Standardized suture placement for mini-invasive ptosis surgery

A novel technique for small-incision levator resection with a double mattress suture for ptosis correction

PURPOSE

To introduce a novel technique for small-incision levator resection in ptosis surgery and evaluate its efficacy in a pilot study among patients affected by congenital or aponeurotic ptosis.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled congenital and aponeurotic ptosis patients if their levator function was not poor (≥5 mm) from June 2021 through October 2022. Surgical technique involved a 1-cm lid crease incision, minimal dissection, and creating a loop passing through the tarsus and levator aponeurosis. Success was defined as postoperative MRD-1 ≥3 mm and inter-eyelid MRD-1 difference ≤1 mm. Eyelid contour quality was scored excellent, good, fair, and poor according to its curvature and symmetry.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven eyes (35 congenital and 32 aponeurotic) were included in the study. Mean age was 34±19 years (range, 5-79 years). Mean preoperative levator function and levator resection amount were 9.53 mm and 8.39 mm in the congenital group and 12.34 mm and 4.15 mm in the aponeurotic group, respectively. Mean pre- and postoperative MRD-1 was 1.61 mm and 3.27 mm respectively (P<0.001). The overall success rate was 82.1% (95% C.I: 71.7-89.8%); the result was failure in 12 cases, of which 11 had under-correction. Preoperative MRD-1 was correlated with a success rate (P=0.017).

CONCLUSION

The described technique shows non-inferior results to the previously described surgical methods and also it shows very good lid contour outcome and minimal lag. The findings suggest that the double mattress single suture technique can be used in both congenital and aponeurotic ptosis.

Septum-sparing minimally invasive technique for levator advancement surgery in aponeurotic ptosis

PURPOSE

To evaluate the outcome of small incision levator advancement with septum-sparing technique and compare it with standard levator advancement.

METHODS

The surgical findings and clinical data of patients with aponeurotic ptosis who underwent small incision or standard levator advancement surgery in our clinic between 2018 and 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. For both groups; age, gender, systemic and ophthalmic comorbidities, levator function, preoperative and postoperative margin-reflex distance, change in margin-reflex distance after surgery, symmetry between the eyes, follow-up time, perioperative and postoperative complications (under/overcorrection, contour irregularity, lagophthalmos) were all evaluated and recorded.

RESULTS

The study included 82 eyes, 46 from 31 patients in Group I who had small incision surgery, and 36 from 26 patients in Group II who had standard levator surgery. There was no statistically significant difference in surgical success between the two groups (80% and 81% respectively, p = 0.692). The levator function and preoperative margin-reflex distance correlated positively with surgical success.

CONCLUSION

Small incision levator advancement is a less invasive procedure than standard levator advancement because of the smaller skin incision and preservation of orbital septum integrity, but it requires good knowledge of eyelid anatomy and experience in eyelid surgery. In patients with aponeurotic ptosis, this surgery can be performed as a safe and effective surgical technique with a similar success rate as standard levator advancement.

Blepharoptosis Repair: External Versus Posterior Approach Surgery: Why I Select One over the Other

Ptosis surgery is performed via an anterior/external or posterior/internal approach, primarily defined by the eyelid elevator muscle surgically addressed: the levator complex anteriorly or Muller muscle posteriorly. Posterior ptosis surgery via Muller muscle conjunctival resection is an excellent first choice for cases of mild to moderate ptosis with good levator function, as it is predictable, provides a reliable cosmetic outcome, requires no patient cooperation during surgery, portends a lower rate of reoperation, and rarely leads to lagophthalmos and/or eyelid retraction postoperatively. External levator resection is preferred in patients with severe ocular surface/cicatricial conjunctival disease, shortened fornices, and lesser levator function.

External levator resection for involutional ptosis: is intraoperative suture adjustment necessary for good outcomes?

Purpose: To directly compare an algorithmic external levator resection technique with the choice of intraoperative adjustment to the same technique without intraoperative adjustments. Methods: A sequential controlled prospective comparative cohort study. Two cohorts were compared: a historical control adjustment, and an experimental non-adjustment group. Fourteen patients, 25 eyelids, were in the historical cohort; and 15 patients, 23 eyelids, were in the non-adjustment cohort. Primary acquired ptosis patients who met inclusion criteria were considered. All patients underwent a standardized external levator resection technique. Intraoperative adjustments were performed only in the historical cohort. Age, follow-up time, surgical time, and marginal reflex distance 1 (MRD1) were collected. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Statistical significance was p < 0.05. Primary and secondary outcome measures were postoperative MRD1 minus goal MRD1, and surgical time, respectively. Results: Twenty-five historical eyelids were compared with 23 non-adjusted eyelids. The average patient age was 68.4 years (range 19-84) and 59.3 years (range 24-83) for the adjusted and non-adjusted groups. Six-month postoperative (postoperative minus goal) MRD1 was -0.1 mm (95% CI -0.3-0.1) and -0.2 mm (95% -0.5-0.0) (p = 0.33), and surgical time was 13.8 min (95% CI 12.6-15.1) and 9.5 min (95% CI 9.0-10.1) (p < 0.001) for the adjusted and non-adjusted cohort, respectively. Conclusions: The external levator resection, utilizing a standardized algorithm approach, is an efficacious technique for involutional eyelid ptosis. With sound technique, this method can be performed without the need for intraoperative adjustment, thereby saving operative time and achieving similar results.

Conjunctival Sparing Ptosis Correction by White-Line Advancement Technique

Purpose

To describe a modified technique of white line advancement posterior ptosis surgery and to report the success rate of the procedure.

Methods

A retrospective case series of 60 patients who presented with ptosis with good levator function. The success rate was defined as an MRD1 of greater than or equal to 3.5 mm, symmetrical eyelid position with an intereyelid height asymmetry of ≤1 mm, and a satisfactory eyelid contour at 3 months follow-up.

Results

Sixty patients (91 eyelids) met the inclusion criteria. Mild postoperative complications occurred in 11 patients that resolved without surgical intervention. Seven patients had recurrence of ptosis: four patients had early recurrence and 3 had late recurrence. The success rate was 88.33% with an average follow-up of 9 months.

Conclusion

This procedure is a promising technique in cosmetic and functional ptosis correction. The advantage of this posterior approach procedure is that there is no conjunctival resection; it is suitable for young patients who do not have excess eyelid skin. The procedure is quick with a short recovery period. Additionally, it can be combined with another procedure and in different pathology.

Comparison of non-absorbable silk and absorbable polyglactin sutures for external ptosis repair

Purpose: The authors compare the outcomes and revision rates for external levator aponeurotic advancement for the treatment of involutional ptosis using non-absorbable silk and absorbable polyglactin sutures.Methods: An IRB-approved retrospective chart review identified 121 patients who underwent external levator advancement for involutional ptosis between 2015 and 2016 by the senior author (JBH).  All patients underwent ptosis repair using either 5-0 polyglactin 910 on a S-14 spatulated needle or 6-0 silk on a G-1 reverse cutting needle for the aponeurotic advancement. Ptosis etiologies other than involutional ptosis were excluded. Patients with >0.5 mm of upper lid height asymmetry post-operatively underwent surgical adjustment. Demographics, clinical findings and revision rates were collected and analyzed from follow-up visits.Results: 116 patients (190 eyelids) met inclusion criteria. Fewer ptosis repairs performed using silk sutures necessitated adjustment when compared to those using polyglactin (1/73 [1.4%] vs. 14/117 [12.0%], p = 0.010). Silk direct connection sutures had no better stability than polyglactin direct connection sutures (p = 0.16), but silk hang-back sutures were significantly superior to polyglactin hang-back sutures (p = 0.035).  Thirteen out of fifteen (86.7%) revisions were advancements to raise the eyelid, while two (13.3%) were recessions.Conclusion: Non-absorbable silk suture may be superior to absorbable polyglactin, necessitating fewer surgical revisions. Silk demonstrated superiority to polyglactin when a hang-back suture was employed. Since the need to place direct or hang-back sutures cannot be made pre-operatively, the authors modified their technique to utilize silk sutures for external aponeurotic ptosis repair.

Role of Algorithm-Based Levator Aponeurectomy in Small-Incision External Ptosis Surgery for Involutional Ptosis

Importance

External surgical treatment of involutional ptosis with normal levator function is challenging owing to lack of an established algorithm. Developing an algorithm-based technique could improve postoperative results while limiting intraoperative inefficiencies.

Objective

To investigate the postoperative success of an algorithmic external levator aponeurosis resection technique for aponeurotic ptosis with good levator function.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study included patients with involutional ptosis and normal levator function who were treated from July 1, 2015, through November 30, 2016, at a private ophthalmic plastic surgery clinic.

Interventions

The technique involved a small incision in the eyelid crease, with dissection through the orbital septum to expose the levator aponeurosis. The leading edge of the aponeurosis was then clamped to a medical-grade spring scale to standardize the stress on the eyelid between patients. Two millimeters of aponeurosis were resected for every 1 mm of desired ptosis correction. Two sutures were then placed to connect the aponeurosis to the tarsus at predetermined locations.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Preoperative predicted (goal) vs actual margin reflex distance-1 (MRD1).

Results

Twenty-six eyelids of 15 patients (6 men and 9 women; mean [SD] age, 65 years [range, 17-84 years]) met inclusion criteria. The mean follow-up was 189 days (range, 63-343 days). The mean preoperative MRD1 was 0.44 mm (range, -0.5 to 2 mm; 95% CI, 0.18-0.70 mm) compared with the final mean MRD1 of 3.2 mm (range, 2.5-4.0 mm; 95% CI, 3.1-3.4 mm; P < .001). The mean predicted goal MRD1 was 3.4 mm (range, 2.5-4.0 mm; 95% CI, 3.2-3.5 mm). The final MRD1 of all eyelids was within 1 mm of the goal MRD1. The mean surgical time per eyelid was 14.6 minutes (range, 10.5-34.0 minutes). Twelve eyelids (46%) did not have intraoperative suture adjustments.

Conclusions and Relevance

In correcting aponeurotic ptosis, a small-incision levator aponeurectomy incorporating an algorithm and consistent stress on the aponeurosis during resection achieves the goal MRD1 efficiently. The algorithm closely estimates the desired height intraoperatively such that only small intraoperative suture height revisions, if any, are needed. No intraoperative adjustments were made in 12 eyelids, necessitating future studies to determine whether any adjustments are needed.

Level of Evidence

3.