Surgical treatment of the cancer of the optic nerve and orbit. An historical overview

Abstract

Introduction: Aim of the present study is to present an historical overview of the surgical techniques introduced for the treatment of the cancer of the optic nerve and orbit.

Methods: From the late 19th and early twentieth century there were introduced many novel surgical techniques for the treatment of the cancer of the optic nerve and orbit. The majority of these techniques concerned for the cure of orbital malignance, while optic nerve cancer many times was treated by enucleation of the eyeball.

Results: Except of the extraction of the malignant tumors the surgeons of the time tried to present the best aesthetic result, fact which points the progress of the surgery those years.

Conclusions: Many of the techniques introduced those years are still in use.

Keywords:

• Optic nerve cancer
• orbital cancer
• enucleation
• exenteration
• surgical innovation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.