Surgical Approach to Orbital Floor Fractures: Comparing Complication Rates Between Subciliary and Subconjunctival Approaches

Background: There are multiple approaches to repairing orbital floor fractures. This study compares the postoperative complications of the subciliary and transconjunctival approaches. Methods: The electronic medical records from 2 hospitals were screened for CPT codes associated with orbital floor reconstruction. A total of 184 patients were identified and included in the study. Patient characteristics and complications were compared by surgical approach. Results: Of the 184 patients, 82 (44.6%) were in the subciliary group and 102 (55.4%) were in the transconjunctival group. The overall postoperative complication rate was 25.5%. The most common of these were diplopia (11.4%), corneal injury (7.1%), proptosis (5.4%), and enopthalmos (4.9%). The complication rate was not statistically significant between the 2 groups. Conclusion: Subciliary and transconjunctival approaches to orbital floor repair are equally safe. This study is limited by a smaller sample size, and a larger study will likely be necessary to fully address this question.