Correction of oriental epiblepharon by anterior lamellar reposition

Minimal lower eyelid epicanthoplasty combined with thermal contraction to treat epiblepharon in chinese children

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of combined minimal lower eyelid epicanthoplasty and thermal contraction for epiblepharon repair in Chinese children.

METHODS

Between January 2017 and August 2020, a single surgeon corrected epiblepharon in Chinese children using minimal lower eyelid epicanthoplasty combined with thermal contraction. First, a minimal epicanthoplasty flap to balance the lower eyelid was made cross the lower eyelid epicanthus, which connected with a 20-mm-long incision 1.5 mm below the lower eyelid margin. After removing the hypertrophic orbicularis oculi muscle running between the lower epicanthal fold and the medial canthal tendon, thermal cauterization was applied to increase lower eyelid rotation by creating adhesions between the lower eyelid retractor and tarsus. The residual medial edge was sutured to the corner of the epicanthus to decrease the lower eyelid epicanthus. The postoperative follow-up ranged from 3 to 24 months. We retrospectively analyzed cases to determine whether this approach decreased the lower eyelid epicanthal fold to equalize the tension of the lower eyelid. The surgical outcomes including the direction of lower eyelid eyelashes, complications, and refractive errors were evaluated.

RESULTS

Data from each eye of 53 Chinese children (29 female, 24 males; mean age: 5.3 ± 2.3 years) who had undergone minimal lower eyelid epicanthoplasty combined with thermal contraction were included. During follow-up, recurrence was observed in just one of the 106 eyes (0.94%), and two eyes (1.89%) showed under-correction. No visible scars formed in the postoperative period. All patients' parents were satisfied with the cosmetic results and had no serious complaints. The mean astigmatism was significantly reduced by the surgery from 1.82 ± 0.45 diopters (D) preoperatively to 1.43 ± 0.36 D postoperatively (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This surgery is easy to design, time-efficient, and is effective in the correction of epiblepharon. The procedure allows surgeons to achieve good appearance and natural eyelid contour without apparent complications.

Modified Epiblepharon Repair Preserving Orbicularis Oculi Muscle

Methods

A retrospective review of was conducted of patients who received modified epiblepharon repair preserving orbicularis oculi muscle from April 2016 to October 2018. Removal of the orbicularis oculi muscle was minimally performed with eyelash rotating sutures and epicanthal weakening procedure. The preoperative severity of epiblepharon was classified according to skin fold height and cilia-corneal touch. Main postoperative outcomes were evaluated by functional success and cosmetic satisfaction.

Results

A total of 208 eyelids of 104 patients were evaluated. The mean age was 7.2 ± 4.2 years with a mean follow-up time of 5.6 ± 4.6 months. Functional success was obtained in 206 eyelids (99.0%). Only two cases that had a total epiblepharon score of 7 showed a recurrence of mild cilia-corneal touch, but reoperation was not required. The cosmetic satisfaction score was 8.7 ± 1.8 (range, 1–10). The excellent cosmesis group with a cosmetic score of 9 or higher had significantly higher skin fold height (p=0.027).

Conclusions

Modified epiblepharon repair preserving orbicularis oculi muscle can be effective in the treatment of lower epiblepharon regardless of its severity. Excellent outcomes were obtained functionally and cosmetically without debulking of the orbicularis oculi muscle.

Surgical Correction of Lower Lid Epiblepharon With Skin-Only Resection Using a Novel Design

ABSTRACT

This study is to report the surgical outcome of lower lid epiblepharon repair with skin-only resection using a newly designed incision line. A retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series analysis of 134 eyes of 67 patients, who underwent surgical correction of lower lid epiblepharon with skin-only resection using the new incision design, was performed. After marking the 4 vertical lines at the medial canthus, punctum, midpoint, and lateral canthus, the upper and lower incision lines were drawn from the medial canthus through punctum to the lateral canthus with novel design. After incising the skin along the marked line, gentle dissection of the skin flap from the underlying orbicularis muscle was performed. Only skin flap was excised and closed. The patients were followed up for more than 6 months. The mean age of patients was 7.9 ± 3.7 years (range 4-13 years) and the mean follow-up period was 18.0 ± 5.7 months (range 13-31 months). During the follow-up period, recurrence of the epiblepharon was not observed. There was no occurrence of complications such as lower lid ectropion or retraction. Skin-only resection using a newly designed incision line is a simple and effective method to fully correct the medial portion of the lower lid epiblepharon and prevent dog-ear formation or overcorrection at the lateral portion, and prominent lid crease.

Cause analysis and reoperation effect of failure and recurrence after epiblepharon correction in children

BACKGROUND

In children, it is common to see failure and recurrence in the correction of epiblepharon and to have reoperation due to obvious irritation symptoms and corneal injury.

AIM

To explore the causes of failure and recurrence after epiblepharon correction in children, to remove accurately redundant epiblepharon and orbicularis oculi muscle in patients via the cilia-everting suture technique combined with lid margin splitting in some patients due to inverted lashes in the medial part of the eyelid, and to observe the therapeutic effect.

METHODS

From 2015 to 2019, in the Outpatient Department of Ophthalmology of Beijing Tongren Hospital, 22 children (40 eyes) with epiblepharon, aged 5-12 years, were treated due to correction failure and recurrence. Fourteen patients (28 eyes) underwent the full-thickness everting suture technique, and eight patients (16 eyes) underwent incisional surgery. They were treated by reviewing the previous surgical methods and observing epiblepharon, eyelash direction, and corneal injury. During reoperation, a subciliary incision was made 1 mm below the inferior lash line. Incisional surgery for the lower eyelid was used to remove accurately redundant epiblepharon and part of the pretarsal orbicularis muscle. Subcutaneous tissue and the orbicularis muscle of the upper skin-muscle flap were anchored to the anterior fascia of the tarsal plate by rotational sutures. Lid margin splitting was used only for patients who had seriously inverted lashes located in the medial part of the eyelid. All patients were followed for 6-12 mo after reoperation to observe the lower eyelid position, skin incision, eyelash direction, corneal damage, and recurrence.

RESULTS

After reoperation, all the patients were corrected. Photophobia, rubbing the eye, winking, and tearing disappeared. There was no lower eyelid entropion, ectropion, or retraction. There was no obvious sunken scar or lower eyelid crease. The eyelashes were far away from the cornea, and when the patients looked down, the eyelashes on the lower eyelid did not contact the cornea or conjunctiva. The corneal injuries were repaired. Follow-up observation for 6 mo showed no recurrence of epiblepharon.

CONCLUSION

The type of suture method, the failure to remove accurately redundant skin and orbicularis muscle, the lack of cilia rotational suture use, and excessive reverse growth of eyelashes are the main causes of failure and recurrence after epiblepharon correction in children.

Modified everting sutures: an alternative treatment for mild to moderate epiblepharon

PURPOSE

To describe a modified everting suture procedure which can be used in patients with mild to moderate epiblepharon who are undergoing general anaesthesia for surgical correction of coexisting ophthalmic conditions.

METHODS

A prospective, interventional, non-comparative case series on patients with mild to moderate epiblepharon who underwent the modified everting suture procedure using permanent nylon sutures while under general anaesthesia for other ophthalmic surgery, from May 2014 to May 2016, in a single tertiary institution. Main outcome measures were correction of epiblepharon, recurrence rate and complications.

RESULTS

There were a total of 29 patients. Mean age was 5.7±4.1 years (range 1.5-20 years). Twenty (69.0%) were male, 31.0% were female. All had concomitant surgery under general anaesthesia for levator resection (75.9%), frontalis sling (17.2%), strabismus surgery (3.4%) and coloboma correction (3.4%). Mean follow-up was 18.1±9.1 months. All patients were well corrected at 1 and 6 months postoperative follow-up. At 1 year after surgery, 28 (96.6%) were well corrected while one patient (3.4%) was undercorrected. At last follow-up, the overall recurrence rate was 6.9%, with a mean time from surgery to recurrence of 20.5 months. There were no complications encountered.

CONCLUSIONS

The modified everting suture procedure is a safe, effective, quick and relatively easy procedure for selected patients with mild to moderate epiblepharon, who are undergoing general anaesthesia for surgical correction of their coexisting ophthalmic conditions.

Management of epiblepharon: state of the art

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Epiblepharon is prevalent in East-Asian children. As the population in Asia is increasing, so is the demand for epiblepharon surgery. Surgeons should be familiar with the standards of beauty and needs of Asian people for epiblepharon management. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the published studies on the clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, and management of epiblepharon.

RECENT FINDINGS

Astigmatism is prevalent in epiblepharon patients, which can contribute to amblyopia. Early surgery and visual rehabilitation is important for epiblepharon patients with a high degree of astigmatism and amblyopia. Various etiologic factors play a role in the pathophysiology of epiblepharon. Surgical procedures focusing on creation of a lower eyelid crease have been popular for treating epiblepharon in Western textbooks; however, this is not appropriate for Asian patients in whom, a crease may be undesirable. In selecting surgical methods, it is important to resect a minimal amount of skin-muscle to avoid the adverse effects of ectropion and eyelid retraction.

SUMMARY

Although epiblepharon may resolve with facial growth, surgical correction is needed for cases in which there is significant corneal injury from the lash touch. Surgical management should focus on techniques that are effective, with little chance of complication, and do not create a lower eyelid crease.

Is it truly necessary to add epicanthoplasty for correction of the epiblepharon?

BACKGROUND

There are many modified variations of the original Hotz procedure for the repair of the epiblepharon. No matter which procedure is used, there must be some factors that may cause recurrence. One of possible causes of these unsatisfactory results can be due to the presence of epicanthal folds (EFs) among the oriental population. It is important to determine whether patients should be repaired with the simple epiblepharon or if it should be combined with epicanthoplasty especially for actively growing children.

METHODS

All the patients were between 4 and 7 years old and had both epiblepharon and EF. The EFs were classified in 3 types, and all patients were operated on with the modified Hotz procedure. A "good" outcome was defined to be no contact between the eyelash and eyeball, and a "fair" outcome was defined to be several eyelashes contact with the eyeball, without any annoying symptoms. A "poor" outcome was defined to be most of the eyelids still in contact with the eyeball, and these patients persistently complain of irritation or keratitis.

RESULTS

The study included 46 lower eyelids of 23 patients (14 females, 9 males; mean age, 5.7 years) who underwent operation. Thirty-five eyelids (76.1%) were assessed to have a "good" outcome, 9 eyelids (19.6%) were assessed to have a "fair" outcome, and 2 eyelids (4.3%) were assessed to have a "poor" outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

We firmly believe that epicanthoplasty is not necessarily performed routinely for all epiblepharon unless there is any specific reason to justify the combined procedure.

The clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of epiblepharon in korean children: a 9-year experience

Purpose. To examine the demographic characteristics, clinical features, surgical outcomes, and long-term prognoses of epiblepharon in Korean children. Methods. Epiblepharon patients who were followed for ≥ 6 month following surgical correction between January 2005 and December 2013. The patient demographics, clinical features, concomitant disorders, surgical outcomes, and complications were retrospectively reviewed. Results. A total of 768 epiblepharon records were included in the analysis. The mean patient age was 6.55 ± 2.37 years. At presentation, 712 patients (92.8%) complained of typical epiblepharon symptoms. The mean patient age at surgery was 6.95 ± 2.52 years, with 629 patients (81.9%) on the lower lid and 72 patients (9.4%) on the upper lid and 82 patients (10.7%) undergoing surgery on both lids. The eyelid was well everted with no recurrence in 740 patients (96.4%). Conclusion. Epiblepharon frequently occurs in Korean children and is correctable with a simple surgery. Recurrence and serious complications do not occur often, and any suspicions of epiblepharon should be investigated. A thorough ocular examination can lead to a correct diagnosis and timely corrective surgery. Most procedures are successful and prevent secondary complications that often occur with uncorrected epiblepharon.

Small-incision orbicularis-levator fixation technique: a modified double-eyelid blepharoplasty for treating trichiasis in young Asian patients

Upper-eyelid trichiasis often occurs with a single puffy eyelid or shallow eyelid crease in young Asian patients. This study presents a novel modified trichiasis correction method to simultaneously treat trichiasis and create a natural eyelid crease. It combines the modified small-incision debulking procedure and the orbicularis-levator fixation technique. The eyelash lift angle (LA), body curl angle (BCA) and end curl angle (ECA) were quantitatively analysed. A total of 90 patients (152 trichiasis eyelids) were followed up for approximately 22 months. The LA changed from 24.32° ± 9.21°-54.12° ± 10.32° in the nasal section of the eyelid (section 1), from 21.03° ± 11.34°-52.03° ± 10.56° in the middle section of the eyelid (section 2) and from 23.31° ± 8.12°-63.15° ± 8.43° in the temporal section of the eyelid (section 3). All patients were satisfied with the eyelid-fold appearance. In conclusion, for young Asian patients with upper-eyelid trichiasis, the small-incision orbicularis-levator fixation technique is able to acquire a stable up-curved position of the eyelashes and satisfactory aesthetic results.

Epiblepharon in East asian patients: the singapore experience

PURPOSE

To describe the demographics, presenting symptoms, indications for surgery, and surgical outcomes of epiblepharon correction in a tertiary care hospital in Singapore.

DESIGN

Retrospective review of patients who underwent surgery by 2 surgeons in a referral oculoplastic practice at the National University Health System, Singapore, from 2001 to 2007.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 108 patients who underwent surgery for clinically significant epiblepharon.

INTERVENTION

Modified Hotz procedure or suture correction for patients in whom conservative treatment failed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Comparison of symptoms, keratopathy, and recurrence on follow-up between the 2 procedures.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 9.0 years, with an age range of 0.5 to 68 years. Of the patients, 51.9% were male. The majority were Chinese (n = 102). Seventy-four (68.5%) patients were symptomatic. Eighty-nine patients (82.4%) had keratopathy. In 98 patients (90.7%) both eyes were affected, and the majority of patients (75.0%) had epiblepharon of the lower lids. Initial treatment for the majority was lubricants (n = 71, 65.7%). The main indications for surgery were symptoms and keratopathy, with 37.9% of patients having both, and 44.4% and 15.7% of patients having either keratopathy or symptoms alone, respectively. Surgical correction consisted mostly of a modified Hotz procedure (n = 88, 81.5%), lid-everting sutures (n = 9, 8.3%), and others, including upper lid blepharoplasty with lid crease formation (n = 11, 10.2%). Outcomes were good, with the majority (n = 88, 81.5%) of lids being well corrected. Complications included undercorrection, overcorrection, wound dehiscence, and wound infections.

CONCLUSIONS

Symptomatic epiblepharon, usually associated with keratopathy and commonly seen in children of East Asian descent, often requires surgical intervention with good surgical outcome. Increased awareness among ophthalmologists and pediatricians dealing with this ethnic group and age is emphasized. Contrary to the current practice of expectant observation, definitive surgical management should be considered when symptoms or keratopathy is present.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S)

The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Eyelash inversion in epiblepharon: Is it caused by redundant skin?

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of redundant lower eyelid skin on the eyelash direction in epiblepharon.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Asian patients with epiblepharon participated in this study. The lower eyelid skin was pulled downward in the upright position with the extent just to detach from eyelash roots, and the direction of the eyelashes was examined. These evaluations were repeated before surgery while the patients were lying supine under general anesthesia.

RESULTS

The study included 41 lower eyelids of 25 patients (17 females, 8 males, average age; 5.6 years, 16 cases bilateral, 9 unilateral). In the upright position, without downward traction of the skin, the eyelashes were vertically positioned and touching the cornea. The redundant skin touched only the eyelash roots and had minimal contribution to eyelash inversion. With downward skin traction, there was no significant change in the eyelash direction. In the spine position, the eyelashes were touching the cornea, and there was marked redundant skin that was pushing the eyelashes inward. With downward skin traction, there was no significant change.

CONCLUSIONS

The direction of lower eyelashes in patients with epiblepharon was less influenced by lower eyelid skin redundancy than previously considered. The redundant skin is only a possible aggravating factor to epiblepharon.

Lid margin split in the surgical correction of epiblepharon

PURPOSE

To describe the technique of splitting the lid margin combined with the excision of redundant skin and muscle during the surgical correction of epiblepharon and to report its clinical outcome.

METHODS

A combined procedure that included splitting the lid margin to repair lower eyelid epiblepharon was performed on 31 eyes of 19 consecutive patients. Lid margin splitting was performed along the grey line on the medial third or half of the lower eyelid by making a 1 mm-deep incision. Having made a transverse subciliary skin incision and a dissection between the tarsus and the orbicularis oculi muscle, the subcutaneous tissue of the superior edge of the incision was secured to the tarsus with interrupted sutures to evert the cilia. An excision of the redundant skin and orbicularis tissue was made and the skin was closed. The patients were followed for direct inspection of the wound, the split lid margin, the direction of the lashes and the status of the cornea.

RESULTS

The mean postoperative follow-up period was 29.4 weeks. Symptoms disappeared in all patients. In 30 eyelids of 19 patients the cilia did not touch the cornea, even in the down-gaze. In one eyelid the cilium touched the medial conjunctiva, but not the cornea. The cosmetic outcome of the lower lid was satisfactory in all cases and the wounds of the split lid margin healed without scarring. To date, there have been no complications such as wound dehiscence, ectropion or eyelid retraction.

CONCLUSIONS

The lamellar splitting of the lid margin is a beneficial addition to the repair of prominent lower lid epiblepharon, especially on the medial aspect of the eyelid. This simple technique ensures easier eversion of the cilia in epiblepharon repair, without disturbing the posterior lamella or causing unfavourable results.

Lower lid epiblepharon as the presenting feature of spontaneous dural carotid cavernous fistula in an Asian patient

Lower lid epiblepharon is a relatively common problem among young Asian patients. Occasionally, it may be secondary to underlying orbital pathology. We report a 33-year-old Chinese patient with a dural carotid cavernous fistula who presented with an ipsilateral lower lid epiblepharon in the absence of any other significant signs. After a recurrence following primary corrective lid surgery, she was investigated further because of mild ipsilateral proptosis. CT-scans of the orbit revealed an enlarged superior ophthalmic vein and a dural carotid cavernous fistula was confirmed on angiography. Subsequent embolisation of the fistula led to resolution of the proptosis as well as the epiblepharon. We believe that extension of orbital fat to the inferior tarsal border in Asian eyelids together with a poorly fixed anterior lamella contributes to the occurrence of epiblepharon when the Asian orbit becomes congested. The new onset of such features in the Asian patient should lead one to suspect underlying orbital pathology, even in the absence of other, more classic signs.

Acquired Lower Eyelid Epiblepharon in Patients With Thyroid Eye Disease

PURPOSE

To describe a series of patients with acquired epiblepharon secondary to thyroid-related orbitopathy.

METHODS

Retrospective case series of 9 patients with thyroid-related orbitopathy who had epiblepharon.

RESULTS

Seven patients had epiblepharon in both lower eyelids and 2 patients had it in one lower eyelid. Six of the 9 patients were Asian. Each patient had punctate keratopathy. Epiblepharon resolved in all but one patient after treating coexisting manifestations of thyroid-related orbitopathy. One patient required epiblepharon repair.

CONCLUSIONS

We describe a new finding of acquired epiblepharon in the setting of thyroid-related orbitopathy. The majority of patients have spontaneous resolution of the epiblepharon after other surgical procedures for thyroid-related orbitopathy.

Microscopic Anatomy of the Lower Eyelid in Asians

PURPOSE

To study the microscopic anatomic relation of the capsulopalpebral fascia, orbital septum, and tarsus of the lower eyelid in Asians. The anatomic differences between the Asian and non-Asian upper eyelid have been well described by various authors, but the differences of the lower eyelid have not been well characterized microscopically. The microscopic anatomy of the lower eyelid in non-Asians was well studied, but in Asians, despite the presence of gross differences, there were very limited studies on the microscopic anatomy. A thorough knowledge of the Asian lower eyelid anatomy is essential for surgical exploration of the eyelid. It may also explain the higher prevalence of eyelid disorders such as epiblepharon and entropion in Asians.

METHODS

Ten normal Asian lower eyelids from 10 formalin-fixed cadavers (mean age, 67.5 years) were harvested and studied with light microscopy after staining with Masson trichrome.

RESULTS

There was no fusion of the orbital septum and the capsulopalpebral fascia at the lower border of the tarsal plate in 7 specimens and a very limited fusion of these tissues in 3 specimens. The average distance from the inferior tarsal border to the first observable smooth muscle nuclei of the inferior retractors was 1.44 mm. The average tarsal plate thickness was 1.36 mm and the average tarsal plate height was 4.12 mm.

CONCLUSIONS

The Asian lower eyelid anatomy differs from its non-Asian counterpart. There was no consistent fusion between the capsulopalpebral fascia and the orbital septum inferior to the inferior tarsal border. No extension of the capsulopalpebral fascia to the skin was observed. The average distance between the inferior retractors and the inferior tarsal plate was 1.44 mm in the normal Asian lower eyelid.

Surgical management of upper lid epiblepharon

BACKGROUND

Upper lid epiblepharon refers to a developmental anomaly characterised by the presence of an exaggerated skin fold running horizontally across the upper lid below the lid margin, which in severe cases is associated with lash-cornea touch or even corneal punctate epithelial erosions.

METHOD

This retrospective study looked at 14 patients who underwent bilateral upper lid pretarsal orbicularis debulking and skin excision to correct lash-globe contact from the upper lid.

RESULTS

Surgery was successful in 25 of 28 lids, with one recurrence being successfully re-operated. The remaining 2 recurrences did not undergo further surgery as the patients were asymptomatic.

CONCLUSION

This surgical procedure appears to be an effective treatment of lash inversion in upper lid epiblepharon with good aesthetic results.