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Fatty decompression may reduce proptosis in Graves' ophthalmopathy
Am J Ophthalmol. 2011;151(3):465-469.
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Patients with disfiguring Graves' ophthalmopathy had reduced proptosis following fatty decompression, possibly due to decreased retrobulbar volume, a study showed.
"The results indicate that fatty decompression can reduce proptosis because of the high correlation of volume of resected orbital fat and retrobulbar volume change at 6 months of follow-up," the authors said.
The cross-sectional, prospective study included 44 orbits of 22 patients who had 3 mL to 7 mL of orbital fat removed. Follow-up was conducted at 1 week and 1, 3 and 6 months.
Researchers observed a mean proptosis reduction of 4.1 ± 0.9 mm.
CT imaging showed a mean retrobulbar volume change of 3.2 ± 1 cm³, which correlated strongly with proptosis reduction and volume of resected orbital fat, according to the study.
However, the authors noted that retrobulbar volume was measured posterior to the globe equator and approximated, potentially underestimating the volume change.