.2% involved other fractures. Of the orbital blowout fractures, 29.8% involved an eye injury. Common causes were fighting and motor vehicle accidents.
The analysis is published in the February issue of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.