Orbital development after enucleation in early childhood.

Purpose: To identify growth retardation in the orbits of children who have undergone enucleation and orbital implantation.

Methods: Children who underwent unilateral enucleation for retinoblastoma were examined. Any patient who had received external beam radiation or chemotherapy was excluded. Follow-up time was 5.5 to 10 years (mean, 8.33 years). Several linear measurements were made on the enucleated orbit and the fellow orbit. These measurements were compared using the paired Student t test and multivariate analysis of variance.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference in any of the measured orbital dimensions between the enucleated and fellow orbits.

Conclusions: Enucleation in children, when combined with a large orbital implant, does not cause orbital growth retardation.