Endoscopic orbital decompression for dyscosmetic thyroid eye disease.
OBJECTIVE
To document the results of endoscopic orbital decompression performed in a group of patients with thyroid eye disease in order to improve cosmesis.


METHODS
A retrospective case review was performed of all patients who had undergone endoscopic orbital decompression for cosmesis in our departments during the period January 1996 to September 2002. A postal questionnaire was sent to all patients who had undergone the operation, in order to assess patient satisfaction.


RESULTS
Twenty orbits of 15 patients underwent endoscopic decompression. For all orbits, the reduction in proptosis was 3.7+/-2.2 mm (mean+/-standard deviation; t = 6.5, p = 0.001). For 16 of the endoscopic decompressions (89 per cent), patients reported that they were satisfied with the appearance of their eye post-operatively, and all patients reported a reduction in eye prominence post-operatively.


CONCLUSIONS
Endoscopic decompression is an effective procedure for improving cosmesis in patients with inactive thyroid eye disease.
Malik
R
R
Department of Otolaryngology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, UK.
Cormack
G
G
MacEwen
C
C
White
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005094:Exophthalmos / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D019066:Facies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009915:Orbit / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000150:complications