Protective eye device for eyelid brachytherapy: Technical report of an innovative personalized method

Carcinoma of the eyelid is a specific anatomical variant of skin cancer, notable for its proximity to the eye. Surgery is the gold standard for managing eyelid cancer, while radiotherapy can serve as an alternative for patients unfit for surgery or as an adjunct treatment. Various devices in maxillofacial prosthodontics are used in conjunction with head and neck radiotherapy to protect the healthy tissues surrounding the irradiation site. These devices are designed by a maxillofacial prosthodontics specialist in collaboration with a radiotherapist/oncologist.

This technical report presents an innovative and original method for an eye protection device against radiation. We describe a case involving a 60-year-old woman with basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid, initially treated with surgical excision. High-dose rate brachytherapy was indicated, with a total dose of 40 Gy administered in 8 fractions. Prior to treatment delivery, it was necessary to protect the eyeball from the adverse effects of eyelid BT. We devised a novel device to shield the eyeball and its adnexa.

This article details the technique for the creation and insertion of this device. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an intraocular protective device made with lead. This invention was patented under the reference [MA 56825 B1].

The use of a stent designed to shield adjacent tissues from the side effects of radiotherapy is highly advantageous, particularly for critical sites such as the one presented in this clinical case. The success of eye protection in this instance is encouraging and suggests the potential to expand the application of similar devices.