[Exposure of orbital implants: causes and treatment]

The paper provides the results of a 15-year following-up of 91 patients with exposed orbital implants made from synthetic and biological materials. Surgery was made in the patients treated at different health care facilities. The authors analyze the causes of implant exposure in different periods. Early after surgery the most common causes of implant exposure are surgical equipment failure (inadequate implant coating with adjacent tissues), a too large implant arching the tissues, and mismatch of an artificial eye. In the late period, the more common cause is secondary infection or the toxic properties ofa material itself, which cause a persistent chronic inflammatory reaction. Moreover, the authors consider the mechanism of implant exposure and rejection depending on the material of an implant. The paper describes medical and surgical treatments in patients of this group.