Orbital exenteration: indications, techniques and complications

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Orbital exenteration is defined as removal of all the orbital contents including the periorbita and eyelids. Although a disfiguring procedure, orbital exenteration can provide a cure in certain locally invasive tumors including basal and squamous cell carcinoma.

Areas covered: This review details the indications and surgical technique of orbital exenteration. This article also elaborates the surgical and non-surgical options for reconstruction and rehabilitation following orbital exenteration. A literature-search was conducted on terms orbital exenteration, indications, technique and reconstruction. All relevant peer-reviewed articles were analyzed.

Expert commentary: Orbital exenteration is a radical excision procedure indicated for tumors invading the orbit where a conservative excision is unlikely to achieve complete clearance. However, conservative excision options such as globe-sparing orbital excisions are increasingly being considered and outcomes of this continue to emerge in the literature. Continued improvements in managing periocular skin malignancies, including techniques of margin-controlled should continue to reduce the incidence of cases presenting with orbital invasion and hence the need for orbital exenteration.

KEYWORDS:

• Orbital exenteration
• indications
• surgical technique
• CSF leak
• cosmetic rehabilitation

Declaration of interests

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.