[Orbit decompression surgery in patients with exophthalmos caused by Graves-Basedow disease]. / Cirugía descompresiva de la órbita en pacientes con exoftalmos por enfermedad de Graves-Basedow.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in a prospective trial two surgical technique routinely used for orbital decompression in Graves' disease ophthalmopathy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with Graves' disease exophthalmus (greater than 22 mm) that was euthyroid for at least six months after treatment were admitted to the study and randomly assigned to two groups, twenty six orbits in 17 patients were surgically decompressed with the Walsh and Ogura technique (group I) and 18 orbits in 18 patients were decompressed with Kennedy's surgical approach (group II). RESULTS: Both surgical techniques were equally effective in reducing the exophthalmus (p < 0.05). Morbility was significantly greater in terms of diplopia and infraorbital nerve lesion with Walsh and Ogura surgical approach. CONCLUSIONS: Due to reduced morbility, orbital surgical decompression with Kennedy's technique is recommended in patients with Graves' disease exofthalmus.