Article
Decision making and indications for a surgical approach in patients with thyroid ophthalmopathy: when eyelid surgery, when decompression surgery, when extraocular muscle surgery?
Search Medline for
Authors
Published: | September 22, 2004 |
---|
Outline
Text
Thyroid orbitopathy is an inflammatory orbital disorder, which occurrs commonly with an immunehyperthyroidism of Basedow type. In 50 - 60 % of these patients visible symptoms but only in 3 - 5 % severe courses occur. Women are 8 times more commonly affected than men. A significant influence on prevalence, severity and course has been found for smoking. According to the symptoms and the clinical activity score therapeutic measures are taken. Baseline therapy is always the endokrinologic stabilization of thyroid function. Depending on predominant symptoms exophthalmus, diplopia, eyelidretraction or optic nerve compression indications for surgical intervention must be individually tailored. Principially the rule: decompression surgery, before ocular muscle surgery, before eyelid surgery applies.