Treatment of exophthalmos and strabismus surgery in thyroid-associated orbitopathy

Endocrine orbitopathy (EO) can have important consequences, such as exophthalmos and restrictive strabismus. A retrospective study was performed of 35 patients with EO who underwent orbital decompression surgery and restrictive strabismus correction. Two surgical techniques for orbital decompression were analyzed: fat decompression by Olivari technique and three-wall bony expansion with fat decompression. Strabismus surgery was performed using adjustable or nonadjustable sutures under topical anaesthesia. Patients were divided into two groups according to the type of intra-orbital decompression performed, and the postoperative values resulting from the different fat decompression techniques were recorded. The preoperative and postoperative mean degrees of exophthalmos were 22.3 and 19.9 mm, respectively, for the fat decompression group, and 24.3 and 19.8 mm, respectively, for the bony expansion with transpalpebral fat decompression (combined form) group. The difference in residual prism dioptres between adjustable and non-adjustable suture techniques in patients who had previously undergone combined decompression was statistically significant. The management of patients with EO requires a multidisciplinary approach based on the collaboration of maxillofacial surgeons, ophthalmologists, and orthoptists. These results will allow the development of a more adequate strategy for the surgical treatment of restrictive strabismus in EO patients.