Clinical characteristics of visual function, retinal ganglion cells, and nerve fiber layer in patients with adult craniopharyngioma.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between visual function, optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters, and optic nerve bending before and after tumor resection in adult patients with craniopharyngioma.

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective observational study.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 22 eyes of 11 adult patients with craniopharyngioma who underwent tumor resection surgery. We assessed the preoperative and 1-month postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), simple visual field impairment score (SVFIS) for visual field evaluation, 6-segmented macular ganglion cell layer (GCL) + inner plexiform layer (IPL) and 4-segmented circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) thickness, and optic nerve-canal bending angle (ONCBA).

RESULTS

Bilateral hemianopia was observed in 10 patients (91%), whilst homonymous hemianopia was observed in 1 patient (9%). The BCVA and SVFIS scores improved significantly postoperatively (both P <.001), and eyes with optic nerve bending had significantly worse preoperative BCVA and SVFIS (both P <.001), and the ONCBA was significantly correlated with preoperative BCVA, SVFIS, and GCL+IPL thickness in all areas. OCT detected superior nasal GCL+IPL thinning in 10 eyes (45%) and superior cpRNFL thinning in 2 eyes (9%).

CONCLUSION

In adult patients with craniopharyngioma, GCL+IPL and cpRNFL thicknesses were associated with postoperative visual function recovery. The ONCBA was associated with preoperative visual dysfunction. ONCBA, GCL+IPL, and RNFL thicknesses may be useful for monitoring visual function in adult craniopharyngiomas preoperatively and postoperatively.