Aetiology and surgical treatment of childhood blepharoptosis

Semi-adjustable posterior approach for congenital ptosis repair- outcomes of local and general anesthesia

BACKGROUND

To report a single center experience with semi-adjustable posterior approach levator plication ('levatorpexy') in patients with congenital ptosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study. All cases who underwent posterior approach levatorpexy for congenital ptosis between the years 2016 to 2022 were included. The primary outcome measures were margin-to-reflex distance 1 (MRD1) before and after surgery, upper eyelid contour, symmetry of upper eyelid height, complications, and surgical success. Surgery was successful if all the following criteria were met: A postoperative MRD1 of ≥2 mm and ≤4.5 mm, a satisfactory eyelid contour in the operated eyelid, and an inter-eyelid MRD1 asymmetry of ≤1 mm. Postoperative modifications in semi-adjustable techniques were considered in all cases.

RESULTS

Twenty-three eyelids of 21 patients were included, 11 were performed under general anesthesia, and 12 were performed under local anesthesia. The mean age of all patients was 24.1 years (8-47 years). The mean levator function was 11.2 (±2.11). Mean preoperative MRD1 was 1.05 mm and 1.41 for general and local anesthesia, respectively. Mean postoperative MRD1 was 3.33 mm and 3.37 mm for general and local anesthesia, respectively. Eighteen patients (85%) achieved the desired eyelid height and fulfilled our criteria for success. There were no complications reported in any of the groups.

CONCLUSION

Posterior approach levatorpexy is a safe and effective procedure for repairing congenital ptosis in patients with good levator function. This technique is suitable for young patients and those unable to undergo surgery under local anesthesia. This technique offers post-operative modification due to its semi-adjustable nature.

Evaluating the Correlation between Ptosis Improvement and Immediate Postoperative Lagophthalmos following Blepharoptosis Surgery under General Anesthesia in Pediatric Patients

Background: The objective of this study is to establish a potential correlation between postoperative improvement in upper eyelid ptosis, measured by the marginal reflex distance 1 (MRD1), and the immediate postoperative degrees of lagophthalmos (IPDL). The established correlation is then used to assess whether IPDL can be used as a reliable indicator of successful treatment of eyelid ptosis. Methods: This retrospective study involved 19 patients, aged 1 to 11, with a total of 28 eyes affected by ptosis, who underwent surgery under general anesthesia at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022. We monitored the MRD1 of the patients for over six months postoperatively and measured the IPDL. Results: After ptosis correction surgery, no statistically significant correlation was observed between the improvement in MRD1 and IPDL. Furthermore, the degree of postoperative eyelid ptosis improvement was found to vary and was not consistently sustained, attributable to a range of factors. Conclusions: Our study did not establish a statistically significant correlation between IPDL and ptosis improvement as measured by MRD1. Further research is needed to draw definitive conclusions about their correlation.

Pediatric-acquired Idiopathic Blepharoptosis with the Eyelids Being Habitually Opened Using the Frontalis Muscle

Pediatric-acquired idiopathic blepharoptosis is rare, and no studies on surgery for the disease have been reported. We present a case of the disease with an atypical postoperative course. The patient initially underwent levator aponeurosis advancement. However, she cannot sufficiently open the affected eyelid without conscious effort and has developed a habit of opening the eyelids using the frontalis muscle. She underwent secondary frontalis suspension with the fascia latae, and then she was able to open her eyelids well all the time. When the disease duration in pediatric-acquired blepharoptosis is long, the habit of opening the eyelids using the frontalis muscle may be difficult to break. In such cases, we believe that frontalis suspension is the best operation.

Congenital ptosis repair in children: comparison of frontalis muscle suspension surgery and levator muscle surgery

PURPOSE

Comparing the surgical and refractive outcomes of congenital ptosis repair by different surgical techniques.

METHODS

This longitudinal cohort study reviewed medical records of 101 patients who underwent congenital ptosis repair, from 2006 to 2022 in a single center. Analysis was performed for demographic background, co-morbidities, pre-operative and post-operative ocular examinations and refraction, complications, reoperations, and success rates.

RESULTS

Following exclusion criteria, we remained with 80 patients (103 eyes) who underwent either frontalis muscle suspension surgery (FMS) (55 eyes) or levator muscle surgery (LM) (48 eyes). Patients in the FMS group were younger (mean age of 3.1 vs. 6.0 years, p < 0.001) and had worse pre-operative ocular assessments including prevalence of visual axis involvement, chin-up head position, ptosis severity, and levator muscle function (LF) (p < 0.001). Both groups had a 25% rate of reoperation, however while in the LM group reoperation was required solely due to undercorrection, in the FMS group various indications prompted reoperation. Success rate was higher in the FMS group (87.3% vs. 60.4%, p = 0.002). While pre-operative astigmatism was higher in the LM group (p = 0.019), no significant differences were observed post-operatively. Spherical and spherical equivalent changes over time were significant only in the FMS group (p = 0.010 and p = 0.004, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Within our cohort, a higher success rate of congenital ptosis repair was observed among patients who underwent FMS compared to LM, despite similar reoperation rates. In cases of severe ptosis and moderate LF, LM demonstrated a lower-than-anticipated success rate. Astigmatic changes following ptosis repair were not consistent in either group.

Psychosocial and mental health disorders among a population-based, case-control cohort of patients with congenital upper eyelid ptosis

BACKGROUND/AIM

Recent studies have demonstrated adverse psychosocial and mental health disorders among children with ocular disorders. The mental health burden of children with simple congenital ptosis, however, is unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare the psychosocial and mental health findings of children with simple congenital ptosis with controls.

METHODS

The medical records of all children (<19 years) diagnosed with simple congenital ptosis from 1 January 1965 through 31 December 2004 while residing in Olmsted County, Minnesota were retrospectively reviewed for psychosocial and mental health morbidity. One-to-one randomly selected age-matched and gender-matched controls from the same population were similarly reviewed.

RESULTS

81 children with ptosis were diagnosed at a mean age of 3.2 years (range, 1 month-16 years), 35 (43.2%) of whom were girls. An adverse psychosocial development was diagnosed in 41 (50.6%) patients with simple congenital ptosis monitored to a mean age of 21.4 years, compared with 26 (32.5%) controls (p=0.02). A mental illness was diagnosed in 31 (38.3%) patients with ptosis compared with 16 (20%) controls (p=0.01). Children with ptosis were 2.5 times more likely than controls to develop a mental illness and 2.1 times more likely to develop a psychosocial maladjustment. Patients with ptosis were also significantly more likely to have more mental health disorders (p=0.02) and a longer duration of psychotropic medication use (p=0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Children diagnosed with simple congenital ptosis in this population had significantly greater psychosocial and mental health morbidity compared with controls. Children with ptosis may benefit from early psychosocial intervention.

Surgical outcomes of tarsofrontalis sling surgery using silicon rod versus supramaximal levator resection in unilateral congenital ptosis with poor levator function

PURPOSE

To compare the surgical outcomes of tarsofrontalis sling surgery using silicon rod versus supramaximal levator resection in patients of unilateral congenital ptosis with poor levator function (≤ 4 mm).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This randomized control study was conducted over a period of 18 months. 44 patients were enrolled in the study group. The study population was randomly divided into two groups (22 in each group). In Group A, congenital ptosis was treated with tarsofrontalis sling surgery using silicon rod and supramaximal levator resection was done in the group B. Follow-up examination was done at postoperative day 1, one week, 1 month, 6 months and 12 months. Surgical outcome measures were change in marginal reflex distance-1 (MRD 1), vertical palpebral fissure height (VPFH) and inter-eyelid difference of margin reflex distance 1 and complications in two groups.

RESULTS

The mean age of patients in group A was 7.25 ± 6.10 years ranging from 1-18 years and mean age of patients in group B was 5.64 ± 2.44 years ranging from 3 to 11 years. Good surgical outcome was obtained in 73-77% of both groups. MRD1and VPFH increased significantly after surgery from baseline in both the groups (p value < 0.001). Inter-eyelid MRD 1 difference also improved significantly in both groups following ptosis surgery.

CONCLUSION

Both supramaximal levator resection and tarsofrontalis sling surgery are equally effective in cases of unilateral ptosis patients with poor levator function and should be part of the surgical armamentarium for treating congenital ptosis.

Modified conjoint fascial sheath suspension for the correction of severe congenital blepharoptosis in pediatric patients at different ages

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the surgical outcomes of modified combined fascia sheath (CFS) and levator muscle (LM) complex suspension for the correction of severe congenital blepharoptosis in pediatric patients.

METHODS

Pediatric patients with severe congenital blepharoptosis were enrolled form July 2017 to July 2021. All patients were divided into two groups according to their age (group A ≤ 7 years; group B > 7 years) and received CFS + LM suspension surgery. Main surgical outcome indexes include margin reflex distance 1 (MRD1) and MRD1 regression. Postoperative complications such as lagophthalmos (LAG), conjunctival prolapse, exposure keratopathy and trichiasis were documented.

RESULTS

Fifty patients (60 eyes) were enrolled, including 17 patients (18 eyes) in group A and 33 patients (42 eyes) in group B. The MRD1 in group A was 3.06 ± 0.64 mm at 6 months after the operation, and the MRD1 in group B was 2.64 ± 0.69 mm 6 months postoperatively which is significantly lower than that of group A (P = 0. 044). At the last visit, however, the MRD1 in group A was 3.00 ± 0.69 mm and the MRD1 in group B was 2.64 ± 0.70 mm. There was no significant difference in MRD1 between two groups in long term (P = 0.255). Additionally, there were a variety of degrees of MRD1 regression, especially in the first month after the operation in both groups (both P < 0.001). Moreover, there were 9 cases of postoperative complications in group A and 13 cases in group B. The overall occurrence of postoperative complications in group A was significantly lower than that in groups B (χ ²  = 4.413, P = 0.036).

CONCLUSIONS

CFS + LM suspension, a modified CFS-based surgery, is an effective treatment for severe congenital blepharoptosis in pediatric patients. Moreover, CFS + LM suspension demonstrate excellent long-term outcomes, including good movement of the eyelid, satisfied eyelid closure and fewer postoperative complications.

Efficacy and Complications of External and Internal Pediatric Blepharoptosis Repair Techniques: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To review and evaluate the efficacy and complication rates of external and internal blepharoptosis repair techniques in pediatric patients.

METHODS

The systematic review protocol was published on PROSPERO (CRD42020197343). Embase, MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched without date limitations. Two independent reviewers evaluated the articles for inclusion. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed using GRADE and Cochrane's ROBINS-I tool, respectively.

RESULTS

Of 2,228 articles screened, 23 studies involving 730 patients were included. There were 20 case series and 3 retrospective cohort studies, but no randomized controlled studies. Overall study quality was low with serious risk of bias according to the GRADE and ROBINS-I criteria, respectively. External levator resection was the most studied procedure, evaluated in 18 studies. Seven studies investigated internal approaches including the Fasanella-Servat procedure. There was no standardized evaluation of surgical efficacy. Reoperation rates were 16.6% (range 3.6-50.9%) for external levator resection compared with 22.2% (range 0.0-25.8%) for internal approaches. The commonest postoperative complications were not sight-threatening. The most consistently reported complication was undercorrection, occurring at rates of 8.4% (range 2.4-16.7%) and 15.3% (range 2.7-75.0%) for external levator resection and internal approaches, respectively. There were no consistently applied, validated patient-reported outcomes or cosmetic outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

External and internal approaches have been successfully employed in pediatric blepharoptosis repair. However, noncomparative designs and risk-of-bias limit existing studies. Thus, prospectively designed studies with standardized outcome measures are required to minimize reporting bias, facilitate evidence synthesis, and support clinical decision making.

Effect of Congenital Lower Eyelid Epiblepharon Surgery on Asymmetric Margin Reflex Distance 1

Objectives: To investigate the characteristics of margin reflex distance 1 (MRD1) asymmetry in congenital lower eyelid epiblepharon and its resolution after surgical correction of epiblepharon.Methods: Among patients who underwent lower eyelid epiblepharon surgery from November 2015 to September 2017, patients with a preoperative MRD1 difference of more than 1.0 mm between the two eyes according to medical photographs were defined as having MRD1 asymmetry. A postoperative MRD1 difference of less than 1.0 mm between the two eyes was regarded as MRD1 asymmetry resolution. The preoperative MRD1 difference was compared between subgroups with resolved or sustained MRD1 asymmetry. Astigmatism and amblyopia were also assessed.Results: Among 432 patients, MRD1 asymmetry was observed in 24 patients (5.6%). MRD1 was always lower in the side with more extensive epiblepharon. At 6 months after surgery, the mean MRD1 difference between the two eyes was significantly decreased (1.8 ± 0.7 mm to 0.5 ± 0.8 mm, p < .001, paired t-test) and MRD1 asymmetry resolution occurred in 19 patients (79%). In the resolved MRD1 asymmetry group, the preoperative MRD1 difference was 2.0 mm or less and was significantly smaller than that in the sustained MRD1 asymmetry group (p = .010, Mann-Whitney U test). Six patients had preoperative aniso-astigmatism ≥ 1.50 D. Unilateral amblyopia presented in nine patients (38%) and improved within 1 year postoperatively.Conclusions: MRD1 asymmetry can be resolved after epiblepharon surgery, especially when the preoperative MRD1 difference is 2.0 mm or less. Unilateral amblyopia was frequent, but the treatment outcome was good.

[Management of blepharophimosis, ptosis, epicanthus inversus syndrome at a referral center in Tunisia]

INTRODUCTION

Blepharophimosis ptosis epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES) is a rare congenital hereditary abnormality. It includes complex orbital-palpebral malformations, causing aesthetic and functional ramifications. Management of BPES requires two steps : diagnosis and treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective descriptive study of 44 patients (88 eyelids) with blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES). In our series, we opted for two-stage surgery in 28 cases : epicanthus-telecanthus surgery followed by ptosis surgery. Simultaneous surgery was performed in 5 cases.

RESULTS

The mean age at the first visit was 6 years (6.1±6.4). The mean age of our patients at the time of the first surgery was 6.6 years. Epicanthus surgery was performed in 35 cases. The two techniques used to correct epicanthus were Y-V plasty in 30 cases (85.7%, n=35) and Y-V+double Z plasty in 5 cases (14.3%, n=35). Correction of the telecanthus was performed at the same time by a medial canthal tendon plication in 31 cases (88.6%, n=35) or transnasal canthopexy in 4 cases (11.4%, n=35). The mean age at the time of ptosis surgery was 7.23 years (±6.25), ranging from 8 months to 27 years. Ptosis surgery was performed in 41 cases (79 eyelids), of which 3 patients underwent unilateral ptosis surgery due to asymmetrical ptosis. The techniques used were levator resection in 64 eyelids and frontal suspension in 15 eyelids.

CONCLUSION

BPES is often clinically diagnosed. The difficulty in management lies in the complex surgery required. There is no established consensus regarding surgical techniques or the timing of the surgeries.

Custom ocular prosthesis-related concerns: patient feedback survey-based report vis-à-vis objective clinical grading scales

Purpose: To report the outcomes of a survey on patients' concerns and satisfaction with custom ocular prosthesis (COP) wear and compare with objective clinician grading scales.Methods: The questionnaire was answered by 156 participants. General social concerns and prosthesis-related concerns were plotted on a scale of 0 to 10, indicating least to maximum satisfaction and also not concerned to very concerned. Comparison between subjective patient and objective clinician scores was done.Results: The mean age at presentation was 27.53 ± 15.53 years (range 3-72 years).For patients that underwent a prior surgical procedure, mean satisfaction with the surgery was 9.42 ± 1.27. Mean satisfaction with the COP was 8.98 ± 1.75. The median satisfaction score for the primary surgery as well as for the outcome of the custom ocular prosthesis was 10. Commonest prosthesis-related concerns were reduced motility (mean 3 ± 2, median 3), watering, crusting and discharge (mean 2 ± 2, median 2), and difference in the size of the prosthetic eye relative to the other eye (mean 1 ± 2, median 1). Subjective patient concern responses and the objective clinician grading correlated strongly for movement of the prosthesis (r = -0.84, p < .0001), periocular fullness (r = 0.65, p < .0001), color of the prosthesis (r = -0.8, p < .0001) and size relative to the other eye (r = 0.7, p < .0001).Conclusion: Custom ocular prosthesis usage had a high satisfaction score with minimal concerns. Commonest prosthesis-related concerns correlated strongly with objective clinician grading.

A modified Fox pentagon technique performed using a polytetrafluoroethylene sling in frontalis suspension to treat blepharophimosis syndrome

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functional and cosmetic outcomes of a new modified Fox pentagon technique performed using polytetrafluoroethylene in frontalis suspension surgery for blepharophimosis syndrome. This retrospective study enrolled 40 patients diagnosed with blepharophimosis syndrome from March 2016 to October 2018. All patients underwent frontalis suspension using a new modified Fox pentagon technique. The functional and cosmetic outcomes were evaluated. After the operation, the mean palpebral fissure height increased from 2.68 to 6.93 in right eyes and from 2.73 to 6.98 in left eyes. The mean MRD1 increased from 0.53 to 3.76 in right eyes and from 0.50 to 3.78 in left eyes. While preoperative to postoperative differences were statistically significant (p < 0.01), there were no significant differences between right and left eyes either before or after the surgery (p > 0.01). All patients achieved good cosmetic results with an average score of 0.6. We have experimentally created a modified Fox pentagon technique performed using a polytetrafluoroethylene sling in a frontalis suspension to treat BPES; this approach yielded favorable cosmetic and functional outcomes.

[Treatment of congenital ptosis in a low-income country: polypropylene frontalis sling at the African Institute of Tropical Ophthalmology]

INTRODUCTION

Treatment of congenital ptosis is exclusively surgical; the frontalis sling method is most appropriate when the ptosis is severe, with no upper eyelid levator function. This surgery typically utilizes various materials (autologous fascia lata, silicone, nylon, or polypropylene bands, etc.).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective descriptive study of 22 children under 16 years of age, treated for congenital ptosis by frontalis suspension of the levator muscle of the upper eyelid using the polypropylene technique, between January 1, 2014 and June 30, 2017 at the African Institute of Tropical Ophthalmology teaching hospital.

RESULTS

In our study, the surgical result (prior to correction of recurrences) was satisfactory in 81.82 % of cases, with a recurrence rate of 13.64 %. The mean follow-up was 14 months, ranging from 4 to 25 months.

DISCUSSION

The use of polypropylene provides encouraging results in ptosis surgery, while also offering the advantage of being low cost and more available. Its use in developing countries deserves special attention.

Prevalence and risk factors of childhood blepharoptosis in Koreans: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Purpose:

Childhood blepharoptosis may cause cosmetic and functional problems in children, but there is a paucity of studies about its epidemiology. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of childhood blepharoptosis and associated risk factors in a representative Korean population.

Methods:

This cross-sectional nation-wide study analysed the data set acquired from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008–2012. A total of 8218 children aged 3–18 years were included. The prevalence of childhood blepharoptosis, defined as a margin reflex distance (MRD) of < 2 mm in either eye, was estimated, and the risk factors were identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results:

The mean age of participants was 11.3 ± 0.1 years, and 52.8 ± 0.6% were boys. The overall prevalence of childhood blepharoptosis in Korea was 8.0% (95% CI, 6.9–9.1%). Boys exhibited a higher prevalence of blepharoptosis than girls at most of ages. Levator function increased with age in the normal general population. The proportion of subjects exhibiting MRD1 ≥ 4.0 mm also increased significantly with age (p < 0.001). Male gender, higher body mass index, and urban residency were significantly associated with childhood blepharoptosis.

Conclusions:

The prevalence of childhood blepharoptosis is higher in urban obese boys. The increase of levator function with age should be considered in evaluations of childhood ptosis.

Surgical intervention for paediatric blepharoptosis: a 6-year case series

PURPOSE

To present our experience of paediatric blepharoptosis in a tertiary referral centre and evaluate the effectiveness of surgical intervention.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of all children receiving surgical blepharoptosis correction between 1/1/10 and 29/2/16. Children with pre-operative levator function (LF) ≥ 7 mm received levator resection, those with LF ≤ 4 mm received brow suspension, and in those children with LF of 5-6 mm, either levator resection or brow suspension was chosen depending on the degree of frontalis recruitment.

RESULTS

Ninety-five children (109 eyes, 64 boys) underwent blepharoptosis surgery within the study period. Mean (range) age at surgery was 5.9 (1.2-12.5) years. Seventy-nine (83.2%) had simple levator maldevelopment. Fifteen children were excluded due to inadequate follow-up. Of the remaining 80 children, 41 (51.2%) underwent levator resection, 27 (33.8%) underwent fascia lata brow suspension, and twelve (15.0%) underwent mersilene mesh brow suspension. Margin reflex distance-1 was greatest at 6-week follow-up with a small "lid drop" by 6-month follow-up in both the levator resection (0.9 mm pre-operatively, 3.1 mm at 6-week follow-up, 2.6 mm at 6-month follow-up) and fascia lata brow suspension (0.3 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.2 mm) groups. No immediate complications, and only two serious post-operative complications, were noted. One case of residual blepharoptosis was re-operated (fascia lata brow suspension).

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical correction of paediatric blepharoptosis is safe and, after an observed lid drop between 6-week and 6-month follow-up (not seen in the mersilene mesh brow suspension group), effect appears to be maintained to 6 months and beyond. Readily accessible orthoptic assessment would help identify children at risk of amblyopia, both pre-operatively and post-operatively.

Clinical and Demographic Characteristics of Blepharoptosis in Korea: A 24-year Experience including 2,328 Patients

Purpose

To describe the demographics, relative incidence of subtypes, and clinical characteristics of blepharoptosis in Korean patients.

Methods

This is a retrospective, observational case series consisting of 2,328 patients who underwent ptosis surgery from 1991 to 2014 at a tertiary referral hospital in Korea. The patients were classified according to the type of ptosis and the evaluation of clinical characteristics including levator muscle function (LF) and degree of ptosis.

Results

Of the 2,328 patients, 1,815 (78%) had congenital ptosis and 513 (22%) had acquired ptosis. Simple congenital ptosis is the most common type overall (73.7%), and aponeurotic ptosis is the most common acquired type. More than three-quarters of eyes with congenital ptosis were affected in a moderate (34.4%) to severe degree (41.3%), and most of these eyes had fair (33.7%) to poor LF (60.1%). Among eyes with acquired ptosis, approximately three-quarters were affected in a mild (33.3%) to moderate degree (41.0%), with 63.3% of these eyes having good LF. The most widely used surgical technique was frontalis suspension (55.1%), followed by levator resection (29.0%) and aponeurosis repair (14.8%). At 3 years after the first surgery, 15.7% of patients with congenital ptosis and 10.4% of patients with acquired ptosis underwent reoperation.

Conclusions

Although the prevalence has decreased from previous years, the proportion of cases with congenital ptosis was higher in this study than has been shown in research conducted in the West. The majority of eyes with congenital ptosis was affected to a severe degree and had poor LF, while those with acquired ptosis were affected to a moderate degree and had good LF. More cases with acquired ptosis presented with fair to poor LF, and frontalis suspension surgery was performed more commonly compared to previous studies. The reoperation rate was higher in congenital ptosis compared to acquired ptosis.

Surgical treatment of unilateral severe simple congenital ptosis

Unilateral congenital ptosis with poor levator function of ≤4 mm continues to be a difficult challenge for the oculoplastic surgeon. Surgical correction can be accomplished with unilateral frontalis suspension, maximal levator resection, or bilateral frontalis suspension with or without levator muscle excision of the normal eyelid. Bilateral frontalis suspension was proposed by Beard and Callahan to overcome the challenge of postoperative asymmetry, allowing symmetrical lagophthalmos on downgaze, postoperatively. However, most surgeons and patients prefer unilateral correction on the abnormal eyelid either with a frontalis suspension or maximal levator resection. Frontalis suspension may be performed through the various surgical techniques using different autogenous or exogenous materials. Autogenous fascia lata is considered the material of choice with low recurrence rates but carries the drawbacks of the difficulty of harvesting and postoperative morbidity from the second surgical site. Recent reports have suggested that maximal levator resection provides improved cosmesis, a more natural contour, and avoids brow scars. Although both treatments have shown to have similar success rates, there is much debate about what the most favorable method for treating severe unilateral ptosis. We review the literature on the various surgical treatments for unilateral severe congenital ptosis, including the rationale, advantages and disadvantages of each technique.

Etiology of pediatric acquired blepharoptosis

PURPOSE

To describe the etiology of acquired pediatric blepharoptosis in a large clinical series and to elucidate the causes of the disease.

METHODS

The medical records of all patients presenting with acquired blepharoptosis at two specialist ocular plastics practices and a pediatric ophthalmology practice during a period of up to 25 years were reviewed retrospectively and classified according to their diagnosis. Patients were grouped into children (<18 years), younger adults (18-40 years), and older adults (>40 years).

RESULTS

A total of 268 patients <18 years of age were identified. The most common identifiable causes of acquired blepharoptosis in children were infantile hemangioma (n = 92 [34.3%]) and trauma (n = 41 [15.3%]). In 42 cases (15.7%) a definite diagnosis could not be made.

CONCLUSIONS

The etiology of pediatric acquired blepharoptosis can frequently be determined by history and examination; additional diagnostic tests are sometimes required. A high percentage of pediatric patients have blepharoptosis of unknown cause.

The Value of the Frontalis Suspension Procedure as a Repeat Intervention in Congenital Blepharoptosis

PURPOSE

To evaluate the therapeutic benefits of frontalis suspension as a repeat intervention in congenital blepharoptosis.

METHODS

Pediatric patients diagnosed as having congenital ptosis who had at least 2 years of postoperative follow-up were included in this retrospective study. A successful outcome was defined as a postoperative margin-reflex distance of 3 mm or greater. The chi-square, Student's t, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used in comparisons.

RESULTS

Eighty-four eyes of 77 patients with a follow-up period of 8.4 ± 0.7 years were included. The initial surgery was levator resection in 29 (34.5%) eyes and frontalis suspension in 55 (65.5%) eyes. Frontalis suspension was performed for all repeat interventions (n = 20). Surgical success was achieved in 61.9% of patients with single surgery (75.9% for levator resection vs 54.5% for frontalis suspension; P = .06) and in 77.4% of patients following repeated surgeries (93.1% vs 69.1% for patients who initially underwent levator resection vs frontalis suspension, respectively; P = .012). A higher success rate was associated with better preoperative levator function (P = .01) and a higher margin-reflex distance (P = .004), and was inversely proportional to ptosis severity (P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

Frontalis suspension as a repeat intervention for congenital blepharoptosis is associated with a further increase in long-term anatomic success rates and should be considered when initial procedures fail or remain inadequate. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2017;54(5):320-323.].

Bilateral blepharoptosis in a juvenile

In adults, aponeurotic blepharoptosis is the most common type of ptosis. However, myogenic ptosis is the predominant cause, and bilateral aponeurotic ptosis is very rare among children. Here, we report a previously healthy 10-year-old Japanese girl with bilateral aponeurotic blepharoptosis who presented initially with bilateral blepharoptosis for about 4years. This case report shows that history taking and careful observation of the patient lead to an accurate diagnosis, and aponeurotic ptosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of bilateral blepharoptosis among children.

Evaluation of Long-term Outcomes of Correction of Severe Blepharoptosis with Advancement of External Levator Muscle Complex: Descriptive Statistical Analysis of the Results

AIM

Evaluation of long-term results after aponeurotic blepharoptosis correction with external levator muscle complex advancement.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We carried out a retrospective study with medical record review of 20 patients (40 eyes) affected by bilateral aponeurotic moderate and severe ptosis who underwent primary surgery between January 2010 and December 2013. Criteria for outcome evaluations included 3-year postoperative follow-up of upper margin reflex index (uMRD) and symmetry.

RESULTS

3-Year postoperative follow-up showed 17 (85%) cases of successful correction of ptosis and three cases (15%) showed partial success. Two eyes showed hypocorrection, while one eye was overcorrected. The symmetry was maintained in all patients except for the oldest.

CONCLUSION

External superior levator advancement is an effective procedure for moderate and severe aponeurotic blepharoptosis correction, and establishes good long-term eyelid position and symmetry.

Factors Associated With Surgical Outcomes in Congenital Ptosis: A 10-Year Study of 319 Cases

PURPOSE

To evaluate the 10-year results of surgery for congenital ptosis and identify factors associated with excellent outcomes and recurrence.

DESIGN

Retrospective, interventional case series.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted of 319 patients who underwent surgical correction at a tertiary medical center for congenital ptosis. The main outcome measures were postoperative surgical outcomes and recurrence rates. Excellent lid height was assessed as a marginal reflex distance (MRD) greater than 3 mm. Recurrence was defined as a lid height less than 50% of the initial postoperative lid height.

RESULTS

The overall surgical success rate was 97.2%. On multivariate analysis, 3 factors were significantly associated with a greater probability of achieving excellent lid height: treatment using levator muscle resection (LMR) (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.76; P = .04), better preoperative MRD (adjusted OR, 2.21; P < .001), and absence of Marcus Gunn (jaw-winking) syndrome (adjusted OR, 0.12; P = .01). For recurrence, 7 significant risk factors were identified: children less than 1 year old (adjusted OR, 4.92; P = .02), poorer preoperative MRD (adjusted OR, 0.64; P = .04), poorer postoperative MRD (adjusted OR, 0.32; P < .001), treatment with frontalis suspension (FS) (adjusted OR, 5.86; P < .001), wound infection (adjusted OR, 9.45; P = .02), postoperative entropion (adjusted OR, 11.25; P = .003), and conjunctival prolapse (adjusted OR, 7.10; P = .03). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the 1-, 5-, and 10-year recurrence-free rates were 97.3% ± 1.2%, 80.5% ± 4.4%, and 76.7% ± 5.6%, respectively, for the LMR group and 90.9% ± 3.1%, 42.9% ± 8.1%, and 20.8% ± 10.1%, respectively, for the FS group (P < .001, log-rank test).

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical treatment of congenital ptosis had a high success rate. Identifying the risk factors and taking appropriate measures may result in better surgical outcomes and less recurrence. Our retrospective study showed that the likelihood of achieving excellent outcomes with lower recurrence rates was higher with LMR than with FS. However, a prospective randomized study is necessary to clarify their efficacy.

Clinical presentation and management of congenital ptosis

Congenital ptosis is a rare condition characterized by lower positioning of the upper eyelid that is present at birth and is a clinical condition that is persistent if not treated. It may be unilateral or bilateral and may be associated with other ocular disorders or systemic conditions, including Marcus Gunn, Horner, and Duane syndromes. It is a benign condition but causes functional, cosmetic, and psychological problems in children. However, not all patients need to undergo surgery, and usually only patients at risk of amblyopia need a prompt surgical correction, while in other cases, surgery can be postponed. The grade of ptosis, the eyelid function, and the amblyopic risk are the parameters that affect the ophthalmologist’s decision on timing of surgery and the surgical technique to be used. In fact, there are several types of surgical techniques to correct a congenital ptosis, although very often more than one is needed to obtain an acceptable result. This paper reviews the causes of congenital ptosis and associated diseases. Particular emphasis is given to surgical management and different procedures available to correct the upper eyelid anomaly and avoid permanent damage to visual function.

The utility of margin-reflex distance in determining the type of surgical intervention for congenital blepharoptosis

Aims:

To evaluate the utility of margin-reflex distance (MRD) as an alternative to levator function (LF) in choosing the appropriate surgical procedure for congenital blepharoptosis.

Settings and Design:

This was a retrospective, observational study.

Subjects and Methods:

Records of patients with simple (dystrophic) congenital ptosis who were operated and followed for ≥6 months postoperatively and whose outcomes were deemed as successful were evaluated in the study. Success was defined as a MRD at the last postoperative visit of ≥3 mm. In all cases, levator resection was performed when LF was >4 mm and frontalis suspension when LF was ≤4 mm.

Statistical Analysis Used:

For statistical evaluations, LF was accepted as the gold standard parameter for deciding on the surgical intervention, and the optimum cutoff point for initial MRD was determined as the point at which sensitivity and specificity was highest at the receiving operating curve for the selection of surgical procedure.

Results:

Of one hundred and three eyes of ninety patients (44 female/46 male), levator resection was used in 44.7% and frontalis suspension in 55.3%. When the optimum cutoff point for MRD was determined as 0.5 mm, the sensitivity was 71%, specificity was 86%, and the area under the curve that represented the discriminative power of this parameter was found to be 0.826.

Conclusion:

The MRD at the cutoff point of 0.5 mm may be used as an alternative to LF to determine the type of surgical intervention in patients with congenital blepharoptosis whose LF cannot be reliably obtained in clinical evaluations.

Clinical Outcomes of Frontalis Sling Using Silicone Rod With Two-point Brow Incisions in Blepharoptosis

PURPOSE

To investigate the functional and cosmetic outcomes of the modified frontalis sling operation using silicone rod with two-point brow incisions.

METHODS

A retrospective medical record review of 17 patients who underwent frontalis suspension surgery was performed. Functional outcomes were measured using habitual margin reflex distance. Cosmetic outcomes were investigated with contour analysis and a Patient Scar Assessment Questionnaire.

RESULTS

At the final visit, good and fair eyelid heights were achieved in 75% of patients in the unilateral group and 61.1% in the bilateral group. The average increase in margin reflex distance 1 was 1.9 mm in the unilateral group and 1.8 mm in the bilateral group. Satisfaction scores were 14.6, 8.2, and 11.8 for appearance, symptoms, and consciousness, respectively. In contour analysis, the normal arch generally increased.

CONCLUSIONS

Frontalis suspension with two-point brow incisions resulted in similar functional and cosmetic outcomes as the three-point brow incision technique. This study showed patient satisfaction with the aesthetic result after the frontalis sling procedure. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2016;53(4):224-232.].

Safety and Long-term Outcomes of Congenital Ptosis Surgery: A Population-Based Study

PURPOSE

To report the long-term outcomes of childhood ptosis surgery in a population-based setting over a 46-year period.

METHODS

In this population-based cohort study, the medical records of all patients who were residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, diagnosed as having blepharoptosis and having undergone surgical management prior to 19 years of age (between January 1, 1965, and December 31, 2010), were retrospectively reviewed. Age at time of surgery, type of surgery, duration of follow-up, number and nature of revisions, degree of amblyopia, and postoperative lagophthalmos and dry eye were documented.

RESULTS

Forty-seven children meeting inclusion criteria underwent ptosis surgery. The median age at time of first surgery was 5.6 years (range: 1.5 to 17.7 years). Fifteen of 47 (31.9%) patients required a second procedure. Three of 47 (6.4%) patients underwent three procedures. The median time was 1.1 years (range: 0.03 to 7.8 years) between the first and second surgery and 6.0 years (range: 0.3 to 6.1 years) between the second and third procedure. Seven of 47 (14.9%) patients had amblyopia. Nineteen of 47 (40.4%) patients were noted to have lagophthalmos and 3 of 47 (6.4%) presented for symptomatic dry eye postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

In this population-based setting, more than half of the children with ptosis required only a single surgical procedure, although a significant proportion required two procedures. Postoperative lagophthalmos is common, but symptomatic dry eye is rare. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2016;53(4):212-217.].

Ptosis Shmosis

A 10-year-old girl presented with painless unilateral left upper lid ptosis. A nontender hard mass was palpated in the left upper lid. Blood smear was compatible with the diagnosis of leukemia. The cause of ptosis was now thought to be a mass composed of myeloid blast cells (myeloid sarcoma).

Spastic paraplegia type 7 is associated with multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions

Spastic paraplegia 7 is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the gene encoding paraplegin, a protein located at the inner mitochondrial membrane and involved in the processing of other mitochondrial proteins. The mechanism whereby paraplegin mutations cause disease is unknown. We studied two female and two male adult patients from two Norwegian families with a combination of progressive external ophthalmoplegia and spastic paraplegia. Sequencing of SPG7 revealed a novel missense mutation, c.2102A>C, p.H 701P, which was homozygous in one family and compound heterozygous in trans with a known pathogenic mutation c.1454_1462del in the other. Muscle was examined from an additional, unrelated adult female patient with a similar phenotype caused by a homozygous c.1047insC mutation in SPG7. Immunohistochemical studies in skeletal muscle showed mosaic deficiency predominantly affecting respiratory complex I, but also complexes III and IV. Molecular studies in single, microdissected fibres showed multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions segregating at high levels (38-97%) in respiratory deficient fibres. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that paraplegin mutations cause accumulation of mitochondrial DNA damage and multiple respiratory chain deficiencies. While paraplegin is not known to be directly associated with the mitochondrial nucleoid, it is known to process other mitochondrial proteins and it is possible therefore that paraplegin mutations lead to mitochondrial DNA deletions by impairing proteins involved in the homeostasis of the mitochondrial genome. These studies increase our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of SPG7 mutations and suggest that SPG7 testing should be included in the diagnostic workup of autosomal recessive, progressive external ophthalmoplegia, especially if spasticity is present.

A modified technique for levator resection in congenital ptosis

This study describes a modified technique for levator resection in congenital ptosis and presents the results from a consecutive series of patients operated on with this method. Eighteen patients were operated on for congenital ptosis. By means of a blunt dissection through the potential space between the levator aponeurosis and the orbital septum, this operation method takes advantage of this anatomical entrance route to surgery on the levator complex, and thereby avoids violation of the orbital septum and the retroseptal fat pad. In a consecutive series of 18 patients with congenital ptosis, 88% of the patients achieved a good result according to the success criteria. In surgery for moderate congenital ptosis, the amount of levator resection is of utmost importance to obtain the desired height of the eyelid. With this method this can be obtained without violating the orbital septum.

[Ptosis surgery. Current aspects]

Ptosis can be congenital but is more commonly an acquired condition occurring in particular as involutional forms. In addition to the aesthetic aspects ptosis mostly also leads to functional problems. Congenital ptosis in particular carries a high risk of amblyopia in childhood, therefore competent and close-knit pediatric ophthalmological treatment is important. Correction of ptosis is surgical and direct or indirect procedures are available depending on the conditions. Transcutaneous levator surgery has proven to be the universally applicable method for ptosis of all degrees of severity and can be combined with other corrective measures, such as temporal canthopexy or blepharoplasty, particularly for eyelids of elderly patients. In cases of severely impaired levator function and poor Bell phenomenon the indirect frontalis suspension method can be used. Congenital ptosis in childhood should be surgically treated at an early stage because of a substantial risk of amblyopia even if the central visual axis is still clear. The results of ptosis surgery are generally good and serious complications are rare.

Outcomes of levator resection at tertiary eye care center in Iran: a 10-year experience

Purpose

To assess outcomes of levator resection for the surgical correction of congenital and acquired upper lid ptosis in patients with fair to good levator function and evaluation of the relationship between demographic data and success of this operation.

Methods

In a retrospective study, medical records of patients with blepharoptosis who had undergone levator resection over a 10-year period and were followed for at least 3 months were reviewed.

Results

Overall, 136 patients including 60 (44.1%) male and 76 (55.9%) female subjects with a mean age of 20 ± 13.8 years (range, 2 to 80 years) were evaluated, of whom 120 cases (88.2%) had congenital ptosis and the rest had acquired ptosis. The overall success rate after the first operation was 78.7%. The most common complication after the first operation was undercorrection in 26 cases (19.1%), which was more prevalent among young patients (p = 0.06). Lid fissure and margin reflex distance (MRD₁) also increased after levator resection (p < 0.001). Age, sex, type of ptosis, amblyopia, levator function, MRD₁, lid fissure and spherical equivalent were not predictive of surgical outcomes of levator resection.

Conclusions

Levator resection has a high rate of success and few complications in the surgical treatment of congenital and acquired upper lid ptosis with fair to good levator function. Reoperation can be effective in most cases in which levator resection has been performed.

Incidence and demographics of childhood ptosis

PURPOSE

To report the incidence and demographics of childhood ptosis diagnosed over a 40-year period in a well-defined population.

DESIGN

Retrospective, population-based cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients (<19 years) diagnosed with childhood ptosis and residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, from January 1, 1965, through December 31, 2004.

METHODS

The medical records of all potential patients identified by the Rochester Epidemiology Project were reviewed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Calculated annual age- and gender-specific incidence rates and demographic information.

RESULTS

A total of 107 children were diagnosed with ptosis during the 40-year period, yielding an incidence of 7.9 per 100000 younger than 19 years (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.4-9.5). Ninety-six (89.7%) of the 107 had congenital-onset disease. Eighty-one (75%) of the 107 had simple congenital ptosis, yielding a birth prevalence of 1 in 842 births. A family history of childhood ptosis was present in 12% of queried patients with simple congenital ptosis. Three (4%) of the simple congenital ptosis cases were bilateral and 55 (68%) of the unilateral cases involved the left upper eyelid (95% CI, 57%-78%; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood ptosis was diagnosed in 7.9 per 100000 patients younger than 19 years (95% CI, 6.4-9.5). Simple congenital ptosis was the most prevalent form, occurring in 1 in 842 births, and was significantly more likely to involve the left side.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S)

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

Safety and efficacy of silicone rod frontalis suspension surgery for childhood ptosis repair

PURPOSE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of silicone rod frontalis suspension surgery for childhood ptosis.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively studied 89 consecutive children (110 eyelids) who had silicone rod frontalis suspension surgery for ptosis at Duke University Eye Center from 1983 to 2004. Marginal reflex distance1 (MRD1) elevation of 2 mm or more (vs preoperative MRD1) was considered satisfactory. MRD1 was measured as the vertical distance from the corneal light reflex in primary gaze to the upper eyelid margin. The postoperative eyelid symmetry (< or = 1 mm = satisfactory) was the difference between the MRD1 of the surgical and fellow eyelid.

RESULTS

Median age at surgery was 45 months (range: 3 to 223 months) and median follow-up was 17 months (range: 1 to 88 months). Ptosis types (number of eyelids) were unilateral congenital (53), bilateral congenital (30), third nerve palsy (16), Marcus Gunn jaw wink (7), trauma (2), and myasthenia gravis (2). Median MRD1 elevation was 2 mm or greater for all ptosis types, whereas satisfactory postoperative symmetry occurred in 60% of unilateral and 100% of bilateral congenital ptosis cases (last follow-up). Complications occurred in 10 eyelids (9%) and reoperation occurred in 10 eyelids (9%).

CONCLUSION

The use of silicone rod frontalis suspension surgery for ptosis repair in pediatric patients is modestly effective, with few complications and easy removal and adjustment.

Modified tarsal resection operation for congenital ptosis with fair levator function

PURPOSE

There are many options for surgical repair of congenital ptosis with fair levator function. The authors review their 10-year experience with an en bloc resection of tarsus, Müller muscle, and conjunctiva in conjunction with graded levator aponeurosis advancement (a variation of the tarsectomy operation).

METHODS

This is a retrospective case series that reviews all cases of ptosis repair performed at West Virginia University from 1994 to 2004 using the "modified tarsal resection method." Thirty patients with congenital ptosis and fair levator function were identified. Follow-up ranged from 6 weeks to 8 years. Charts were reviewed for type of ptosis, pre- and postoperative upper eyelid margin to reflex distance, degree of levator function, amount of operative tarsus and Müller muscle resection, postoperative eyelid symmetry, and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

In patients with congenital ptosis and fair levator function, the average preoperative upper eyelid margin to reflex distance was 0.0 mm and the average postoperative upper eyelid margin to reflex distance was 2.8 mm. Twenty-five of 30 (83%) patients were deemed to have a "good" surgical outcome. The amount of tarsus-Müller muscle resection reliably predicts the amount of eyelid elevation. The only complications to date have been transient lagophthalmos with exposure keratitis.

CONCLUSIONS

In the authors' hands, an en bloc resection of tarsus, Müller muscle, and conjunctiva combined with levator aponeurosis advancement reliably produces excellent results in the treatment of fair levator function congenital ptosis, superior to their previous experience with isolated maximal levator aponeurosis advancement.

Electron microscopic findings in levator muscle biopsies of patients with isolated congenital or acquired ptosis

OBJECTIVE

Systemic mitochondriopathies as chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO) are frequently associated with ptosis. We investigated whether mitochondrial abnormalities in the levator muscle are also found in patients with isolated congenital or acquired ptosis showing no other signs of mitochondrial cytopathy.

METHODS

Biopsies of levator muscle were taken during surgery from 24 patients with isolated congenital (group 1) or early-onset acquired ptosis (group 2). All patients were given a thorough clinical examination before and after surgery. Ultrathin muscle sections were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The findings were compared with biopsies from five patients with CPEO (positive control) and two patients with traumatic ptosis or pseudoptosis (negative control).

RESULTS

The mean levator function equalled 7.3 mm (range 4-10 mm) in group 1 and 12.8 mm (range 9-15 mm) in group 2. Eight out of 11 patients in group 1 and eight out of 13 patients in group 2 were found to have mitochondrial alterations such as megamitochondria, mitochondrial matrix alterations and abnormal cristae, similar to CPEO. Within group 1 and 2, no significant clinical differences were found between patients with and without mitochondrial abnormalities.

CONCLUSION

Mitochondrial alterations were found in a surprisingly large proportion of levator biopsies from patients with isolated congenital or early-onset acquired ptosis. There was no statistically significant correlation between mitochondrial alterations and levator function. Our findings suggest that the ultrastructural assessment of mitochondria in the eyelid muscle is a valuable tool, and may guide further biochemical and mutation screening tests that will help to understand the etiopathology of this disease.

Transconjunctival levator aponeurotic repair without resection of Müller's muscle

The number of patients with acquired ptosis is on the rise, and correction of blepharoptosis without any postsurgical scars on the eyelid is desired by most. Despite the advantages of the transconjunctival approach for blepharoptosis surgery, its use has been diminishing. The authors performed transconjunctival levator aponeurotic surgery without resecting Müller's muscle for 21 eyelids in 14 patients with blepharoptosis. In 13 of these patients, 20 eyelids were successfully corrected. No major complications such as entropion, eyelid lag, or persistent irritation of the eye were observed. One eyelid with severe blepharoptosis showed an undercorrection of 1.5 mm. Aesthetic "double eyelid" with symmetric folds was achieved for all but one patient. The advantage is that without a skin incision, the reported method requires less downtime, leaves no conspicuous scar on the eyelid, and meets with marked satisfaction by most patients. It is beneficial for candidates who desire no skin incision but have indications for levator aponeurotic surgery and do not present with excessive upper eyelid laxity. This approach presents some challenges, however. One of these involves determining the degree of aponeurosis advancement according to the degree of the open eye during surgery and creating the desired "double-eyelid" shape and size, especially in Asians. Also, the surgeon needs to gain familiarity with the surgical anatomy of the everted eyelid. This method could, with refinements, become the procedure of choice for the correction of blepharoptosis in selected patients.

Comparative study of the subjective and objective grading of ptosis surgery outcomes

AIMS

To assess the results of blepharoptosis surgery in our hospital by subjective and objective grading of the outcome and comparing them to determine their degree of corelation.

METHODS

Retrospective interventional case series report supplemented by postal questionnaires and telephonic patient surveys. The study included 107 eyelids of 78 patients. Using a simple grading system, surgical outcome was objectively graded as good, suboptimal, or poor. Outcome was also defined according to the patients' perspective as good, suboptimal, or poor. Level of agreement between the subjective and objective grading of the outcome was measured using a weighted kappa analysis.

RESULTS

The objective results were classed as good-68/107 (63.5%), suboptimal--18 eyelids (16.8%), and poor--21 eyelids (19.6%). The subjective results were obtainable in 91 eyelids and were good--54/91 (59.3%), suboptimal--8/91 (8.7%), and poor--29/91 (32%). A mismatch between objective and subjective outcomes was seen in 16 eyelids. We saw a statistically significant corelation between the objective grading and the patients' perspective (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our overall ptosis surgery results are comparable with rates previously reported. The subjective and objective outcomes of ptosis surgery may sometimes vary, but nevertheless exhibit substantive agreement when measured by this simple grading system.

Frontalis suspension for upper eyelid ptosis: evaluation of different surgical designs and suture material

PURPOSE

To compare two sling designs (single loop or double pentagon) and a variety of suture material that was used in frontalis suspension surgery for correction of upper eyelid ptosis.

DESIGN

Retrospective, nonrandomized, comparative interventional case series.

METHODS

Medical record review of 99 patients (164 surgeries) who underwent frontalis suspension surgery for upper eyelid ptosis was conducted at the Jules Stein Eye Institute in 1996 to 2002. Functional and cosmetic success, margin reflex distance (MRD) and lagophthalmos were evaluated.

RESULTS

MRD increased an average of 1.1 mm after the operation (P < .001). Ptosis recurrence was noticed in 42 cases (26%); polytetrafluoroethylene achieved the lowest recurrence rate (15%), although not statistically significant. No difference in functional success, ptosis recurrence, or change in MRD was noticed between single loop and double pentagon design. A better cosmetic outcome was noted in cases in which nylon suture was used. Complications included four cases (2.4%) of over-correction, three cases (1.8%) of suture infection (all in polytetrafluoroethylene), two cases of pyogenic granuloma (1.2%), and two cases (1.2%) of suture exposure.

CONCLUSION

Frontalis suspension for upper eyelid ptosis resulted in 26% ptosis recurrence after a mean of 12 months from first surgery. Polytetrafluoroethylene showed the lowest incidence of ptosis recurrence. No statistically significant difference was found between different suture materials or loop shape that was used in the surgical technique. A better cosmetic outcome, as graded by different observers, was noted in cases in which a nylon sling was used.