title: Endoscopic transconjunctival surgical approach to intraconal space of the orbit: first clinical experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recently, a transconjunctival, endoscope-assisted (TEA) approach to the medial intra-orbital space was developed based on cadaver preparations, with an ultimate goal of minimizing disturbances of the anatomic structures of the orbit. However, no report on clinical validation of this promising technique was published thus far. We present our experiences with the TEA approach in two patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In emergency conditions, we approached the lateral retrobulbar space of a 42-year-old male through a 180° incision close to the corneal limbus; a scrap of metal, which had perforated the globe and resided at its posterior wall, was removed endoscopically. Moreover, we used the TEA approach to remove a tumor from the upper intraconal space in a 63-year-old woman.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both patients the surgical goal was achieved with no muscle transection and without additional morbidity and complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our experiences with TEA approach suggest that the procedure is clinically feasible, produces no co-morbidity and yields good functional and cosmetic results. As a result, the whole circumference of the retrobulbar space can be conveniently explored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. Electronic address: lyson_t@vp.pl.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lyson
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. Electronic address: sieska@interia.pl.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sieskiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. Electronic address: erogowski@onet.eu.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rogowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. Electronic address: ewaproniewska@wp.pl.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Proniewska-Skretek
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. Electronic address: mariakzo@umb.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Zofia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mariak
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. Electronic address: turek.grz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Turek
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. Electronic address: zmariak@umb.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Zenon
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mariak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000601:surgery*; D015807:Eye Injuries, Penetrating / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044583:Neuroendoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D038361:Neuronavigation / Q000379:methods; D009915:Orbit / Q000601:surgery*; D009918:Orbital Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Endoscopy; Intra-orbital pathology; Orbit; Surgical approach; Transconjunctival approach