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Updated: May 15, 2026
Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach for Thyroid Lobectomy
Published on: May 12, 2023
Modified full-thickness blepharotomy for treatment of thyroid eye disease
Aree Nimitwongsakul1, Christopher I Zoumalan, Michael Kazim
1Department of Ophthalmology, Division of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA.
Purpose:
Upper eyelid retraction is the most common sign of thyroid eye disease (TED). The results of traditional surgical procedures to correct upper eyelid retraction have been limited by unreliable postoperative eyelid height and contour. We investigate the outcome of the surgical correction of upper eyelid retraction using a modification of the full-thickness blepharotomy technique initially described by Elner et al.
Methods:
Fifty-three patients (78 eyelids) underwent a modified full-thickness blepharotomy.
Results:
Symmetry (within 1 mm) was achieved in 40 patients (75.5%) and symmetry (within 2 mm) was achieved in 43 cases (81.1%). Of the 53 patients, 8 (15.1%) required reoperation.
Conclusions:
Our surgical approach can be performed efficiently and produces predictably satisfactory eyelid height even in severely retracted eyelids.
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