title: Exoresection and endoresection for uveal melanoma.
abstract: Surgical resection of uveal melanomas is an alternative eye-salvaging approach to the more commonly used irradiation techniques. There are two surgical resection techniques: Transscleral resection or "Exoresection" via a partial lamellar sclerouvectomy and "Endoresection" via a pars plana vitrectomy. While exoresection is more applicable to anteriorly located tumors with ciliary body and/or iris involvement, endoresection is more suitable for posteriorly located tumor without ciliary body involvement. Both approaches are suitable for large tumors with >8 mm in thickness. In general, eyes containing these large tumors have a very dismal prognosis regarding long-term visual function, eye retention, and irradiation-induced side effects. By removing the tumor burden from the eye, histopathologic and cytogenetic information of the tumor is available and complications associated with the so-called toxic tumor syndrome are avoided. However, both types of surgical resection are challenging surgical procedures, bearing the risk of early and late postoperative complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kaan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gündüz
authors.forename: Nikolaos E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Bechrakis