title: Optic nerve biopsy via a medial transconjunctival orbitotomy approach in the diagnosis of optic nerve and sheath tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of optic nerve biopsy in the diagnosis and management of optic nerve and sheath tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven patients with progressive optic nerve and sheath tumors for whom treatment was deemed necessary were included in this study. Optic nerve biopsy via a medial transconjunctival orbitotomy approach was performed in all patients
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no complications related to the surgical procedure. Histopathological examination revealed that five patients had juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA) and two patients had optic nerve sheath meningioma (ONSM). All patients received external beam radiotherapy (EBRT).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many other benign and malignant optic nerve and sheath tumors have imaging features similar to those seen in JPA and ONSM. Therefore, it is important to establish histopathologic diagnosis before embarking on treatment. Furthermore, tissue diagnosis is required prior to EBRT in many institutions because of concerns about medicolegal liability. Optic nerve biopsy via a transconjunctival orbitotomy procedure in seven patients yielded histopathologic confirmation of the existing pathology and was not associated with any complications in this series.
authors.affiliation: Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. eyemd@ada.net.tr
authors.forename: Kaan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gündüz
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Catak
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erden
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008579:Meningioma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018317:Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D019574:Optic Nerve Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009915:Orbit / Q000601:surgery; D012494:Sampling Studies