title: Three-wall orbital decompression in Graves ophthalmopathy for improvement of vision.
abstract: Graves ophthalmopathy can result in progressive visual loss. Four patients with deteriorating vision despite steroid therapy and/or radiotherapy underwent three-wall orbital decompression through an extended subciliary incision for the preservation of vision. The authors evaluated the visual outcome and morbidity after three-wall orbital decompression for patients with Graves ophthalmopathy. Visual acuity improved for all patients without any major complications in the short-term postoperative period (4 weeks), and visual acuity maintained or improved during the follow-up period. The authors conclude that three-wall orbital decompression can be effective in improving the vision of patients with Graves ophthalmopathy whose vision failed to improve with conservative therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, San Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. tjlee@amc.seoul.kr
authors.forename: Taik Jong
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Min Hyuk
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Joon Pio
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005094:Exophthalmos / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009915:Orbit / Q000601:surgery*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000601:surgery*; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000601:surgery; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology