[Traumatic optic nerve neuropathy. Longterm results following microsurgical optic nerve decompression]

Traumatic optic nerve neuropathy (TON) is defined as injury to the optic nerve with subsequent vision loss due to head or craniocerebral trauma. The treatment of this disease is the subject of controversial discussions. The purpose of the present study was to investigate pre- and immediate postoperative visual acuity in patients with unilateral TON and to compare the results with the time interval between trauma and surgical intervention.

A total of 20 patients with unilateral TON and considerable vision loss were examined. All were treated with high dose corticoids and underwent microsurgical optic nerve decompression. Visual acuity was determined pre- and postoperatively. In long-term follow-up visual acuity was determined 3 months postoperatively.

Postoperatively, nine patients (45%) achieved an improvement in visual acuity of more than 0.4, and another three patients (15%) an improvement of ≥0.2. At 3 months postoperatively another four patients achieved a further improvement of their visual acuity of >0.2. A decrease in visual acuity was not observed in any case, nor were major surgical complications.

Factors which predict good prognosis for vision recovery include a short time interval between trauma and intervention, edema, and/or hematoma of the optic nerve sheath. Factors which predict a worse prognosis are a fracture line directly through the nerve canal, a time period between trauma and intervention of more than 24 h, and initial complete amaurosis.