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Postoperative Outcomes of Enucleation Without Closure of the Conjunctiva
Tom Kornhauser1, Muhammad Z Chauhan, John D Pemberton
1Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.A.
Purpose:
To evaluate the long-term outcomes of enucleation without conjunctival closure in a large patient cohort.
Methods:
A retrospective chart review was conducted from January 2011 to January 2024, examining 144 eyes of 143 patients who underwent enucleation without conjunctival closure by a single oculoplastic surgeon. Data collected included patient demographics, indications for surgery, implant types, and complications.
Results:
This study included 144 eyes from 143 patients undergoing enucleation without conjunctival closure. Patients had a mean age of 46.47 years (SD: 19.76; range: 4-92 years), with a mean follow-up of 14.66 months (range: 2-142 months). Indications for enucleation included blind painful eyes for a variety of reasons (e.g., endophthalmitis, end-stage glaucoma, irreparable corneal graft failure, irreparable corneal melt, and intraocular tumors, etc.) which was the most common reason in our practice (72.92%). Porous polyethylene spheres (86.11%) and polymethyl methacrylate spheres (13.89%) were the primary implants used, with no observed implant complications. Three cases (2.08%) developed conjunctival cysts post-trauma.
Conclusions:
Enucleation without conjunctival closure in an otherwise normal eye with no evidence of severe conjunctival shrinkage appears to be a safe and effective procedure with a low complication rate comparable to traditional techniques involving suture-based conjunctival approximation. Meticulous closure of Tenon's capsule may be sufficient to prevent implant-related complications. This approach could potentially reduce surgical time and simplify the enucleation procedure without compromising patient outcomes.
