The use of tarsus as a free autogenous graft in eyelid surgery

This is a report of the use of autogenous tarsus as a free graft in 121 eyelid surgical procedures. Seventy-three operations were for reconstruction of full-thickness defects and 30 were for repair of eyelid retraction. The remainder were for repair of cicatricial entropion, symblepharon, distichiasis, and irregularity of the eyelid margin. No grafts failed. There were three complications to a donor eyelid. It is believed that donor eyelid complications are less likely when the graft is harvested so as to include the upper tarsal margin. The free autogenous tarsal graft was found to be effective in repairing a variety of eyelid defects.