A new surgical technique for excision of orbital cavernous hemangioma: a 15-year experience

To present a new surgical technique for excision of orbital cavernous hemangiomas (CHs).

This retrospective case series study included patients with orbital CH who were operated from 2001 to 2016 at our referral center. Epidemiologic data, symptoms, signs, and images were reviewed from patients' files with at least one year of follow-up. Surgical results and complications were documented. We used the "index finger dissection" technique without grasping the tumor for release of adhesions and its removal.

We included 60 patients with orbital CH consisting of 36 (60%) female and 24 (40%) male patients with mean age of 40 ± 12.1 (range 9-66) years. The main complaint was proptosis with average size of 5.3 ± 2 millimeters. The surgical approach was lateral orbitotomy in 49 (81.7%) patients, medial transcutaneous in seven (11.7%) patients, inferior transconjunctival in three (5%) patients, and simultaneous lateral and medial orbitotomy in one (1.6%) patient. All tumors were removed intact; complications included ptosis in one subject, lower lid retraction in one case, and diplopia in two patients, all of which improved before 2 months. No optic nerve damage occurred.

The "index finger dissection" technique without grasping the tumor for excision of orbital CH, via any external approach to the tumor, is a safe technique with minimal complications.