Endoscopic Endonasal Optic Nerve Decompression for Traumatic Optic Neuropathy: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Ophthalmology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery

Background:

• Traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) is an optic nerve injury causing vision loss.
• Endoscopic transsphenoidal optic nerve decompression (EOND) is a minimally invasive surgical approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the efficacy and safety of EOND for TON.
• To evaluate visual outcomes and complication rates associated with EOND in TON patients.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar (2014-2024).
• Inclusion of 16 studies analyzing EOND for TON.
• Analysis of visual recovery rates and postoperative complications.

Main Results:

• Mean visual recovery rate of 58.4% in TON patients treated with EOND.
• Postoperative complications occurred in 25% of studies, primarily cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks.
• EOND demonstrated advantages in invasiveness and visualization compared to traditional methods.

Conclusions:

• EOND is a safe and effective treatment for TON patients unresponsive to steroids.
• Further high-quality research and standardized protocols are needed to optimize EOND outcomes.
• Minimally invasive nature and improved visualization are key benefits of EOND.