Article
Endonasal microsurgical decompression of the optic nerve in posttraumatic blindness
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Published: | August 8, 2007 |
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Introduction: Midfacial and skull base fractures, especially if the fracture line is running through the orbital cone or the sphenoid bone, can cause a compression of the optic nerve and thus result in amblyopia or blindness of the affected eye. Indications and success of surgical decompression of the optic nerve in such cases are under ongoing discussion.
Case report: We report a case of acute blindness of the right eye due to traumatic narrowing of the optic nerve canal caused by a fracture of the lateral orbital wall in a 17-year-old male patient. An endonasal microsurgical optic nerve decompression was undertaken flanked by high dose short time steroid therapy. Vision improved increasingly postoperatively. One year after therapy a vision of 0.5 was measured.
Conclusion: Although proof of superiority of optiv nerve decompression to conservative treatment is missing, cases like this one let us hang on to the therapy concept of combined surgical/conservative treatment of traumatic optic nerve compression.