Ophthalmic surgery in malignant exophthalmos.

Malignant exophthalmos or the ophthalmic component of Graves' disease is a functionally impairing and cosmetically deforming disorder of orbital tissue, separate from the sympathetic effects of thyrotoxicosis. The deposition of immune complexes of thyroglobulin and its antibodies within orbital muscles results in progressive exophthalmos, ophthalmoplegia, chemosis, and lid fullness. Increasing intraorbital edema and optic nerve tension may produce irreversible retinal ischemia. If unresponsive to medical treatment, patients exhibiting increasing loss of visual acuity are therefore candidates for emergency surgery. Early attempts at surgical correction of the mechanical aspect of Graves' ophthalmopathy were unsuccessful. The current technique of transantral orbital decompression, when done before extreme advancement of the ocular disease, is successful and meets the following objectives: It restores visual loss and prevents further deterioration of visual acuity, protects the cornea, restores extraocular muscle movements, decreases intraorbital pressure, produces a satisfactory cosmetic result, and avoids serious complications. Patients with persistent extraocular muscle imbalance or lid lag may ultimately require oculoplastic surgery.