Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is an extrathyroidal manifestation of Graves' disease (GD). The majority of patients has mild form of the disease, with no need of additional treatment. A few percent of patients can have a severe or very severe course of disease. In severe forms of GO there might occur considerable exophthalmos complicated in some cases with corneal ulceration or pressure on optic nerve leading to neuropathy (DON, dysthyroid optic neuropathy). In therapy of severe forms of GO different types of treatment are used depending on diagnosis and activity of disease. The pharmacological (among the others very high doses of intravenous methylprednisolone) and surgery treatment (orbit decompression) are used. The orbital decompression is a procedure performed in order to decrease the intraorbital pressure by removing part of its bony borders in cases with excessive mass in orbit. For decades many external approaches have been used. With the progress of the endoscopic techniques the endoscopic orbit decompression has become the first line treatment. The lack of facial incisions is connected with many benefits for patients. In our article endoscopic decompression technique in GO was described, as well as available medical literature concerning this technique and its outcomes was performed.
Keywords: Graves’ orbitopathy; orbit decompression; thyroid-associated orbitopathy.
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