[Chondrocutaneous graft in the reconstruction of the inferior palpebra]

The aim of this study is to evaluate the value of a composite chondrocutaneous auricular graft in the functional reconstruction of the eyelids, and to assess and compare the morphostructural changes between an autologus auricular flap consisting of both cartilage and skin and an autologous cartilage graft, used for eyelid reconstruction in rabbits.

The clinical study follows a series of 12 clinical cases, in which the composite cutaneo-cartilaginous graft was used for the reconstruction of the posterior lamellae of the lower eyelid. The posterior lamellae of lower eyelids from 12 rabbits were reconstructed by using in the left eyelid, the composite cutaneo-cartilaginous graft, whereas the right eyelids were reconstructed using only cartilage grafts. The grafts were histologically analyzed in the second, fourth and sixth week.

Clinically the graft were well integrated in all patients. The data obtained from the histological analysis describes different manners of conjunctival epithelization in the two types of graft: migration of the peripheral conjunctiva onto the graft surface in the cartilage graft versus metaplasia from pavimentous epithelium to conjunctival epithelium in the composite graft.

The study demonstrates clinically and experimentally the importance of the cutaneocartilaginous graft in reconstruction of the posterior eyelid lamellae.