POSTOPERATIVE PROGRESSIVE EXOPHTHALMOS WITH LOW BASAL METABOLIC RATE

Abstract

In the vast majority of cases investigated pathologically, progressive exophthalmos in Graves'' disease is not purely a functional condition induced by hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism or a fanciful mutually-exclusive combination of hyperthyroidism-hypothyroid-ism. The most frequent pathologic findings in progressive exophthalmos[long dash]preoperative or postoperative[long dash]are those of an inflammatory condition of the orbital cellular tissues and hypertrophy or atrophy and degeneration of the extra-ocular muscles. Although in some cases of postoperative progressive exophthalmos with low basal metabolic rate the combined use of I and thyroid medication produce a regression of the lesion, it failed to do so in the vast majority of reported cases. The value and use of radiation therapy for progressive exophthalmos is discussed and illustrated by a case report.