Surgical correction of blepharoptosis in patients with myasthenia gravis

To describe the results of surgical correction of blepharoptosis in a series of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG).

In this retrospective case series, we reviewed the medical records of all patients with MG who did not respond to medical therapy and underwent surgical correction for blepharoptosis at the Mayo Clinic between 1985 and 1999. The primary outcome measure was change in interpalpebral eyelid fissure height.

Sixteen blepharoptosis procedures were performed on 10 patients with MG. Eight of the 10 patients had ocular MG. Two of the 10 patients had systemic MG. Of the 16 procedures performed, 9 were external levator advancements (ELA), six were frontalis slings, and one was a tarsomyectomy. Patients were followed postoperatively for an average of 34 months (range, 14-126 months). The amount of ptosis was quantified pre- and postoperatively for seven of the nine eyelids that underwent ELA. For these seven eyelids (five patients), there was a statistically significant improvement in the mean interpalpebral eyelid fissure height from 3.7 mm preoperatively to 7.8 mm postoperatively, with a mean difference of 4.1 mm (95% confidence interval 1.9 mm to 6.25 mm, p = 0.0038). Postoperative complications included worsened diplopia in one patient with ELA and exposure keratopathy in one patient with frontalis sling. Two of the ELA eyelids developed recurrent ptosis requiring additional surgery more than 2 years after the initial procedure.

Blepharoptosis surgery can achieve eyelid elevation in patients who have failed to respond to medical therapy for MG. Potential complications include worsened diplopia and exposure keratopathy.