Results of transantral decompression in hyperthyroid exophthalmos.

For the moment, transantral orbital decompression is the best procedure for the treatment of manifest exophthalmos because it is a simple and effective method with hardly any postoperative complications. If some ocular motility disturbances do not disappear spontaneously postoperatively, they can be treated successfully by muscle surgery. We found that the postoperative reduction of exophthalmos further improved during the first year with an average of 3 mm. For this reason, it is not advisable to section the infraorbital nerve in order to obtain a better immediate reduction. We are convinced that this operation is justified for some patients with a manifest exophthalmos for cosmetic reasons only. Good preoperative photographic documentation is necessary in each case.