[Blowout fracture of the orbit. Report of twenty-five cases]

Twenty-five cases of blowout fracture were treated at Yamaguchi University hospital between 1981 and 1984. Eighteen cases were male and seven cases were female. Chief complaints and major symptoms were diplopia, disturbance in eyeball movement and disturbance of vison. Sinus-x-ray examination by occipito-frontal view, Waters' view and occipito-frontal polytomography were recommended for precise diagnosis. Ophthalmological evaluation, including Hess chart and forced duction. test should be done both preoperatively and postoperatively. Fifteen cases were treated surgically and ten cases, who did not have visual acuity loss, were conservatively treated. Among the surgically treated (15 cases), diplopia, disturbance in eyeball movement and disturbance of vision improved in 73.3%, 80.0%, 73.3%, respectively. Site of the fracture was mostly seen at the orbital floor. Postoperative results were satisfactory. The blowout fracture with such major symptoms as the loss of visual acuity should be carefully and conservatively treated for two weeks. If the symptoms remained without improvement, the surgical intervention should be considered within a month.