Static treatment of paralytic lagophthalmos with autogenous tissues

Long-standing facial paralysis is frequently seen in patients who have undergone surgical procedures with sacrifice of the facial nerve and have never been counseled about limiting its consequences. Lagophthalmos must always be treated in these patients to protect vision. The authors describe their techniques of static treatment for lagophthalmos using autologous tissues and their classification system for standardizing patients.

From July 2001 to September 2005, 12 patients (9 men and 2 women) ranging in age from 37 to 77 years (mean, 58.5 years) were treated. Their paralysis was attributable to acoustic neuroma resection in seven cases, to resection of a cerebral vascular anomaly in two cases, and to total parotidectomy with facial nerve sacrifice in three cases. The patients were treated with elongation of the levator palpebrae superioris muscle using a fascia lata graft, bolstering of the lower eyelid with a conchal cartilage graft, or both, combined with a Kuhnt type resection when needed.

Complete closure was achieved for nine patients (75%). For all the patients, resolution of symptoms and keratitis was achieved. No complications were observed. The follow-up period ranged from 14 to 51 months (mean, 39.5 months). The cosmetic outcome also was satisfactory.

For candidates eligible to undergo static treatment of lagphthalmos, the techniques described may be considered valuable options for the correction of lagophthalmos using autologous tissues, thus avoiding the complications related to alloplastic material implantation.