Traumatic superior orbital fissure syndrome: report of 4 cases and review of literature

Purpose: The authors retrospectively analyzed four cases of posttraumatic s uperior orbital fissure syndrome and reviewed the literature. Method: Four patients (three male and one female) were followed for this co mplication in the department from october 1995 to december 1996. Results: The mean age was 31 years, the median follow-up was 8 month. Compu ted tomography showed involvement of the superior orbital fissure but no in three patients, in the fourth. The treatment consisted of osteosynthesis o f craniofacial fracture in three patients and corti-costreroid therapy in t he last one. All patients presented partial recuperation of external ophtha lmoplegia and ptosis. Twelve months after the traumatism, one patient under went surgery for persistant ptosis and diplopia. Conclusion: The superior orbital fissure syndrome is an exceptional complic ation of orbital traumas Partial recuperation of the neuro-ophthalmologic f unction usually occurs within a period of several months.