Eye Complications Related To Sino-Nasal Tumours In Ibadan

Objective: To determine the eye complications related to sino-nasal tumours at the University College Hospital, Ibadan with a view to making suggestions for improved management. Methodology: A retrospective review of cases of sino-nasal tumours seen at the Eye, ENT and Radiotherapy clinics of the University College Hospital, Ibadan using the case records of patients seen between January 1998 and December 2002. Results: Thirty-four cases of sino-nasal tumours were reviewed. The age range was between 3 and 83 years, with an average of 42 years. Twenty-six (76.5%) of the cases occurred in males. The majority of the tumours 17 (50%) were located primarily in the maxillary antrum. Squamous cell carcinoma 7 (20.6%) was the commonest histological diagnosis. A total of 24 (70.6 %) of the cases reviewed had ocular complications at presentation or in the course of management. These complications included proptosis 15 (44.1%), epiphora 12 (35.4%), limitation of ocular movement 8(23.5%), ocular pain 7 (17.7%) and less commonly, optic atrophy 2 (5.9 %), and keratinised desiccated cornea 1 (2.9 %). Out of 13 patients who had formal visual acuity measurement done by ophthalmologists, 2 had normal vision (6/5-6/18), 6 had low vision (6/24-6/60), 1 had light perception vision while 4 had vision of no perception of light. Conclusion: A significant proportion of patients with sino-nasal tumours have ocular complications either at presentation or in the course of treatment. Despite this, only a minority are seen by ophthalmologists in the course of the management of these patients. It is hoped that the outcome of this study will sensitize the primary care physicians and ENT specialists to involve ophthalmologists as early as possible in the management of these patients for optimal visual outcome. Also, ophthalmologists need to consider sino-nasal tumours in their evaluation of orbital disease in order to ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment. Nigerian Jnl Ophthalmology Vol.11(2) 2003: 90-9