Antral-ethmoidal decompression in Graves' disease. Five-year experience.

The orbital manifestations of Graves' disease frequently constitute the major and distressing portion of the morbidity in this poorly understood process. Patients with optic neuropathy, exposure keratopathy or disfiguring proptosis may be aided considerably by decompression to permit swollen orbital contents to move into the maxillary and ethmoid sinus cavities. Experience with 38 patients treated over a five-year period indicates that antral-ethmoidal decompression is a logical, successful form of therapy and generally free of serious complications. it may provide benefit earlier in the course of Graves' exophthalmopathy than has been accepted in the past.