Orbital blowout fractures. The prognostic significance of computed tomography.

Nineteen patients with orbital floor fractures were examined and underwent computed tomography of both orbits. By evaluating the amount of orbital expansion and soft tissue herniation, we were able to identify a group of patients at high risk for developing enophthalmos (3/7 in the group with the largest amount vs. 0/7 and 0/5 in the two other groups). By studying the appearance of the inferior rectus muscle, we were also able to identify a group of patients at high risk for developing persistent diplopia (5/5 with entrapped muscles, 0/2 with hooked muscles and 0/12 of patients with free inferior rectus positions).