[Health Tip] Son Heung-min's World Cup Participation Uncertain... What Is Orbital Fracture?

Facial bones are thin and fragile, prone to injury
Surgery usually performed within 2 weeks of occurrence
Avoid intense exercise and nose blowing during recovery period

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min (center) is being substituted in the 29th minute of the first half due to a facial injury during the 2022-2023 UEFA Champions League (UCL) Group D match against Olympique Marseille (France) held in Marseille, France, on the 1st (local time).
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] With just over two weeks remaining until the opening of the Qatar World Cup, the national soccer team has been put on alert as their star striker Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) suffered an injury, drawing increased attention to facial fractures.

According to local British media on the 6th, Son Heung-min's injury is described as a "Facial fracture." A facial fracture refers to a break in the bones of the face. Facial bones are thin and relatively weaker compared to other parts of the body, making them prone to injury. The face consists of 14 bones, and depending on the fracture location, they are classified into upper facial bones (frontal bone fracture), middle facial bones (nasal bone, cheekbone, maxilla, orbital fracture), and lower facial bones (mandible fracture).

Symptoms of facial fractures vary and include pain, swelling, deformity, enophthalmos, double vision, malocclusion, and bleeding. Diagnosis is usually made through CT scans and clinical symptoms. Early surgery is ideal, but the appropriate timing for primary treatment is generally within two weeks after swelling subsides or after associated injuries stabilize. Delaying treatment beyond two weeks may result in malunion, where the fractured bone fragments do not properly align.

CT scan of the left orbital floor and medial orbital wall fractures.
[Photo by Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital]

The orbital fracture, known as Son Heung-min's injury, is a type of facial fracture where the walls forming the orbit collapse, causing the orbital contents (muscles, fat, etc.) to herniate outside the orbit. CT scans reveal the fracture site, the extent of bone destruction, and the degree to which the orbital soft tissues have protruded through the fracture. Unlike other fractures, orbital fractures often involve blowout fractures in a plate-like form, requiring orbital wall reconstruction surgery to reposition the muscles and fat and to seal the hole with an artificial implant.

When an orbital fracture occurs, symptoms include tenderness or swelling around the orbit, subconjunctival hemorrhage, enophthalmos, restricted eye movement, and double vision. Particularly, if the muscles controlling eye movement become trapped between fractured bones causing limited eye movement, urgent surgery is indicated to release the muscle quickly. In cases of orbital injury, it is essential to check for eye damage, and ophthalmologic examination is necessary if damage is suspected. The stabilization period for the fracture is about six weeks, during which strenuous exercise, nose blowing, and physical pressure on the eyes should be avoided.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.