Predictors of Postoperative Diplopia following Orbital Fracture Repair in Adults.

Background: Postoperative diplopia is reported in up to 52% of orbital bone fracture (OBF) repair. Evidence on these risk factors is based on low-quality data, single-institution studies, and small sample sizes. Our study is the largest and first multicenter study to determine the predictors of postoperative diplopia following OBF repair.

Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent OBF repair at 2 centers from 2015 to 2019. The authors' primary outcome was the incidence or persistence of postoperative diplopia at least 2 weeks after OBF repair. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine significant predictors of postoperative diplopia.

Results: Of 254 patients, the median age was 36.1 years (interquartile range, 27.8 to 50.7 years), and the median follow-up was 79.5 days (interquartile range, 40.3 to 157.3 days). The most common postoperative ocular symptom was diplopia (51 of 254 [20.1%]). Patients who had preoperative limited ocular motility or enophthalmos had greater odds of developing postoperative diplopia, compared with patients who did not have these preoperative symptoms (adjusted ORs, 2.33 [95% CI, 1.03 to 5.24] and 2.35 [95% CI, 1.06 to 5.24], respectively). Patients who had combined orbital floor and medial wall and moderate OBF (>2-cm 2 defect or >3-mm displacement) on preoperative computed tomographic scan had greater odds (adjusted ORs, 2.16 [95% CI, 1.04 to 4.46] and 3.77 [95% CI, 1.44 to 9.83], respectively) of developing postoperative diplopia, compared with patients without these preoperative computed tomographic findings.

Conclusion: During primary assessment of the patient with OBF, preoperative ocular signs and symptoms, fracture severity, and location of OBF are key predictors of postoperative diplopia.

Clinical question/level of evidence: Risk, III.