[Horizontal V-Y advancement flap for lower eyelid reconstruction in young patients]

The reconstruction of lower eyelid defects is a complex issue because of the thinness of eyelid tissues and the need for protection of the globe. The surgery must address two requirements: a functional goal, avoiding eyelid malposition, and a cosmetic goal, limiting aesthetic compromises. In young patients, direct closure is rarely possible if the defect is superior to 1cm. The horizontal V-Y advancement flap is a simple and reliable method but is hardly ever reported. The purpose of this study is to review the surgical technique and report our experience with this flap in the reconstruction of younger patients.

Nine patients, 5 men and 4 women, with a mean age of 54 years, underwent a lower eyelid reconstruction by horizontal V-Y advancement flap between 2011 and 2014. In every case, the initial pathology was a basal cell carcinoma and the surgical margins were uninvolved. The mean diameter of the surgical defect was 1.9 centimeters and the average procedure duration was 40 minutes.

All patients were managed as outpatients. Functional and aesthetic results were judged satisfactory or very satisfactory by all the patients and their surgeon. No flap necrosis and no ectropion or scleral show were reported. In one patient, lower lid edema lasted until the third postoperative month.

The horizontal V-Y advancement flap enables to repair lower eyelid defects using nearby skin of similar characteristics. Aesthetic results are very satisfactory, and scars, concealed in the eyelid creases, are nearly invisible in the long term. The lack of tension on the eyelid margin limits the risk of eyelid position. This simple and reliable one-step procedure, possible under local anesthesia, is appropriate for young, active patients, limiting the cosmetic sequelae and social ramifications.