Brian Leatherbarrow

Medpor porous polyethylene implants in orbital blowout fracture repair.

Purpose Various materials are used in orbital blowout fracture repair. We describe a series of patients with orbital blowout fractures that were repaired using porous polyethylene (Medpor) sheets.Methods A non-comparative interventional case series is described of 30 blowout fractures of 30 patients aged 7-60 years (median 29 years) who underwent orbital blowout fracture repair with Medpor sheets. The mean follow-up was 19.1 months (minimum 5 months). The indication for surgery in 6 cases was non-resolving diplopia. The remaining 24 cases had surgery for enophthalmos. Ten cases underwent primary or secondary hydroxyapatite orbital implantation at the same time as orbital floor blowout fracture repair. Data were collected on postoperative motility and diplopia, enophthalmos, cosmesis, complications and re-operations.Results In no case was diplopia worsened by blowout fracture repair. Where surgery was performed for the correction of enophthalmos, late surgery did not compromise the surgical results. There were no intraoperative complications. The one major complication was a case of recurrent implant infections leading to implant removal. There were 3 minor postoperative complications: 2 cases of postoperative infraorbital anaesthesia and one case of a palpable titanium screw. Re-operations were performed for pre-existent diplopia, lid laxity, socket abnormalities and mid-facial deformities. None of these arose from the blowout fracture repair.Conclusions The study suggests that in orbital blowout fracture repair Medpor implants are safe and effective with few complications. Late surgery for enophthalmos is technically more difficult but is not associated with poorer functional or cosmetic results.

Lateral canthotomy and inferior cantholysis: an effective method of urgent orbital decompression for sight threatening acute retrobulbar haemorrhage

Retrobulbar haemorrhage (RBH) occurs in a variety of situations. It can complicate facial fractures, orbital surgery and retrobulbar injections and can occur spontaneously. It is relatively uncommon and sight-threatening RBH is even less common. If not detected early enough it can lead to devastating loss of vision. We have collected five cases of acute RBH, following trauma, associated with a profound reduction in vision. In each case a permanent loss of vision was avoided using a lateral canthotomy and inferior cantholysis approach to obtain urgent orbital decompression.

The hydroxyapatite orbital implant: A prospective study

The hydroxyapatite orbital implant was first released for use as an orbital implant in humans in August 1989. It has been shown to be well tolerated, providing good motility of the artificial eye with a low complication rate when used as a primary implant.1 This prospective study evaluated the hydroxyapatite orbital implant used as both a primary and a secondary implant. Sixty patients were implanted between October 1992 and November 1994, 28 being implanted as a primary procedure at the time of enucleation or evisceration, and 32 as a secondary procedure. Seven patients underwent second-stage drilling and pegging of the implant. The mean follow-up time was 13 months (range 2-26 months). A standardised operative and post-operative protocol was followed. The patients were evaluated post-operatively for the amount of enophthalmos, degree of upper lid sulcus deformity, motility of the prosthesis, location of the implant in the socket, socket status and the presence or absence of discharge, position of the drill hole and coverage of the implant. Complications and their management were documented. Both patient and surgeon made a subjective assessment of cosmesis and the patients satisfaction with the overall result was noted. The results of this study show the hydroxyapatite orbital implant to provide excellent motility of the artificial eye and good cosmesis with a low rate of complications when used both as a primary and as a secondary implant.

Everting suture correction of lower lid involutional entropion.

AIMS To assess the long term efficacy of everting sutures in the correction of lower lid involutional entropion and to quantify the effect upon lower lid retractor function. METHODS A prospective single armed clinical trial of 62 eyelids in 57 patients undergoing everting suture correction of involutional entropion. Patients were assessed preoperatively and at 6, 12, 24, and 48 months postoperatively. The main outcome variables were lower lid position and the change in lower lid retractor function. RESULTS When compared with the non-entropic side, the entropic lid had a greater degree of horizontal laxity and poorer lower lid retractor function. These differences however, were not significant. At the conclusion of the study and after a mean follow up period of 31 months, the entropion had recurred in 15% of the patients. There were no treatment failures in the group of five patients with recurrent entropion. The improvement in lower lid retractor function after the insertion of lower lid everting sutures did not reach statistical significance. There was no significant difference between the treatment failure group and the group with a successful outcome with regard to: the degree of horizontal lid laxity or lower lid retractor function present preoperatively; patient age or sex; an earlier history of surgery for entropion. There was neither a demonstrable learning effect nor a significant intersurgeon difference in outcome. The overall 4 year mortality rate was 30%. CONCLUSIONS The use of everting sutures in the correction of primary or recurrent lower lid involutional entropion is a simple, successful, long lasting, and cost effective procedure.

Primary banked scleral patch graft in the prevention of exposure of hydroxyapatite orbital implants.

PURPOSE The most frequently reported complication of hydroxyapatite orbital implantation is exposure of the implant, which may result in infection or extrusion of the implant. This study describes the use of banked sclera patch grafts to prevent implant exposure. DESIGN A retrospective noncomparative interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS The procedure was performed on 110 patients over a 2-year period. Hydroxyapatite implantation was performed either at the time of enucleation or as a secondary procedure to correct postenucleation socket syndrome. INTERVENTION A banked scleral patch graft from the second eye of the same donor was placed over a scleral-wrapped hydroxyapatite implant at the time of operation. The case records were reviewed retrospectively. OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome measure was the number of patients who developed exposure of their hydroxyapatite implant. The number of patients who had a postoperative conjunctival wound dehiscence was also recorded. RESULTS No patients developed exposure of the implant. A significant percentage of patients developed conjunctival wound dehiscence (33%). Further surgery was not required in any of these cases, because the dehiscence spontaneously reconjunctivalized over the surface of the scleral patch graft. CONCLUSIONS Insertion of a banked scleral patch graft at the time of hydroxyapatite orbital implantation is an effective means of preventing implant exposure, even in more complex cases. It thereby reduces the morbidity resulting from the procedure and obviates the need for further surgery when there is breakdown of the conjunctival wound postoperatively.

The maximal Hughes procedure.

Purpose To describe the use of oblique medial and lateral periosteal flaps with the Hughes tarsoconjunctival flap for the repair of maximal defects of the lower eyelid. Methods A small prospective case series of eight patients requiring lower eyelid reconstruction following with maximal defect of the lower eyelid. The patients underwent a Hughes tarsoconjunctival advancement combined with oblique medial and lateral periosteal flaps, and were assessed for aesthetic outcome and surgical complications. Results All patients had uncomplicated surgery. Outcomes assessed included corneal protection, eye closure, lower eyelid retraction, complications, and patient satisfaction. Eyelid contour and protection was excellent in all patients. Postoperatively, one patient had mild lower eyelid retraction, and in a second patient, medial ectropion with mild lower eyelid retraction developed that required subsequent revision. Conclusions The maximal Hughes procedure is a safe and effective procedure that may be performed with patients under local anesthesia and may avoid the need for more extensive techniques for surgical repair of maximal defects of the lower eyelid.

The rhomboid flap in medial canthal reconstruction

AIM To describe a series of patients who have undergone a medial canthal reconstruction with a rhomboid flap. METHODS A non-comparative interventional case series of 27 patients with medial canthal defects after Mohs excision of medial canthal basal cell carcinomas who underwent reconstruction using a rhomboid-shaped transpositional flap of adjoining skin and subcutaneous tissue. 25 cases were performed under local anaesthesia. The remaining two cases were combined with major lid reconstruction and performed under general anaesthesia. The outcome measures were closure of the defect, the cosmetic result, complications, and re-operations. RESULTS Primary closure of the defect was achieved in all cases. The cosmetic result was highly satisfactory in all cases. There were no major complications or re-operations. Two cases had minor webbing of the medial upper lid. CONCLUSIONS The rhomboid flap is an effective, quick, and simple technique for medial canthal reconstruction. It provides excellent cosmesis and is associated with minimal complications. It can be modified according to the nature of the periorbital skin and the location, size, and depth of the defect.

The Surgical Management and Outcomes for Spheno-orbital Meningiomas: A 7-year Review of Multi-disciplinary Practice

Aims/Purpose: Spheno-orbital meningiomas account for 9% of all adult intracranial meningiomas. Complete resection is extremely difficult with this condition. We report on our experience in the surgical management of spheno-orbital meningiomas. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of all patients with spheno-orbital meningiomas who underwent joint neurosurgical and ophthalmic procedures between January 2000 and December 2007. Radiological findings, presenting clinical signs, indications for surgery, surgical approach, histopathological findings, surgical complications and post-operative results were recorded. Results: Twelve patients were included in the study. Visual function deterioration was the main indication for surgery. Six patients underwent an optic canal decompression along with their initial tumour resection and all 12 patients underwent an extensive lateral orbital wall decompression. Post-operatively 6 patients had reduced proptosis. Two patients had an improvement in their visual acuity, 5 patients had a stable visual acuity and 5 patients had a progressive deterioration in visual acuity following surgery. Six patients maintained a stable visual field. Cranial nerve palsy was the commonest post-operative complication. Three patients required postoperative fractionated radiotherapy. Three patients required further surgery. Conclusion: Spheno-orbital meningiomas are difficult tumours to manage. Surgical resection can reduce the degree of proptosis and stabilise visual function in patients with failing vision, although sustained improvement is difficult to achieve if the tumour behaves in an aggressive manner. The risk of post-operative visual loss is considerable, either due to surgery or tumour progression. Outcomes from surgical decompression may not necessarily be better than the natural history of these tumours.

A clinical study of the hydroxyapatite orbital implant.

The hydroxyapatite orbital implant has been used in the anophthalmia patient to give good motility of the artificial eye and a cosmetic result which matches that of the natural eye. It is thought to reduce the unacceptable complication rate that has been associated with other implants, as its buried, vascularized state deters extrusion and migration of the implant. Eighty consecutive patients were followed, 33 of whom had been referred for primary enucleation or evisceration, and 47 for secondary implant surgery. Thirteen of the secondary patients already had implants in situ. There were 44 males and 36 females in the study. The age range was 2.5 to 72 years with a mean of 36 years. The follow-up time was 2 to 30 months with a mean of 15 months. Twenty patients had been pegged at the time of review. A standardised operative and post-operative protocol was followed. The patients were assessed for the results of the motility of the artificial eye for both smooth pursuit and saccades, and for the cosmetic result. The amount of upper lid sulcus deformity was assessed to give an indication of volume replacement by the implant. The nature of any complications was noted as well as any further surgical procedures undertaken. The results show the hydroxyapatite orbital implant to give good cosmetic results with good motility of the artificial eye and to be associated with a low rate of complications. Drilling of the implant is simple to perform and also not associated with any significant complications. The hydroxyapatite orbital implant can be used successfully not only as a primary but also as a secondary or exchange implant with very few contraindications.

Review of patients with basal cell nevus syndrome.

Purpose: To review patients with basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS), documenting presentation, referrals, treatment patterns, and associated morbidity. Methods: Cross-sectional review and retrospective data collection of 39 patients with BCNS. Patients from the BCNS support group were invited to be examined. Demographics, presenting features, associated pathologies, and treatment modalities were recorded. Demographic data, age at presentation, age at diagnosis, spectrum of ophthalmic and periocular disease, treatment modalities used, and periocular deformities developed were reviewed. Results: Thirty-nine patients were included with age range of 5 to 72 years. Presenting clinical features included odontogenic keratocyst in 17 patients and basal cell carcinoma in 13 patients; less common presentations were with congenital malformations (n = 2), with ophthalmic associations (n = 3), and at genetic counseling (n = 4). Seventeen of the 39 patients confirmed a parental diagnosis of BCNS. Basal cell carcinoma developed in 18 of the 28 patients before the age of 30, confirming the reported early age of onset. Periocular basal cell carcinoma was reported in 24 of 39 patients (61%), with recurrent disease reported in 17 of these 24 (71%), despite a variety of treatment modalities used. Associated ophthalmic features were multiple eyelid cysts (15 patients), strabismus (9 patients), myopia (5 patients), hyperopia (7 patients), cataracts (5 patients), myelinated nerve fibers (3 patients), amblyopia (3 patients), and nystagmus and iris transillumination defects (2 patients each). All patients were involved in multidisciplinary medical care. Conclusions: Patients with BCNS frequently have ophthalmic manifestations, particularly periocular basal cell carcinoma. Multidisciplinary care is essential in the care of the patient with BCNS. Early diagnosis of BCNS may allow for skin protection and surveillance at an earlier age.