Traumatic Orbital Subperiosteal Hematoma With Acute Visual Compromise: Role of the Head and Neck Surgeon

The primary goal was to report our institutional experience of a rare, vision-threatening complication following craniomaxillofacial trauma. A retrospective review was performed between January 2016 and January 2018 to identify 3 patients with traumatic orbital subperiosteal hematoma (OSPH). Visual acuity, intraocular pressures (IOPs), and the need for surgical intervention were abstracted. The age range was 36 to 88 years. Indications for surgical intervention include relative afferent pupillary defect, gaze restriction, visual impairment, and elevated IOP. Preoperatively, IOP range was 15.0 to 25.0. Two patients required OSPH evacuation via a medial brow approach. Follow-up after ocular injury ranged from 25 to 41 days, with IOP range of 13.0 to 16.0. Traumatic OSPH is an uncommon clinical finding; prompt assessment with consideration of surgical intervention may mitigate deleterious long-term morbidity, chiefly sudden blindness. Further research efforts may elucidate the optimal method in the management of this complex clinical entity.