Repair of traumatic inferior orbital wall defects with nasoseptal cartilage

Purpose: This study evaluated the effectiveness of nasoseptal cartilage for repairing traumatic orbital floor defects. Patients and Methods: Autogenous septal cartilage was used in 20 patients. They were evaluated for the presence or absence of diplopia, enophthalmus, infraorbital nerve paresthesia, and ocular motility disorders. Surgical ind ications for orbital exploration included entrapment of orbital tissues, la rge orbital defect (greater than 50% of the orbital floor or more than 8 mm ), or orbital floor defects with involvement of other zygomaticofrontal com plex fractures. Results: All patients were successfully treated by restoration of the orbit al wall continuity. Follow-up at I week to 6 months showed I patient with p ostoperative enophthalmos and 1 patient with lower lid edema. There were no donor site and graft infections or graft extrusion. Conclusions: Nasal septal cartilage is a readily accessible autogenous tiss ue that should be considered when an autogenous graft is needed for orbital floor defect reconstruction. (C) 2001 American Association of Oral and Max illofacial Surgeons.