Endoscopic Transorbital Superior Eyelid Approach for the Management of Selected Spheno-orbital Meningiomas: Preliminary Experience

BACKGROUND: Feasibility and safety of spheno-orbital meningioma resection by means of endoscopic-assisted transorbital route. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of the transorbital endoscopic management of selected spheno-orbital meningiomas. As secondary aims, symptom improvement and tumor volume removed were evaluated. METHODS: Retrospective chart evaluation of patients with spheno-orbital meningiomas treated by means of endoscopic transorbital superior eyelid approach in 3 referral centers over the last 4 yr. RESULTS: Fourteen cases were included in this study. In 4 patients, the transorbital endoscopic approach was combined with an endonasal route. Mean age was 51 and male-to-female ratio was 1:6. In 8 patients (57.1%), an intraorbital involvement was observed, 3 of them (21.4%) showed significant intraconal disease. No patient presented significant cavernous sinus infiltration. Main presenting symptoms were proptosis, diplopia, and visual impairment in 14, 6, and 6 patients, respectively. Mean proptosis improvement was 2 mm (standard deviation 2.3). We observed no major postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary clinical experience seems to demonstrate that selected spheno-orbital meningiomas can be safely managed by means of an endoscopic transorbital route through a superior eyelid approach. Patients with orbital or cavernous sinus infiltration are at highest risk of persistence.