title: Decompression of the optic nerve sheath for vision-threatening papilledema caused by dural sinus occlusion.
abstract: Obstruction of the dural sinuses produces a clinical syndrome that resembles pseudotumor cerebri. In these patients, unremitting papilledema can cause blindness. We performed decompression of the optic nerve sheath in four patients who had occlusion of the dural sinuses. The operation achieved rapid relief of papilledema and recovery of vision. In three patients, fenestration of the nerve sheath of only one eye resulted in resolution of papilledema in both eyes. The procedure appears to relieve papilledema by filtering small quantities of cerebrospinal fluid into the orbit. It did not lower cerebrospinal fluid pressure in three patients who underwent lumbar puncture after surgery. Optic nerve sheath decompression is an effective operation for salvage of vision in patients with obstruction of the dural sinuses.
authors.affiliation: Neuro-Ophthalmology Unit, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Horton
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Seiff
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Pitts
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Weinstein
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rosenblum
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Hoyt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D015170:Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D003392:Cranial Sinuses / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D010211:Papilledema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011559:Pseudotumor Cerebri / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology