Objective: To find out if giving steroids reduces postoperative swelling in orbital surgery.
Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind trial.
Setting: Regional unit, teaching hospital, UK.
Subjects and interventions: 20 patients who require orbital floor exploration after injuries. Patients were given methylprednisolone 250 mg (or placebo identically packaged) at induction of anaesthesia, with a further three doses at 6-hourly intervals postoperatively.
Main outcome measure: Differences in interpalpebral width before and after operation.
Results: Those given steroids (n=11) had a significantly increased interpalpebral width compared with placebo (n=9) postoperatively (P < 0.01, 95% confidence intervals of the difference = 1 mm-6 mm).
Conclusion: Short courses of steroids therapy should be considered in orbital surgery for appropriate patients. There is an advantage in being able to assess the globe postoperatively.