RESUMEN
OBJETIVO: Avaliar as características clínicas e epidemiológicas de pacientes submetidos à exenteração da órbita. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados retrospectivamente os prontuários de 21 pacientes submetidos à exenteração entre agosto de 1998 e maio de 2003. Foram avaliados dados referentes a idade, sexo, raça, local de origem da lesão, acuidade visual pré-operatória, tempo de evolução da doença, cirurgias prévias, complicações pós-operatórias, diagnóstico histopatológico e uso de tratamento adjuvante antes e/ou após a cirurgia. RESULTADOS: A idade média dos pacientes (12 homens e 9 mulheres) foi de 58,5 anos, sendo a maioria caucasianos. Todos os pacientes apresentavam neoplasias malignas primárias, sendo 12 de origem palpebral, 6 conjuntivais e 3 orbitárias. O carcinoma espinocelular foi a doença mais freqüente (52,4 por cento). Dos 21 pacientes, 28,57 por cento foram submetidos à cirurgia prévia relacionada à lesão que levou à exenteração. CONCLUSÃO: A maioria dos pacientes analisados apresentava tumores que geralmente se iniciam como lesões pequenas, mas que podem se disseminar para a cavidade orbitária na ausência de tratamento adequado.
PURPOSE: To review all cases of orbit exenteration performed at the Orbit Sector, Ophthalmology Department - Federal University of São Paulo, from 1998 to 2003. METHODS: We reviewed conditions leading to orbital exenteration in 21 patients at the Orbit Sector of Unifesp-EPM from August 1998 to May 2003. Data regarding sex, age, race, primary lesion site, visual acuity at the moment of diagnosis, previous surgeries related to the exenteration, type of performed surgery, histopathologic diagnosis, postoperative complications and use of adjuvant treatment were collected. RESULTS: 21 patient charts were retrospectively analyzed. Ages ranged from 5 to 91 years (mean of 58.5 years). Of these, 12 were male and 9 were female, most of them Caucasian. All lesions that led to exenteration were malignant neoplasias; however, none were metastatic. Lesions originated from eyelids in twelve patients, from bulbar conjunctiva in six and from the orbit in three. Cases were also classified as squamous cell carcinoma (eleven cases), basal cell carcinoma (four cases), sebaceous gland carcinoma (two cases), rhabdomyosarcoma (two cases), mucoepidermoid carcinoma (one case) and adnexal microcistic carcinoma (one case). Visual acuity at the moment of diagnosis ranged from 20/40 to no light perception. Only six patients had been submitted to previous surgeries related to the exenteration. After surgery, three patients suffered graft necrosis, one presented ethmoidal sinus fistula to the orbit and one presented orbital socket shrinkage. Six patients needed postoperative radiotherapy and two had been previously submitted to chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Most patients analyzed in our study presented lesions that are usually small in the beginning; however, they can disseminate to the orbit in the absence of adequate treatment.