Purpose: Orbital fractures (OFs) are common, but their association with concomitant traumatic ocular nerve palsy (TONP) is exceptional and may potentially cause confusing clinical pictures of oculomotor involvement. The purpose of the present study is to describe a series of patients with OFs and concomitant TONP following facial trauma and to evaluate clinical features, diagnostic pitfalls, and final functional outcome.

Methods: The investigators designed and implemented a retrospective case series and enrolled a sample of patients with OFs and concomitant TONP who had been managed at the University Hospitals of Geneva between 2013 and 2020. The primary outcomes were clinical pitfalls (diagnosis of neurogenic vs restrictive ocular motility pattern at baseline) and final functional outcome (persistent symptomatic diplopia). Other study variables included demographic and injury related parameters.

Results: The sample was composed of 10 patients with a mean age of 40.7 ± 12.3 years (range 21 to 53 years) and 80% were men. In all patients, the diagnosis of the neurogenic component accounted for the main diagnostic pitfalls associated to the baseline post-traumatic limitation of ocular motility and diplopia. Six patients (60%) had a full spontaneous recovery of their diplopia. Four patients (40%) had a partial recovery with residual diplopia. Of these 4 patients, 1 patient underwent corrective strabismus surgery, 2 had temporary occlusion of 1 eye, and 1 had Fresnel prisms. At the final follow-up visit none of the patients had persistent symptomatic diplopia.

Conclusions: The present study has shown that OFs with concomitant TONP entail complex ocular motility patterns of neurogenic and/or restrictive origin; the diagnosis of the neurogenic component represents the main clinical pitfall that warrants a careful orthoptic evaluation to ensure the appropriate management; the final outcome was favorable with no persistent symptomatic diplopia in any of the patients.