Intraorbital wooden foreign bodies may present difficulties in diagnosis due to their radiolucent nature. Delayed recognition and management can cause significant complications. We present a case report that demonstrates these problems and the sequela that can follow. A 56-year-old man presented with a 3-cm laceration in the right upper eyelid, sustained by a slipping accident. After computed tomography (CT) scanning and ophthalmology consultation, which revealed no fractures and suggested only pneumophthalmos, the wound was repaired by a plastic surgery resident. Ten days later, the patient’s eyelid displayed signs of infection including pus discharge. Antibiotics and revisional repair failed to solve the infection. Nearly 2 months after the initial repair, a CT scan revealed a large wooden fragment in the superomedial orbit. Surgical exploration successfully removed the foreign body and inflamed pocket, and the patient healed uneventfully. However, the prolonged intraorbital infection had caused irreversible damage to the superior rectus muscle, with upgaze diplopia persisting 1 year after surgery and only minimal muscle function remaining. We report this case to warn clinicians of the difficulties in early diagnosis of intraorbital wooden foreign bodies and the grave prognosis of delayed management.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Diagnosis ; Diplopia ; Early Diagnosis ; Eye Foreign Bodies ; Eye Injuries, Penetrating ; Eyelids ; Foreign Bodies* ; Humans ; Lacerations ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmology ; Orbit ; Prognosis ; Suppuration ; Surgery, Plastic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Wounds and Injuries

No abstract available.
Wound Infection ; Wounds and Injuries

Background: Complex orbital fractures are impure orbital fractures because they involve the orbital walls and mid-facial bones. The author reported an orbital wall restoration technique in which the primary orbital wall fragments were restored to their prior position in complex orbital fractures in 2020. As a follow-up to a previous preliminary study, this study retrospectively reviewed the surgical results of complex orbital wall fractures over a 4-year period and compared the surgical outcomes by dividing them into groups with and without balloon restoration. Methods: Data of 939 patients with facial bone fractures between August 2018 and August 2022 were reviewed. Of these, 154 had complex orbital fractures. Among them, 44 and 110 underwent reduction with and without the balloon technique respectively. Pre- and postoperative Naugle exophthalmometer (Good-Lite Co.) scales were evaluated. The orbital volume and orbital volume ratio were calculated from preoperative and 6 months postoperative computed tomography images. Results: Among 154 patients with complex orbital fractures, 44 patients underwent restoration with the balloon technique, and 110 patients underwent restoration without it. The Naugle scale did not differ significantly between the two groups, but the orbital volume ratio significantly decreased by 3.32% and 2.39% in groups with and without the balloon technique and the difference in OVR was significantly greater in patients in the balloon restoration group compared with the control group. Postoperative balloon rupture occurred in six out of 44 cases (13.64%). None of the six patients with balloon rupture showed significant enophthalmos at 6 months of follow-up. Conclusion The balloon rupture rate was 13.64% (6/44 cases) with marginal screw fixation, blunt screws, and extra protection with a resorbable foam dressing. Furthermore, we restored the orbital wall with primary orbital fragments using balloon support in complex orbital wall fractures.

Background: Treating panfacial fractures (PFFs) can be extremely difficult even for experienced surgeons. Although several authors have attempted to systemize the surgical approach, performing surgery by applying a unidirectional sequence is much more difficult in practice. The purpose of this study was to review the literature on PFF surgery sequence and to understand how different surgical specialists–plastic reconstructive surgery (PRS) and oral maxillofacial surgery (OMS)–chose sequence and review PFFs fixation sequence in clinical cases. Methods: The PubMed and Google Scholar databases were scoured for publications published up until May 2020. Data extracted from the studies using standard templates included fracture part, fixation sequence, originating specialist, and the countries. Bibliographic details like author and year of publication were also extracted. Also, we reviewed the data for PFFs patients in the Trauma Registry System of Dankook University Hospital from 2011 to 2021. Results: In total, 240 articles were identified. This study comprised 22 studies after screening and full-text analysis. Sixteen studies (12 OMS specialists and 4 PRS specialists) used a “bottom-top” approach, whereas three studies (1 OMS specialist and 2 PRS specialists) used a “top-bottom” method. However, three studies (only OMS specialists) reported on both sequences. In our hospital, there were a total of 124 patients with PFF who were treated during 2011 to 2021; 64 (51.6%) were in upper-middle parts, 52 (41.9%) were in mid-lower parts, and eight (6.5%) were in three parts. Conclusion Bottom-top sequencing was mainly used in OMS specialists, and top-bottom sequencing was used at a similar rate by two specialists in literature review. In our experience, however, it was hard to consistently implement unidirectional sequence suggested by a literature review. We realigned the reliable and stable buttresses first with tailoring individually for each patient, rather than proceeding in the unidirectional sequence like bottom-top or top-bottom.

Background: Personal mobility devices (PMDs) have become an increasingly popular transport modality globally. With increasing social interest in and demand for PMDs, the number of individuals visiting emergency departments with PMD-related injuries has also increased annually. This study aimed to evaluate injury patterns and treatment costs for patients treated in the department of plastic surgery in a trauma center. Methods: In this retrospective study, data concerning patients with PMD-related injuries from January 2017 to December 2021 were reviewed. The data retrieved included age, sex, alcohol consumption, helmet use, the type of impact, onset of injury, place of first visit, type of injury, admission status, operation status, and treatment cost. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the effects of various factors on cost. Results: Data were collected from 93 patients. Until 2019, the annual number of PMD-related accidents was less than 10; however, this number increased sharply in 2020. The average cost of hospitalization was USD 7,698 whereas the average cost of non-hospitalization was USD 631. Only fractures had a significant association with total cost in linear regression analysis (p < 0.001). Conclusion The prevalence of PMD use and related injuries requiring plastic surgery during the study period showed significant health and financial costs both to the patients involved and to society. This cost could be reduced through stricter regulations concerning PMD use, advocating the use of protective gear, and promoting greater awareness of safety measures and of the consequences of PMD-related accidents.

Background: We have reported orbital wall restoration surgery with primary orbital wall fragment in pure blowout fractures using a combination of transorbital and transnasal approach in pure blow out fractures. However, this method was thought to be difficult to use for complex orbital wall fractures, since the sharp screw tip that fixate the maxillary wall increases the risk of balloon ruptures. In this study, we reviewed 23 cases of complex orbital fractures that underwent orbital wall restoration surgery with primary orbital wall fragment and evaluated the result. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 23 patients with complex orbital fracture who underwent orbital restoration surgery with primary orbital wall fragments between 2012 and 2019. The patients underwent orbital wall restoration surgery with primary orbital wall fragment with temporary balloon support. The surgical results were evaluated by the Naugle scale and a comparison of preoperative and postoperative orbital volume ratio. Complex fracture type, type of screw used for fixation and complications such as balloon rupture were also investigated. Results: There were 23 patients with complex orbital fracture that used transnasal balloon technique for restoration. 17 cases had a successful outcome with no complications, three patients had postoperative balloon rupture, two patients had soft-tissue infection, and one patient had balloon malposition. Conclusion The orbital wall restoration technique with temporary balloon support can produce favorable results when done correctly even in complex orbital wall fracture. Seventeen cases had favorable results, six cases had postoperative complications thus additional procedure seems necessary to complement this method.

We report a case of free flap deterioration which may have been induced by pressure gradient resulting from cranial defect overlying a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VP shunt). The patient, male and aged 78, had a VP shunt operation for progressive hydrocephalus. Afterwards, the scalp skin flap surrounding the VP shunt collapsed and showed signs of necrosis, exposing part of the shunt catheter. After covering the defect with a radial forearm free flap, the free flap site showed signs of gradual sinking while the vascularity of the flap remained unimpaired. An agreement was reached to remove the shunt device and observe the patient for any neurological symptoms, and after the shunt was removed and the previous cranial opening filled with fibrin glue by Neurosurgery, we debrided the deteriorated flap and provided coverage with 2 large opposing rotational flaps. During 2 months' outpatient follow-up no neurological symptoms appeared, and the new scalp flap displayed slight depression but remained intact. The patient has declined from any further follow-up since.
Catheters ; Decompressive Craniectomy ; Depression ; Fibrin Tissue Adhesive ; Follow-Up Studies ; Forearm ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Male ; Necrosis ; Neurosurgery ; Outpatients ; Scalp ; Skin ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt*