Orbital roof growing fractures: a report of four cases and literature review

Trivial injuries among paediatric patients are usually underestimated. Such injuries may account for delayed problems such as growing fractures of skull vault. Growing fracture of the orbital roof is rarely reported. Four cases of paediatric cranial trauma with growing orbital roof fractures are presented. Three cases required only dural repair, while the fourth patient underwent both duraplasty and cranioplasty, due to a large orbital roof defect. At follow-up, all had satisfactory outcome. Trivial injuries among children should be evaluated with caution. The development of orbital symptomatology should ask for a complete radiological survey. The orbital roof growing fractures are potentially important cause of orbital problems. The dural repair alone, usually provides satisfactory outcome, while calvarial bone graft may be of help in cases with large bony defects. Early diagnosis and management of such cases may prevent permanent neurological deficits.