Related Experiment Videos
Medial canthoplasty for optimum support of the lower eyelid in 14 patients
1Department of Ophthalmology, UMDNJ Medical School, Newark 07103-2499, USA.
Background And Objectives:
Medial canthoplasty surgically fuses the upper and lower lids medial to the puncta. The authors modified the procedure by inserting a temporary lacrimal stent in order to avoid kinking and scar contracture of the canaliculi.
Patients And Methods:
A medial canthoplasty successfully corrected lower eyelid laxity in 14 patients with the following conditions: (1) exposure and/or neurotrophic keratitis with medial ectropion and/or retraction of the lower eyelid (11 patients), and (2) inability to retain a prosthesis because of lower eyelid ectropion and contracture of the inferior conjunctival fornix (3 anophthalmic patients).
Results:
All patients had a satisfactory cosmetic result despite minimal vertical and horizontal narrowing of the palpebral fissure. Complications included partial wound dehiscence and pyogenic granuloma.
Conclusion:
The modified medial canthoplasty described in this article corrects medial ectropion with minimal cosmetic deformity.