The Epidemiology of Orbital Exentration in Southern Iran

Background: Exentration is performed as an infrequent procedure for the treatment of locally invasive or potentially life threatening orbital neoplasm, when less invasive management are inadequate. This study was performed to report the epidemiological features of diseases treated by orbital exentration as well as surgical techniques used in south of Iran. Methods: In a retrospective study, records of all patients’ undergone exentration of the orbit between years 1986 and 2006, at the Khalili Teaching Eye Hospital were reviewed. Correspondingly, records of pathology were also searched for the same cases to confirm the pre-operation diagnosis in the charts. Results: There were 28 men and 20 women with a mean age of 50±23.9 years. Basal cell carcinoma (31%), squamous cell carcinoma (18%) and malignant melanoma (14%) were found to be the frequent ones. Consequently, eyelid was reported as the anatomic site for origin of tumors in 41.6% of patients. The exenterated cavity was left to heal by granulation tissue and epithelialization in 32 cases (66%), skin graft was placed in 13 cases (27%) and tissue flap were prepared for reconstruction in the remaining three cases. Conclusion: Basal cell carcinoma with secondary orbital involvement was the most common cause of orbital exenteration and healing by the granulation tissue was the main rout of reconstruction in our cases.