Endoscopic approach to orbital apex lesions.

PURPOSE: To examine the role of transnasal and transantral endoscopic surgical approaches in the management of apical orbital lesions.

METHODS: Retrospective case series.

RESULTS: Three patients underwent combined orbital and endoscopic surgery for treatment of apical orbital lesions. In two of these patients, the orbital apex was decompressed, which resulted in visual recovery. Using endoscopic approaches to the posterior orbit and orbital apex allowed better visualization, with minimal manipulation of tissues in an area where surgical access is limited.

CONCLUSIONS: Apical orbital lesion management benefits from a multidisciplinary and individualized plan. Endoscopic approaches can be used to improve visualization and access to a difficult surgical area. They also allow extra instrumentation to be used through the relatively capacious paranasal sinuses. These advantages may obviate lateral orbitotomy in some situations. Although endoscopic techniques are useful for biopsy, debulking, and removal of orbital apex lesions, they may be more difficult to apply to an intraconal lesion at the orbital apex.