RECOVERY OF THE INFRAORBITAL NERVE AFTER ZYGOMATIC COMPLEX FRACTURES - A PRELIMINARY-STUDY OF DIFFERENT TREATMENT METHODS

The infraorbital nerve (ION) is often involved in trauma to the zygoma tic complex (ZC), resulting in sensory disturbance of the area innerva ted by it. The purpose of the study was to compare the incidence of pe rsistent sensory disturbance after recovery from isolated simple fract ures of the ZC, with four treatment methods: 1) closed reduction via s ubcutaneous approach without fixation; 2) open reduction via subcutane ous approach without fixation; 3) open reduction via oroantral approac h and support of the complex by an intraantral Foley catheter; and 4) open reduction via Gillies approach with fixation of the frontozygomat ic (FZ) fracture with wire osteosynthesis, and open reduction via Gill ies approach with fixation of the FZ fracture with miniplate osteosynt hesis. Analysis revealed that patients treated with miniplate osteosyn thesis exhibited a trend for higher recovery rate of the (ION) than wi th the other three methods. No significant differences were found amon g the other three methods.