Orbital dissection defatting technique for Graves disease

Five patients with Graves disease and bilateral proptosis were treated with different incisional approaches. They all underwent orbital decompression by removal of the anterior medial orbital walls, the anterior ethmoidal sinuses, the orbital floors, and multiple incisions of the orbital periosteums . The defatting technique, which consists of applying manual anterior orbital pressure with alternate removing of small lobules of fat, was added when it was intraoperatively decided by Hertel exophthalmometer measurement that more decompression was needed. It is estimated that one-third more reduction in proptosis resulted. An average total decrease in proptosis of 9 mm per orbit occurred. Both visual accuities and visual fields returned to normal. The only important complication was the development of hypertropia in down gaze in one patient. A potential value of this technique is its use with orbital floor decompression alone. It may be possible to avoid removing the medial and lateral walls of the orbit, thereby decreasing complications. Defatting may also be a valuable addition in those rare cases where all decompression techniques available are needed to affect an adequate decompression.