SurgicalManagementofPilocyticAstrocytomaoftheOpticNerve:A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Optic nerve astrocytomas (ONAs) are frequent types of optic nerve gliomas (ONGs), which can affect the visual pathway. An18-year-old male patient was admitted to our department with right-sided intraorbital/retrobulbar swelling, which progressivelygrew over several months. Clinical examination showed right-sided diplopia, mydriasis, low visual acuity (0.4), exophthalmus(3 cm), epiphora, and severe retrobulbar pain. -ere was a family history of high-grade (IV) astrocytomas in which two of thefamily members died due to the disease. Preoperative MRI scan revealed a soft tissue mass around the retrobulbar area of the righteye with intact orbital bony walls. Surgery was performed whereby it was dissected freely from the muscles and was separated fromthe optic nerve and the globe. Histopathologic analysis con?rmed a benign astrocytoma. -e follow-up examination revealed norecurrent or residual tumor. A systemic review of the literature indicates that early diagnosis and experienced multidisciplinarymanagement are required in case of unilateral, resectable forms of ONAs with no distant metastasis, in order to provide a long-time survival of patients. Surgical intervention of unilateral ONAs is a relatively safe procedure, allowing complete or partialtumor removal with minimal morbidity and low recurrence rate.