A proposal for a clinical guideline designed for a diagnosis of the blowout fracture

A clinical guideline is a document with the aim of guiding decisions and criteria regarding diagnosis, management, and treatment. New guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of blowout fractures have been developed under the direction of the Japan Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. In this issue clinical diagnosis is indicated. The work for creating guidelines and its problems are discussed. In the plastic surgery field, little high-quality RCT evidence is available to address the clinical questions. This usually necessitates further searches for lower levels of evidence; then, through a process of informal consensus, narrative reviews are undertaken led by the relevant expert. As this guideline contains several problems, it should be revised to be more practical with better evidence.