[Management of orbital cavernous hemangioma - evaluation of surgical approaches: report of 43 cases].

Cavernous hemangioma is the most frequent benign orbital tumor in adults. The purpose of this study was to examine its clinical features, to define surgical indications, and to determine the roles of the various surgical approaches praticed in ophthalmology: transconjunctival (increasingly utilized), anterior transcutaneous, and lateral orbitotomy. The records of all patients treated for orbital cavernous hemangioma (OCH) since 2004 at the Fondation Rothschild (Paris, France) were retrospectively reviewed. Forty-three patients were treated for orbital cavernous hemangioma. Fifty-eight percent were women, mean age 50.2; 79 % of the tumors were intraconal. Among those patients, 36 underwent surgical removal, 5 were followed periodically, and 2 were lost to follow-up. The main surgical indications were: optic nerve compression (26 patients), proptosis (24 patients) and diplopia (3 patients). Transconjunctival, anterior transcutaneous and Kronlein approaches were used in 16, 12 and 4 patients respectively. Four patients had intrapalpebral hemangiomas easily reached transcutaneously. Two patients demonstrated transient partial 3rd nerve palsy (one with the lateral orbitotomy approach and one with the transconjunctival approach), one patient with the lateral orbitotomy approach developed a palsy of the superior branch of the 3rd nerve, and one patient with the transcutaneous anterior approach developed mydriasis. Surgical excision of OCH's is required in the presence of clinical complications. The transconjunctival approach is a safe technique which can lead to complete resection of the tumor in most cases.