Horizontal eyelid shortening alone versus combined procedures for the correction of involutional lower eyelid...

Conventionally, management of involutional entropion involves correcting both vertical and horizontal laxity, however the optimal surgical approach is debated.

To compare the recurrence rate of horizontal lower eyelid shortening alone with combined surgical approaches for correction of involutional lower eyelid entropion.

A retrospective, comparative, consecutive case series of patients undergoing surgery for involutional lower eyelid entropion with both horizontal and vertical laxity. Patients were categorized based on the procedure as: Group 1, horizontal shortening alone, Group 2, horizontal shortening with everting sutures), and Group 3, horizontal shortening with retractor plication.

Of the 249 procedures (31 bilateral) performed on 218 patients, 54 (22%) involved horizontal eyelid shortening alone (Group 1), while 80 (32%) had this combined with everting sutures (Group 2), and 115 (46%) with retractor plication (Group 3). The anatomical success rates for Groups 1, 2, and 3 were 93, 94, and 90% (P = 0.69), respectively. Similarly, reported symptom improvements were 94, 93, and 93% for these groups (P = 0.91). After an average follow-up of 15.7 months (median 10; range 6-81), Group 1 (eyelid shortening alone) had a 7% (4/54) recurrence, compared to 8% (16/195) in Groups 2 and 3 (combined procedures) (P = 1.0). Complications were minor, with no significant difference between groups.

Eyelid shortening alone appears to be as effective as combined techniques for involutional entropion with both horizontal and vertical eyelid laxity. Nevertheless, procedure selection should consider primary pathogenic factors.