[Tarsoconjunctival transposition. Causes, prevention and possibilities for correction of postoperative complications]

The Hughes' tarsoconjunctival flap technique has proved to be a reliable operative procedure for the treatment of large lower-lid defects for more than 55 years. The Hughes' procedure has maintained its importance despite the development of numerous other operations, two reasons for this being that there have now been several modifications to this technique and that the lids do not have to be closed as long. To help the surgeon avoid and eliminate problems and errors in the operative technique we provide details and some useful tricks we have learned over the years while treating over 50 patients. The causes, prophylaxis, and correction of postoperative complications are described for the following: lowering the lid margin; thinning of the lid in the area of the tarsal transposition; lymph edema of the transplant; lid margin defects, and dehiscence of the wound; corneal epithelial defects; trichiasis caused by lanugo hair; keratinization of the lid margin; ectropion of the conjunctiva; retraction of the upper lid, and entropion of the upper lid. If these details are taken into consideration, the Hughes' procedure is a simple operative technique that is free of serious complications and gives good results in the reconstruction of the lower lid.