Salvage optic nerve decompression for traumatic blindness under nasal endoscopy: risk and benefit analysis

Objective: Transnasal endoscopic optic nerve decompression was recommended to treat traumatic optic neuropathy as an effectively adjunctive procedure. The aim of this study was to assess the risks and benefits of salvage surgical decompression for complete vision loss (no light detection) after failure of mega-dose steroid therapy. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Two hospitals in Guangzhou and Nanjing, China. Participants: Forty-two patients of traumatic optic neuropathy with complete vision loss and failed to improve after steroid therapy for at least 3 days. Main outcome measure: All patients were treated by transnasal endoscopic optic nerve decompression and received follow-up for at least 6 month. Vision improvement and complications were evaluated. Results: Transnasal endoscopic optic nerve decompression was performed successfully in 40 patients and was incomplete in two patients due to bleeding. Vision improved in four of 42 patients (9.5%) of traumatic optic neuropathy with complete vision loss and failed steroid therapy. Complications and sequelae included severe bleeding (two cases), cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea (one case), nasal polyps (seven cases), chronic sinusitis (four cases) and nasal synechia (17 cases). Conclusion: Transnasal endoscopic optic nerve decompression was recommended as a minimally invasive, safe procedure, but complications and sequelae of the surgery should not be neglected. Based on the risk and benefit analysis, we conclude that the very poor surgical outcomes of this series do not support endoscopic optic nerve decompression for traumatic blindness.