Management of delayed infection after insertion of bioresorbable plates at the infraorbital rim.

Delayed infections after use of absorbable plates in the infraorbital region have been documented in various reports. We report 2 cases of infections at the infraorbital rim after fixation with absorbable plates: one was managed with surgical removal and one was managed with conservative treatment. We recommend that, before treatment, computed tomographic scans and cultures be obtained whenever possible. The presence of maxillary sinusitis is the single most important factor in choosing surgical removal of the plates, but the patient should be fully informed about the possibility of postoperative ectropion.