[Exenteration: a retrospective study].
OBJECTIVE
To review all cases of orbit exenteration performed at the Orbit Sector, Ophthalmology Department - Federal University of São Paulo, from 1998 to 2003.


METHODS
We reviewed conditions leading to orbital exenteration in 21 patients at the Orbit Sector of Unifesp-EPM from August 1998 to May 2003. Data regarding sex, age, race, primary lesion site, visual acuity at the moment of diagnosis, previous surgeries related to the exenteration, type of performed surgery, histopathologic diagnosis, postoperative complications and use of adjuvant treatment were collected.


RESULTS
21 patient charts were retrospectively analyzed. Ages ranged from 5 to 91 years (mean of 58.5 years). Of these, 12 were male and 9 were female, most of them Caucasian. All lesions that led to exenteration were malignant neoplasias; however, none were metastatic. Lesions originated from eyelids in twelve patients, from bulbar conjunctiva in six and from the orbit in three. Cases were also classified as squamous cell carcinoma (eleven cases), basal cell carcinoma (four cases), sebaceous gland carcinoma (two cases), rhabdomyosarcoma (two cases), mucoepidermoid carcinoma (one case) and adnexal microcistic carcinoma (one case). Visual acuity at the moment of diagnosis ranged from 20/40 to no light perception. Only six patients had been submitted to previous surgeries related to the exenteration. After surgery, three patients suffered graft necrosis, one presented ethmoidal sinus fistula to the orbit and one presented orbital socket shrinkage. Six patients needed postoperative radiotherapy and two had been previously submitted to chemotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Most patients analyzed in our study presented lesions that are usually small in the beginning; however, they can disseminate to the orbit in the absence of adequate treatment.
Atique-Tacla
Milena
M
Setor de Orbita, Departamento de Oftalmologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. milenatique@hotmail.com
Paves
Luis
L
Pereira
Max Domingues
MD
Manso
Paulo Gois
PG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017233:Orbit Evisceration / Q000009:adverse effects; D011184:Postoperative Period; D044469:Racial Groups; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014792:Visual Acuity