Transantral orbital decompression for Graves' disease

Seventy-five patients with Graves' disease have been treated by transantral orbital decompression. In the first post-operative month the average reduction in proptosis was 3 mm. In the years following the operation this reduction increased to an average of 4.5 mm. In 32% of the patients without diplopia before surgery, the diplopia that developed afterwards did not disappear, 83% of them were successfully treated by extraocular muscle surgery. Seventy per cent of the patients experienced immediate post-operative improvement of visual acuity. Only three patients remained with anaesthesia of the infra-orbital nerve. A total of 65% of the patients found the operation procedure beneficial while 76% were satisfied with the ophthalmological result. We conclude, that transantral orbital decompression, though with moderate morbidity, gives good results in patients with the orbital complications of Graves' disease.