
16
J Gandhara Med Dent Sci
October - December 2025
et al.
19
in their study results demonstrated that fractures
with minimal or no displacement should be treated
conservatively or with closed reduction. Our study
revealed that 20 cases were treated by closed reduction,
which is consistent with the study by Kambalimath et
al.
15
In a similar study, Bradley et al.
20
treated 26
isolated ZMC fractures by closed reduction. This study
is also in accordance with our study. The most common
side involved in this study was the right side of the
cheek, which is similar to the results of the study done
by Menon et al.
14
Gomes et al.
21
showed that left side of
the face was most frequently involved in their study and
the reason that he concluded that most of the people are
right handed and mostly in danger side is left side of the
cheek thus, involving left side of ZMC. This study
contrasts with our study. In this study, the most
common site for one-plate fixation was the zygomatico-
maxillary buttress, which is consistent with a study by
Kim et al.
10
Kim found sufficient stability of the ZMC
fracture when one plate was used at the zygomatic
buttress area and verified this by a postoperative 3D CT
scan.
10
The overall complication rate was 20% with the
most common being infraorbital nerve paresthesia
(8.9%), followed by wound infection and mild diplopia.
These complications were transient and managed
conservatively. Dhabaria et al.
22
also revealed that
nerve paresthesia occurred in 10-20% of cases,
depending on the extent of injury and surgical
exposure. Our analysis also demonstrated a significant
dissatisfaction with closed reduction in managing ZMC
fractures. The findings of this study suggest several
important clinical implications. ORIF with multi-point
fixation should be the standard care for displaced and
comminuted ZMC fractures. Closed reduction should
be considered in minimally displaced fractures,
particularly in resource-limited settings, but with
caution due to the high risk of residual deformity.
Follow-up with clinical and radiographic evaluation is
essential for the timely detection of suboptimal healing
and esthetic compromise.
LIMITATIONS
This study is a retrospective, single-center study with a
lack of standardized outcome tools (patient-reported
esthetic and functional outcomes), limited follow-up
duration, and uncontrolled confounding variables.
Future studies may include prospective multicenter
trials, standardized outcome measurement tools,
extended long-term follow-up, 3D imaging, and
surgical navigation (3D virtual surgical planning,
intraoperative navigation), as well as patient-specific
implants in complex and comminuted ZMC fractures.
CONCLUSIONS
This study concluded that open reduction demonstrates
superior results in terms of healing, aesthetic
restoration, and complication rates compared to closed
reduction, particularly in displaced or comminuted
fractures. Closed reduction should be applied
judiciously in selective cases.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None
FUNDING SOURCES: None
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The Retrospective Comparison of Closed and Open Reduction