Infraorbital Artery Orbital Floor Fracture

In patients with orbital fractures it is imperative that the globe be examined.

Infraorbital artery orbital floor fracture.

The inferior orbital neurovascular bundle comprising the infraorbital nerve and artery courses within the bony floor of the orbit. Acute loss of sensory function of the infraorbital nerve following orbitozygomatic complex fractures is often seen because of their close proximity as the nerve passes through the infraorbital sulcus in the floor of the orbit to exit through the infraorbital foramen1 traumatic injury to the infraorbital nerve may be due to compression edema ischemia or laceration2. This is reflected in the demographics. The inferior orbital neurovascular bundle comprising the infraorbital nerve and artery courses within the bony floor of the orbit.

Orbital floor fracture management has changed significantly over the past decades with the introduction of new materials porous polyethylene and titanium plates. The nerve runs in the infraorbital sulcus which crosses the floor of the orbit together with the infraorbital artery and vein. It is more prevalent in young men. The inferior orbital fissure separates the orbital floor from the lateral orbital wall.

Acute loss of sensory function of the infraorbital nerve follows which may be due to compression edema ischemia or contusion neurotmesis. It contains veins the infraorbital artery and nerve and the zygomaticofacial nerve. The roof of this infraorbital canal is only 0 23mm thick and the bone of the posterior medial orbital floor averages 0 37 mm thick. The most commonly fractured wall of the orbit is the medial orbital floor.

The adult orbital floor is composed of the maxillary zygomatic and palatine bones see image below. 1 orbital floor fractures pose a great threat to infraorbital nerve causing entrapment and compression. The blowout fracture is the most common type of orbital fracture and is usually the result of trauma. The floor is likely to collapse because the bones of the roof and lateral walls are robust.

It does not reach the orbital apex. The orbital floor is the shortest of all the walls. An orbital blowout fracture is a traumatic deformity of the orbital floor or medial wall typically resulting from impact of a blunt object larger than the orbital aperture or eye socket most commonly the inferior orbital wall i e. Laterally the relatively thick zygomatic bone is separated from the thin maxillary and palatine bones by the inferior orbital fissure carrying the neurovascular bundle of the infraorbital nerve and artery figure 4 commonly floor fractures result in contusion of this nerve and subsequent hypoesthesia in the.

The roof of this infraorbital canal is only 0 23mm thick and the bone of the posterior medial orbital floor averages 0 37 mm thick.