[Orbital fractures in children]

Abstract

The aim of this article is to review data concerning paediatric orbital fractures. These fractures exhibit strong specificities because they occur in a growing face. Due to the craniofacial growing pattern and the peumatization of paranasal sinuses, there are differences in the anatomical location of orbital fracture with the age: before the age of seven they are mostly orbital roof and after seven they involve the orbital floor. The clinical diagnosis is confirmed with a computed tomography scan (CT scan), gold standard for the imaging in the orbital fractures. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a better soft-tissue depiction and is useful when clinical data are not consistent with CT scan findings. The orbital fractures in children are rarely operated. In emergency the main surgical indications are the trap-door fracture involving the ocular muscles and the compressive haematomas. We hypothesize that the periosteum more likely than the bony structure is involved in the responsible trap-door fractures: the thickness and the elasticity of the periosteum leads to reposition the floor or the medial wall of the orbit to its initial position.