Usefulness of the Blink Reflex Study as a Preoperative Evaluation in the Orbitozygomatic Complex Fracture.
- Author:
Dae Il KANG
1
;
Sang Woo PARK
;
Jae Hoon CHOI
Author Information
1. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Changwon Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea. diligent78@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Blink reflex study;
Orbitozygomatic complex fracture
- MeSH:
Blinking;
Generalization (Psychology);
Humans
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons
2010;37(6):779-782
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: As the evaluation of the preoperative sensibility in the orbitozygomatic complex fracture, used by most surgeons, depends on the patient's subjective judgements, it is difficult to make generalization and to use it as an objective evaluation method. We used the blink reflex study to objectively evaluate injury to the infraorbital nerve. METHODS: From December 2008 to November 2009, a total of 16 patients underwent the patient's subjective report on sensory symptoms and the blink reflex study preoperatively. Among patients having orbitozygomatic complex fracture of type III or more according to Henderson's classification and simultaneously suspected as being injured along the infraorbital nerve pathway, patients who had difficulty in checking preoperative sensibility and said 'normal sensibility' were selected as candidates. RESULTS: Fifteen patients showed abnormal R1 on the fracture side. These results suggested that most of patients had injury to the infraorbital nerve. CONCLUSION: Contrary to the existing tests, the blink reflex study is a useful diagnostic tool in reflecting injury to the infraorbital nerve objectively.
