Early versus late orbital decompression in Graves' orbitopathy: a retrospective study in 125 patients.

PURPOSE To determine if early rehabilitative orbital decompression in Graves' orbitopathy (GO) leads to a more effective postoperative outcome than the same intervention performed at a later, more likely, fibrotic stage. DESIGN Retrospective comparative case series. PARTICIPANTS The medical records of all GO patients treated with a 3-wall orbital decompression at our institution between 1990 and 2000 were reviewed retrospectively. Only patients operated bilaterally for aesthetic rehabilitation, without preoperative diplopia, were included. They were divided into group 1 (duration of GO < 4 years) and group 2 (duration > or = 4 years). METHODS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The 2 groups were compared for demographics, smoking habits, preoperative characteristics (immunosuppressive treatments, Hertel values, score in NOSPECS [no signs or symptoms, only signs, soft tissue involvement with symptoms and signs, proptosis, extraocular muscle involvement, corneal involvement, sight involvement] class 2, degree of extraocular muscle enlargement), and surgical outcome (mean reduction of exophthalmos, symmetry of exophthalmos reduction, reduction in upper and lower lid retraction, any persistent periorbital swelling requiring cosmetic eyelid surgery, postdecompression diplopia). RESULTS The medical records of 125 of 376 patients were selected for this study. There were no differences between group 1 (n = 70) mean GO duration (2.2+/-0.8 years) and group 2 (n = 55) mean GO duration (9.0+/-5.4 years) with respect to demographics, smoking habits, and preoperative characteristics except for the degree of extraocular muscle enlargement, which was significantly greater in group 1 (P = 0.039). There was no difference in surgical outcomes between the 2 groups, with the exception of postdecompression diplopia, which was significantly more frequent in group 1 than in group 2 (29% vs. 13%, P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS In GO, early rehabilitative orbital decompression does not improve surgical outcome and is associated with a higher risk of postdecompression diplopia.