Evisceration and ocular tumors: What are the consequences?

PURPOSE: Evisceration can be performed for blind, painful eyes. This surgery can promote the dissemination of tumor cells within the orbit if an ocular tumor has been missed preoperatively. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of patients who were eviscerated for blind, painful eyes between 2009 and 2014 and who were referred after the surgery to the Institut Curie or the Rothschild Foundation in Paris. We included the patients with a histological diagnosis of ocular tumor or orbital recurrence. Cytogenetic analysis was performed whenever possible. RESULTS: Four patients turned out to have an ocular tumor after evisceration (two choroidal melanomas, a rhabdoid tumor and an adenocarcinoma of the retinal pigment epithelium); two had a history of prior ocular trauma. The tumors were diagnosed either on histological analysis of the intraocular contents (2 patients) or biopsy of orbital recurrence (2 patients). Prior to evisceration, fundus examination was not performed in 3 patients. One had preoperative imaging but no intraocular tumor was suspected. At the time of this study, 3 patients had had an orbital recurrence and died. We also found 2 patients who had an evisceration despite a past history of choroidal melanoma treated with proton beam therapy. CONCLUSION: We showed that evisceration of eyes with unsuspected ocular malignancies was associated with a poor prognosis due to orbital recurrence and metastasis. The evisceration specimen should therefore always be sent for histological analysis in order to perform prompt adjuvant orbital radiotherapy if an ocular tumor is found.

Usefulness of colour Doppler flow imaging in the management of lacrimal gland lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of colour Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) in the diagnosis and management of lacrimal fossa lesions. METHODS: Institutional ethical committee approval was obtained. Fifty-one patients with 62 lacrimal fossa lesions were retrospectively included from 2003-2015. All patients underwent conventional ultrasonography and CDFI, with a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the vascularization. All patients had lacrimal gland surgery. Definitive diagnosis was based on pathological examination. RESULTS: The study included 47 non-epithelial lesions (NEL) and 15 epithelial lesions (EL), with 24 (39 %) malignant lesions and 38 (61 %) benign lesions. NEL were significantly more likely to present with septa (p < 0.001), hypoechogenicity (p < 0.001), high vascular intensity (p < 0.001), both central and peripheral vascularization (p < 0.001), tree-shape vascularization (p < 0.05) and a low resistance index (RI) (p < 0.0001). EL were significantly more likely to present with the presence of cysts (p < 0.001), and a higher RI. Receiver operating characteristic curves identified a RI value of 0.72 as the best cut-off to differentiate NEL from EL, with a sensitivity and specificity of 100 %. CONCLUSION: CDFI is a valuable tool in the differential diagnosis of lacrimal fossa lesions. Resistance index measurement enables substantial distinction between EL and NEL, thus providing crucial data for surgical management. KEY POINTS: • CDFI is a valuable tool in lacrimal fossa lesions. • Resistance Index measurement enables substantial distinction between epithelial and non-epithelial lesions. • Management of patients becomes more appropriate.

[Aneurysmal bone cyst: A rare cause of orbital disease]. / Kyste anévrysmal osseux : une atteinte exceptionnelle au niveau orbitaire.

Aneurysmal bone cyst is a rare benign bone neoplasm of unknown cause. The most commonly affected anatomical sites are the vertebral column and long bones. We report two uncommon cases of primary orbital aneurysmal bone cyst presenting as an acute orbital compartment syndrome due to subperiosteal hemorrhage. Case 1 is a 45-year-old woman. Imaging studies revealed a small cystic frontal bone tumour associated with a subperiosteal hematoma. The patient achieved full visual recovery after drainage of the hematoma, with no recurrence after treatment. Case 2 is a 74-year-old woman whose visual acuity was light perception due to severe papilledema. Imaging studies of the orbit revealed a large cystic frontal bone tumor associated with a subperiosteal hematoma causing globe and optic nerve compression. Preoperative arteriography showed a moderate vascular blush. Drainage of the hematoma was performed. A local recurrence with hematoma formation occurred two years after the surgery.

[Upper eyelid reconstruction with the Cutler-Beard flap technique: Retrospective study of 16 cases]. / Reconstruction palpébrale supérieure par la méthode de Cutler-Beard : évaluation rétrospective de 16 cas.

OBJECTIVES: Large, full thickness upper eyelid defects are still difficult to deal with in oculoplastic surgery. High specificity in the anatomy and function of the upper eyelid shows how difficult reconstruction can be. We aimed to assess the results provided by the Cutler-Beard flap technique. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of all patients who had undergone Cutler-Beard flap reconstruction in the Oculoplastic service of La Fondation Rothschild in Paris, from January 2008 to June 2013. Sixteen patients were included. RESULTS: Fifteen flaps remained viable during the follow-up examinations. Opening, occlusion and palpebral position were very satisfactory in 11, 12 and 11 cases respectively. The ocular surface was preserved in 8 cases and exhibited only mild alterations in 5 cases. The average aesthetic result was noted 2/3 for 11 patients with postoperative photographs. We did not observe any relapses with oncologic indications. CONCLUSIONS: Upper eyelid reconstruction by the Cutler-Beard flap technique appears to provide good functional and aesthetic restoration in the majority of cases. In the others, a simple additional surgery under local anaesthetic and/or sedation provides adequate correction in most instances.

[Management of orbital cavernous hemangioma - evaluation of surgical approaches: report of 43 cases]. / Prise en charge des hémangiomes caverneux orbitaires - évaluation des voies d'abord chirurgicales: à propos de 43 cas.

Cavernous hemangioma is the most frequent benign orbital tumor in adults. The purpose of this study was to examine its clinical features, to define surgical indications, and to determine the roles of the various surgical approaches praticed in ophthalmology: transconjunctival (increasingly utilized), anterior transcutaneous, and lateral orbitotomy. The records of all patients treated for orbital cavernous hemangioma (OCH) since 2004 at the Fondation Rothschild (Paris, France) were retrospectively reviewed. Forty-three patients were treated for orbital cavernous hemangioma. Fifty-eight percent were women, mean age 50.2; 79 % of the tumors were intraconal. Among those patients, 36 underwent surgical removal, 5 were followed periodically, and 2 were lost to follow-up. The main surgical indications were: optic nerve compression (26 patients), proptosis (24 patients) and diplopia (3 patients). Transconjunctival, anterior transcutaneous and Kronlein approaches were used in 16, 12 and 4 patients respectively. Four patients had intrapalpebral hemangiomas easily reached transcutaneously. Two patients demonstrated transient partial 3rd nerve palsy (one with the lateral orbitotomy approach and one with the transconjunctival approach), one patient with the lateral orbitotomy approach developed a palsy of the superior branch of the 3rd nerve, and one patient with the transcutaneous anterior approach developed mydriasis. Surgical excision of OCH's is required in the presence of clinical complications. The transconjunctival approach is a safe technique which can lead to complete resection of the tumor in most cases.

[Evaluation of reconstructive techniques after orbital exenteration in 56 cases]. / Évaluation des techniques de reconstruction après exentération orbitaire. À propos de 56 cas.

PURPOSE: To describe the management of orbital exenterations and the surgical techniques for the reconstruction of orbital exenteration cavities. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study includes 56 patients who underwent orbital exenteration between 2000 and 2009. Patients' age at the time of exenteration, diagnoses, complications and reconstructive techniques were studied. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients - 31 male and 25 female patients - who underwent orbital exenteration between 2000 to 2009 were included in the study. The mean age was 62.5 years at the time of exenteration. Average follow-up was 23 months. The principal diagnoses were basal cell carcinoma of the eyelids (25%) and conjunctival melanoma (20%). For orbital reconstruction, 18 patients (32%) had a muscle flap, and 24 patients (43%) underwent secondary reconstruction by bone-anchored implants after spontaneous epithelialisation of the orbit. Approximately 50% of the patients received postoperative radiation therapy. DISCUSSION: Surgical reconstruction using muscle flaps may mask recurrent tumor. Epithelialisation and bone-anchored implants supporting the prosthesis allow for recurrent cancer surveillance while providing better stabilization of the prosthesis. Radiation therapy seems to render the orbit more fragile and thus less stable for implants. CONCLUSION: Orbital exenteration is a mutilating technique. Rehabilitation techniques have been improved, in particular the bone-anchored implants which allow adaptation of the prosthesis with satisfactory cosmetic results.

[Intraorbital pressure measured before, during, and after surgical decompression in Graves' orbitopathy]. / Mesure de la pression intraorbitaire avant, pendant et après décompression orbitaire osseuse dans l'orbitopathie dysthyroïdienne.

PURPOSE: In Graves' orbitopathy, the volumetric increase of the oculomotor muscles and orbital fat leads to exophthalmia and a rise in orbital pressure. This rise in pressure may be implicated in the appearance of a compressive optic neuropathy. To investigate this increase in pressure and its variations accompanying surgical decompression, systematic measurements were taken before, during, and after every case of orbital decompression in Graves' disease. RESULTS: The intraorbital pressure before the surgical procedure was 14.05 mmHg ± 9.19 for a normal value estimated in the literature at 4 mmHg ± 1.5 (statistically significant difference, P<0.0001). In the group presenting a compressive optic neuropathy (NO), the preoperative pressure was 26.8 mmHg ± 7.85 versus 9.8 mmHg ± 4.2 in the group without NO: the pressure was significantly higher in the group with NO (P<0.001). After orbital decompression (one to three walls depending on the severity of the exophthalmia), the pressure was measured at 4.3 mmHg ± 2.53 for the entire series: 6.4 mmHg ± 2.07 in the group with NO versus 3.6 mmHg ± 2.32 in the group without NO (significant difference, P<0.05). The total decrease in pressure induced by the surgery was 9.75 mmHg ± 7.55 and was significantly greater for the group with NO: reduction of 20.4 mmHg versus 6.2 mmHg for the group without NO (P<0.001). The reduction in pressure was greater after collapse of the first wall (floor) than after collapse of following walls for all groups (P<0.001). The maximum pressure observed during the intervention (caused by the instruments) was measured at 78.3 mmHg ± 23.47 without pupillary changes. DISCUSSION: This study shows that the intraorbital pressure is increased in Graves' orbitopathy and more in serious forms with compressive optic neuropathy. Orbital decompression, as its name indicates, provides decompression and a return to a near-normal orbital pressure situation. Compressive optic neuropathy does not result only from the direct compression of the oculomotor muscles on the optic nerve, but also from an overall rise in the pressure level within the orbital cavity. CONCLUSION: Intraorbital pressure is increased in Graves' orbitopathy, participating in the appearance of compressive optic neuropathy. Orbital decompression provides a significant reduction in intraorbital pressure.

[Compressive optic neuropathy related to an anterior clinoid mucocele]. / Neuropathie optique compressive liée à une mucocèle de l'apophyse clinoïde antérieure.

Nasal sinus mucoceles are an uncommon cause of painful optic neuropathy. We report the case of a patient presenting an acute compressive optic neuropathy related to an anterior clinoid mucocele. The diagnosis was mainly made with CT and MRI, and the patient was treated with endoscopic endonasal transseptal surgery 10 days after the beginning of the disorder. Visual recovery was complete 3 days later. We review the literature on the etiologies of this type of pathology, the work-up, and the possible treatments.

[Diagnosis and therapeutic management of an intraorbital organic foreign body]. / Diagnostic et prise en charge des corps étrangers végétaux intra-orbitaires.

INTRODUCTION: Orbital organic foreign bodies are rare and can present different clinical features. The objective of this report is to show the danger of this type of foreign body, present the imaging data, and suggest a diagnostic approach and therapeutic management. We describe three cases of orbital organic foreign bodies with three different clinical presentations. CASE REPORTS: The first case was a 43-year-old male complaining of a chronic cutaneous fistula of the inferior right eyelid lasting 4 months after an orbital trauma with a wooden object. Two surgeries were necessary to extract the foreign bodies. In the second case, a 37-year-old female with post-traumatic ptosis after a bicycle accident several months before, the imaging exams revealed a fracture of the left orbital ceiling and a superior extraconical foreign body that was removed by a neurosurgery approach. The third case, a 69-year-old male with a right orbit abscess following a trauma with a tree branch had a persistent right orbit inflammation lasting 4 months despite two drainage surgeries and an extraction of an orbital organic foreign body. A third surgery was necessary to completely extract the foreign bodies. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Detecting an orbital organic foreign body is sometimes difficult, especially when the clinical history is unclear, the ophthalmologic exam reveals no abnormalities, or if the patient is referred to the hospital several months after the traumatic event. Orbital organic foreign bodies can lead to potentially serious orbital or intracranial complications. Computed tomography and orbital ultrasound sometimes do not yield an evocative pattern: for instance, in computed tomography, the low density of wood can be misdiagnosed as air. On the other hand, these foreign bodies can persist in the orbit after several surgical explorations because they can easily break or migrate. Magnetic resonance imaging is useful when an orbital organic foreign body is suspected, but the analysis is easier when clinical data are suggestive.

[Surgical treatment of diffuse adult orbital lymphangioma: two case studies]. / Traitement chirurgical des lymphangiomes orbitaires diffus de l'adulte: à propos de deux cas.

PURPOSE: Orbital lymphangioma is a rare vascular malformation; it is a benign but severe anomaly because of its infiltrative, diffuse, and hemorrhagic nature, and its high morbidity rate. Surgical resection is a real challenge on account of the intricate architecture of the lesion. The authors report their surgical experience concerning two cases of diffuse orbital lymphangioma whose diagnosis was established in adulthood and whose surgical treatment was successful. CASE REPORTS: Two patients presented with adult orbital lymphangioma. Progression was slow during the first decade and then was quickly followed by complications: major exorbitism, compressive optic neuropathy, and corneal exposure. Neuroimaging showed a diffuse and cystic orbital malformation. Surgical resection was performed as completely as possible, in one case with a Krönlein orbitotomy and in the other case only via a conjunctive route. An aspirate drain was put in the orbit for 48 h so as to prevent dead spaces forming after resection, an essential risk factor of hemorrhagic or cystic recurrence. Systemic corticotherapy was administered for the 5 days following surgery. The resection was total in one case and subtotal in the other. The surgical follow-up was uneventful with an excellent aesthetic result and an improvement in visual acuity. After 12 months, no tumoral or hemorrhagic recurrence was noted. DISCUSSION: The surgical treatment of orbital lymphangiomas is challenging because of their infiltrative nature. In diffuse forms, a complete resection is rarely possible because of the risk of sacrificing visual function. In the two cases reported herein, the resection of the extraconal portion was complete, but the intraconal portion was completely removed only in one case. Using the aspirate drain, negative pressure was maintained in the orbital cavity, preventing the formation of chocolate cysts induced by surgery. Although the clinical result was very satisfying, long-term follow-up is necessary to evaluate recurrence. CONCLUSION: Diffuse orbital lymphangiomas can be treated successfully with a subtotal resection without clinical recurrence in the short term. These results are promising because they demonstrate that many orbital lymphangiomas can benefit from surgical treatment with an excellent esthetic and functional result.

High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the upper eyelid: correlation with the position of the skin crease in the upper eyelid.

PURPOSE: The position and appearance of the upper eyelid crease is one of the challenges in eyelid surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical appearance of the upper eyelid crease with its anatomy, including the position of the levator, the septum, and the orbital fat as determined by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oculoplastic examination was performed in normal volunteers of the same age with different appearances of the upper eyelid. MRI (Intera 1.5 T, Philips, the Netherlands) was carried out with both head and surface coils in all volunteers. Subjects were asked to keep their eyes closed during the whole procedure, thus reducing artefacts due to eyeball movements. The protocol lasted 8 minutes and included a multiplanar scout to obtain T1-weighted 3D-images. Thin sagittal T2 sequences were obtained along the plane of the optic nerve and focused on both orbits, allowing a precise analysis of the orbital content and eyelid anatomy. RESULTS: Six volunteers were included in this prospective study, three of Caucasian origin and three of North African, Central African and Asian origin, respectively. We distinguished two appearances of the crease: in some cases, the superior eyelid sulcus was convex, while in other cases it was concave. The superior eyelid fold was either high or low. Two Caucasian subjects had a deep, concave superior eyelid sulcus with a high crease. This crease appearance was correlated with a short concave appearance of the septum, which pulled back the pre-aponeurotic fat. The non-Caucasian volunteers all had a convex superior eyelid sulcus. The orbital septum insertion was low on the levator aponeurosis, and the orbital fat pad drooped onto the levator muscle, accounting for the convexity of the upper eyelid sulcus. A skin fold was formed by redundant skin over the crease. CONCLUSIONS: MRI provides excellent images and allows a good analysis of the upper eyelid components. It permits a detailed analysis of the architecture for a better understanding of its appearance and of the crease position, although further investigation with a larger number of volunteers is required.