Endoscopic Endonasal Optic Nerve Decompression in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension: When to Implement Optic Nerve Sheath Fenestration

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a syndrome characterized with increased intracranial pressure and normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) composition. Treatment is mainly conservative, whereas CSF diversion surgery is the most frequently used surgical intervention. Endoscopic endonasal optic nerve decompression (EOND) is a newer surgical treatment of this patient group. This study presents a single clinic's case series with comparative results of unilateral an bilateral EOND with or without optic nerve fenestration. METHODS: Sixteen patients with IIH syndrome who underwent 18 EOND procedures by a single neurosurgeon were evaluated with MRI and digitally subtracted angiography preoperatively. Both preoperative and postoperative visual acuity and perimetry and fundoscopy examinations were routinely performed. All patients underwent sphenoidotomy using the endoscopic binostril approach; however, unilateral or bilateral optic nerve decompression and accompanying optic sheath fenestration was determined on a case-by-case basis, after which all patients were also evaluated for the outcome of headaches. RESULTS: Most of the patients were female, and the mean age was 30.28 ± 9.78 years. CSF pressure was increased in all patients (406.43 ± 112.91 mm of H2O), and the follow-up period was 61.72 ± 21.67 months. In patients with unilateral EOND, visual fields improved in 83%, visual acuity in 70%, headache in 75%, and papilledema in 27% of cases. In patients with bilateral EOND, perimetry improved in 86%, visual acuity in 43%, headache in 50%, and papilledema in 57% of cases. CONCLUSION: EOND is an effective surgical option in the treatment of IIH. Bilateral decompression is preferable in patients with bilateral visual involvement, and optic nerve fenestration may prove to be helpful in patients with IIH whose primary complaint is headache.