Levator Palpebrae Superioris With Inferior Oblique Muscle Flaps for Total Ocular Surface Reconstruction

A healthy middle-aged man sustained extensive burns after a motor vehicle accident, including fourth-degree burns to the ocular adnexa. He had bilateral eyelid necrosis with complete tissue loss to the orbital rim. Progressive corneal thinning occurred bilaterally despite frequent lubrication, weekly amniotic membrane placement, and a Gunderson flap, ultimately requiring evisceration of his OS. In accordance with family wishes to perform all interventions for the OD, he underwent ocular surface reconstruction with levator palpebrae superioris (LPS) and inferior oblique (IO) muscle flaps, supplemented with an orbital fat transfer and bucket-handle muscle flap. These flaps were covered with porcine urinary bladder matrix and remained viable with complete globe coverage postoperatively. Although local eyelid flaps traditionally involve tissue supplied by branches of the external carotid artery, this case suggests that orbital-internal carotid artery based flaps utilizing the LPS and IO muscles may achieve ocular surface coverage after complete periocular and facial soft tissue loss.