AIM: To evaluate the clinical application of resorbable implants in orbital fracture repair surgery.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 48 eyes in 48 cases of orbital fracture, all patients were treated with resorbable implants for orbital fracture repair. During operations we exposed fully fracture defect range and returned the tissues that entered the paranasal sinus. A resorbable implant was trimmed to proper sizes according to the fracture defect range and fixed with 2 absorbable screws. The accuracy of plate positioning of the reconstructed orbit and the practicability of clinical use of resorbable implant were judged by the ophthalmic examination and computed tomography(CT)scan before and after operation.

RESULTS: All the patients completed the operation successfully and had no serious complications during or after surgery. All the patients had a good anatomical restoration by the postoperative CT scan. One year re-examination after operation, among 18 eyes with limitation of extraocular muscle movement(EOM)before operation 1 eye(6%)with limitation of EOM improved after surgery,17 eyes(94%)with limitation of EOM got cured. Among 30 cases with diplopia before operation 12 cases(40%)with diplopia improved after surgery, 18 cases(60%)with diplopia got cured. Among 32 eyes with enophthalmos before operation 10 eyes(31%)with enophthalmos improved after surgery, 22 eyes(69%)with enophthalmos get cured. Among 40 eyes with suborbital skin numbness before operation 33 eyes(82%)with suborbital skin numbness improved after surgery, 7 eyes(18%)with suborbital skin numbness got cured. Only one eye got lower eyelid entropion after surgery and was resolved by the second correction of entropion.

CONCLUSION: The resorbable implant can repair the fractures of orbital wall well. It is a better material of orbital fracture repairment.