A Step Towards Individualized, Anatomy-Based Surgical Concepts for Orbital Decompression in Graves’ Orbitopathy

Abstract

The surgical armamentarium for orbital decompression in Graves’orbitopathy (GO) includes techniques for orbital wall resection using local incisions, but also techniques for orbital rim advancement or resection of the greater sphenoid wing, which require a coronal or even transcranial approach. Up to now the choice of technique rather depends on the surgeon`s preference than on objective criteria. The goal of our CT-based research project is to define morphological orbital parameters which potentially could influence the result of a given technique for orbital decompression in thyroid eye disease. Based on the results individualized, anatomy-based surgical concepts could be established.

KEYWORDS::

• Orbital decompression
• thyroid eye disease
• Graves’ orbitopathy

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This research project is supported by the AO Research Fund of the AO Foundation (AO Research Grant F-07-53H).

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.