Orbital Fractures and Traumatic Brain Injury: Mapping the Craniofacial Trauma Research Landscape

Orbital fractures and traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently coexist after high-energy craniofacial trauma, but the literature connecting these injuries has not been comprehensively mapped. The authors performed a bibliometric analysis of the Web of Science Core Collection using a sensitivity-focused search combining orbital, midfacial, facial, and craniofacial fracture or trauma terms with TBI and intracranial injury terminology. Records spanning 1969 to 2026 were analyzed in Microsoft Excel and VOSviewer for publication trends, research categories, geography, institutions, authorship, citation impact, coauthorship, and keyword patterns. The search yielded 958 publications. Output remained limited until the early 21st century and increased more consistently after 2004, with notable recent peaks in 2021 and 2025. The United States led publication output (n=405), followed by India (n=71) and England (n=67). Surgery was the dominant Web of Science category, followed by Dentistry, Oral Surgery and Medicine and Clinical Neurology. Granick MS and Hoppe IC each contributed 13 publications, and Lee ES contributed 12. Keyword mapping emphasized management, trauma, facial fractures, and computed tomography. Much of the influential literature addresses orbital fracture and TBI within broader facial trauma or polytrauma rather than as a primary research question. Future studies should directly examine fracture pattern, intracranial injury, imaging, timing of reconstruction, and combined neurological and visual outcomes.