Outcome of silicone sling frontalis suspension in children with simple congenital and complex ptosis

Daphna Landau Prat1, Cindy S Zhao2, Meera Ramakrishnan2

  • 1Division of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Edwin and Fannie Gray Hall Center for Human Appearance, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.; Division of Ophthalmology, Goldschleger Eye Institute and the Sheba Talpiot Medical Leadership Program, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel..

Insights

Silicone sling frontalis suspension surgery offers similar favorable outcomes for both simple and complex pediatric ptosis cases. Repeat surgery rates were comparable, though younger children required more frequent reoperations.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Strabismus Surgery

Background:

  • Congenital ptosis, a condition causing drooping eyelids in children, requires surgical correction.
  • Frontalis suspension (FS) surgery using silicone slings is a common treatment for pediatric ptosis.
  • Differentiating outcomes between simple and complex congenital ptosis is crucial for surgical planning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the efficacy of silicone sling frontalis suspension (FS) surgery in pediatric patients with simple congenital ptosis versus complex congenital ptosis.
  • To evaluate differences in eyelid height improvement and reoperation rates between the two groups.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective cohort study included pediatric patients who underwent silicone sling FS surgery.
  • Patients were categorized into simple and complex congenital ptosis groups based on etiology.
  • Pre- and postoperative margin-to-reflex distance (MRD1) measurements were analyzed to assess eyelid height improvement.

Main Results:

  • The mean MRD1 improved by 1.6 mm in both simple and complex ptosis groups.
  • Repeat ptosis correction rates were similar between the simple (29%) and complex (29%) groups.
  • Children under 3 years old exhibited higher rates of repeat ptosis repair compared to older children.

Conclusions:

  • Silicone sling FS surgery demonstrates a favorable outcome in approximately 70% of pediatric patients with congenital ptosis.
  • Eyelid height improvement and reoperation rates were comparable between simple and complex ptosis cases.
  • The study suggests that silicone sling FS is an effective surgical option for both simple and complex pediatric ptosis, with similar outcomes despite varying disease complexity.
Abstract