Frontalis suspension with fascia lata for severe congenital blepharoptosis using enhanced involuntary reflex contraction of the frontalis muscle

Surgical results of retroauricular fascia graft in frontalis suspension surgery: A case series study

Frontalis suspension surgery is commonly used for the repair of congenital ptosis and involutional blepharoptosis with poor levator function. Grafts for this procedure have been developed using a variety of different materials, each with advantages and disadvantages. The retroauricular fascia graft might be beneficial in this surgery. This article reports the surgical results of blepharoptosis, who were treated with the retroauricular fascia, which is a new autologous graft for the frontalis suspension technique. This case series study targeted patients with ptosis who underwent frontalis suspension surgery with the retroauricular fascia graft at Wakayama Medical University in Japan between May 2016 and May 2023. Patients with insufficient follow-up (<6 months) were excluded from the study. Eligible patients were categorized into one of the following three assessment groups: "good" (improvement of palpebral fissure height without laterality, Margin reflex distance-1 gap between right and left side <0.5 mm), "fair" (improvement of palpebral fissure height with laterality), or "poor" (poor improvement of palpebral fissure height). Thirty-five eyes in 25 patients were treated with the retroauricular fascia graft. The mean postoperative follow-up was 27 months. Eight patients were classified as good (32%), 15 as fair (60%), and two as poor (8%). Two patients (8%) had postoperative lagophthalmos. No patients had eyelash inversion, tarsal deformity, or recurrence of ptosis. Scars along the edge of the hairline were inconspicuous and there were no hypertrophic scars. Functional reconstruction of the eyelids using the retroauricular fascia graft technique is described here for the first time. This grafting technique may be a useful alternative for frontalis suspension surgery because it can be harvested with easy access and without leaving conspicuous scars.

Conjoint Fascial Sheath Suspension for Correction of Recurrent Blepharoptosis

BACKGROUND

Blepharoptosis is defined as an abnormally low-positioned upper eyelid margin in the primary gaze position, which results in cosmetic discomfort and functional visual dysfunction. Recurrence is one of the common complications after ptosis correction and requires further revision. Conjoint fascial sheath (CFS) suspension has become increasingly popular for ptosis. In this article, we described our experience of CFS suspension in the treatment of recurrent blepharoptosis and evaluated the postoperative outcomes so as to guide the clinical application of CFS suspension.

METHODS

Thirty-eight patients (48 eyelids) who had recurrent blepharoptosis and received CFS suspension were included in this study. Before the surgery, the degree of ptosis and levator function were assessed. The postoperative evaluation consisted of the correction effect, eyelid symmetry, protective closure function of eyelid, and surgical complications.

RESULTS

At the final follow-up, 46 eyelids (95.8%) showed an ideal correction, of which 24 eyelids (50%) showed sufficient correction and 22 eyelids (45.8%) showed normal correction. The remaining 2 eyelids (4.2%) showed under-correction. Among all 38 patients, 26 patients (68.4%) achieved good symmetry, and 10 patients (26.3%) achieved fair symmetry, while only 2 patients (5.3%) showed poor symmetry. Recovery time of eyelid protective closure function was 3.9 ± 1.04 months (range, 2.5-6 months). There were no complications except residual lagophthalmos (9 eyelids) residual conjunctival prolapse (10 eyelids).

CONCLUSION

CFS suspension is an effective method for the correction of recurrent blepharoptosis due to its sufficient correction effect, recovery of eyelid protective closure function, and less complication rate.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV

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Use of an Orbital Septum Flap for Correcting Severe Blepharoptosis

BACKGROUND

Several surgical procedures are available for the treatment of severe blepharoptosis with poor levator function. However, the procedures have advantages and disadvantages. Particularly, complications such as lagophthalmos and lid lag are commonly observed after conventional interventions. Thus, the present study aimed to introduce a surgical technique that uses an orbital septum flap without the orbital oculi muscle for the correction of severe blepharoptosis.

METHODS

The technique utilizes the orbital septum flap, which is connected with the frontalis muscle via the galea aponeurosis and frontal periosteum, to suspend the tarsal plate. In this case series, the technique was used for the correction of blepharoptosis in 16 eyes from 12 patients.

RESULTS

The margin reflex distance in all patients improved at 6 months after surgery. Two patients presented with lagophthalmos and three with mild recurrence. However, revision surgery was not required, and none of patients presented with lid lag.

CONCLUSIONS

For the correction of blepharoptosis, the use of the orbital septum flap without the orbital oculi muscle can be easily selected compared with other conventional methods that are more likely to cause overcorrection and closure disorders.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

The Effect of Two Different Frontalis Sling Approaches on Postoperative Eyelid Contour: A Comparative Study

PURPOSE

To compare two different frontalis sling approaches, tarsal fixation and orbicular muscle fixation, using silicone rod (FCI Ophthalmics, Marshfield Hills, MA, USA) in terms of postoperative upper eyelid contour in patients with poor levator muscle function.

DESIGN

Retrospective, comparative, case series.

METHODS

Ten eyes of seven patients who received frontalis sling surgery with orbicularis muscle fixation (group 1), eight eyes of seven patients who received frontalis sling surgery with tarsal fixation (group 2) and 30 eyes of 15 age and sex-matched healthy controls (control group) were included. Postoperative photographs of all the participants were taken in the primary gaze, and each photograph was viewed on a computer. The distance between the upper lid margin and pupillary center (MCD), nasal limbus (MND), and temporal limbus (MTD) was measured, respectively, using the ruler in Microsoft Paint Software and compared with each other for each participant.

RESULTS

Both nasal, central and temporal margin distance values in group 1 and group 2 were significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.05 for all values). The ratio of MTD/MCD in the control group was significantly higher than group 1 (p = 0.04) besides the ratio of MND/MTD in the control group was significantly lower than group 1 (p = 0.01).

DISCUSSION

Frontalis sling approach with tarsal fixation using silicone rod might provide improved cosmetic results including more symmetrical upper eyelid contour compared with orbicularis muscle fixation approach. Moreover, the novel measuring technique presented in the current study provides a simple and effective assessment of the upper lid contour in daily practice setting.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Eyelid Opening with Trigeminal Proprioceptive Activation Regulates a Brainstem Arousal Mechanism

Eyelid opening stretches mechanoreceptors in the supratarsal Müller muscle to activate the proprioceptive fiber supplied by the trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus. This proprioception induces reflex contractions of the slow-twitch fibers in the levator palpebrae superioris and frontalis muscles to sustain eyelid and eyebrow positions against gravity. The cell bodies of the trigeminal proprioceptive neurons in the mesencephalon potentially make gap-junctional connections with the locus coeruleus neurons. The locus coeruleus is implicated in arousal and autonomic function. Due to the relationship between arousal, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and skin conductance, we assessed whether upgaze with trigeminal proprioceptive evocation activates sympathetically innervated sweat glands and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Specifically, we examined whether 60° upgaze induces palmar sweating and hemodynamic changes in the prefrontal cortex in 16 subjects. Sweating was monitored using a thumb-mounted perspiration meter, and prefrontal cortex activity was measured with 45-channel, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and 2-channel NIRS at Fp1 and Fp2. In 16 subjects, palmar sweating was induced by upgaze and decreased in response to downgaze. Upgaze activated the ventromedial prefrontal cortex with an accumulation of integrated concentration changes in deoxyhemoglobin, oxyhemoglobin, and total hemoglobin levels in 12 subjects. Upgaze phasically and degree-dependently increased deoxyhemoglobin level at Fp1 and Fp2, whereas downgaze phasically decreased it in 16 subjects. Unilateral anesthetization of mechanoreceptors in the supratarsal Müller muscle used to significantly reduce trigeminal proprioceptive evocation ipsilaterally impaired the increased deoxyhemoglobin level by 60° upgaze at Fp1 or Fp2 in 6 subjects. We concluded that upgaze with strong trigeminal proprioceptive evocation was sufficient to phasically activate sympathetically innervated sweat glands and appeared to induce rapid oxygen consumption in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and to rapidly produce deoxyhemoglobin to regulate physiological arousal. Thus, eyelid opening with trigeminal proprioceptive evocation may activate the ventromedial prefrontal cortex via the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus and locus coeruleus.

Comparison of nylon monofilament suture and polytetrafluoroethylene sheet for frontalis suspension surgery in eyes with congenital ptosis

PURPOSE

To compare nylon monofilament suture with polytetrafluoroethylene sheet for frontalis suspension surgery to treat eyes with congenital ptosis.

DESIGN

Retrospective, nonrandomized, comparative, interventional case series.

METHODS

We reviewed the medical records of 49 patients who had undergone 79 eyelid frontalis suspension surgeries to treat congenital ptosis. All of the patients were younger than 16 years and had congenital ptosis with poor levator muscle function. They were treated with frontalis suspension surgery with either a nylon suture or a polytetrafluoroethylene sheet and were followed up for at least 1 year. A single rhomboid loop sling was used for the nylon suture surgery. For the polytetrafluoroethylene sheet, an incision was made in the eyelid crease, and one end of the sheet was fixed to the tarsus and the other was fixed to the frontalis muscle. The main outcome measures were postoperative recurrences and complications.

RESULTS

We evaluated 37 eyelids of 25 patients after nylon suture surgery and 42 eyelids of 31 patients after polytetrafluoroethylene sheet surgery. Among these, 9 eyelids of 7 patients were included in both groups. The median postoperative follow-up period was 32 months in both groups. The recurrence rates were 62.2% for the nylon suture group and 0% for the polytetrafluoroethylene sheet group (P < .001). The postoperative complication rates were 0% for the nylon suture group and 7.1% for the polytetrafluoroethylene sheet group (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Frontalis suspension using a polytetrafluoroethylene sheet with direct tarsus and frontalis muscle fixation is a reasonable technique with low rates of recurrences and complications.

Surgical desensitisation of the mechanoreceptors in Müller's muscle relieves chronic tension-type headache caused by tonic reflexive contraction of the occipitofrontalis muscle in patients with aponeurotic blepharoptosis

Proprioceptively innervated intramuscular connective tissues in Müller's muscle function as exterior mechanoreceptors to induce reflex contraction of the levator and occipitofrontalis muscles. In aponeurotic blepharoptosis, since the levator aponeurosis is disinserted from the tarsus, stretching of the mechanoreceptors in Müller's muscle is increased even on primary gaze to induce phasic and tonic reflexive contraction of the occipitofrontalis muscle. It was hypothesised that in certain patients with aponeurotic blepharoptosis, the presence of tonic reflexive contraction of the occipitofrontalis muscle due to the sensitised mechanoreceptors in Müller's muscle, can cause chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) associated with occipitofrontalis tenderness. To verify this hypothesis, this study evaluated (1) what differentiates patients with CTTH from patients without CTTH, (2) how pharmacological contraction of Müller's smooth muscle fibres as a method for desensitising the mechanoreceptors in Müller's muscle affects electromyographic activity of the frontalis muscle, and (3) how surgical aponeurotic reinsertion to desensitise the mechanoreceptors in Müller's muscle electromyographically or subjectively affects activities of the occipitofrontalis muscle or CTTH. It was found that patients had sustained CTTH when light eyelid closure did not markedly reduce eyebrow elevation. However, pharmacological contraction of Müller's smooth muscle fibres or surgery to desensitise the mechanoreceptor electromyographically reduced the tonic contraction of the occipitofrontalis muscle on primary gaze and subjectively relieved aponeurotic blepharoptosis-associated CTTH. Over-stretching of the mechanoreceptors in Müller's muscle on primary gaze may induce CTTH due to tonic reflexive contraction of the occipitofrontalis muscle. Therefore, surgical desensitisation of the mechanoreceptors in Müller's muscle appears to relieve CTTH.

An frontalis sling operation using an autogenous en-bloc, fan-shaped tensor fascia lata graft for blepharoptosis

This article presents a modification of the frontalis sling operation for severe blepharoptosis with poor levator function. The fascia or other suspension materials are usually used in strip form to avoid a mass under the skin and lid-crease obliteration in the frontal sling operations. However, the 'strip-sling technique' carries the risk of some complications including irregular eyelid contour, unstable fixation and loss of elevating power in the follow-up period. To overcome these complications and to enhance elevating power transmission between the tars and the frontal muscle, the autogenous tensor fascia lata graft was designed to be en bloc and fan-shaped. This technique was used in nine patients (12 eyelids) who presented with different aetiologies. They had an average follow-up of 13.5 months. Although all the patients achieved favourable results with good eyelid opening, the patients who had traumatic ptosis were more prone to complications including lagophtalmos and pulling away problem. This modification appears to increase the surface contact area between the frontalis muscle, the fascia lata graft and the tarsus. This increased contact enhances tarsus elevation in ptotic eyelids and is associated with satisfactory results.

Evaluation of muscle hyperactivity of the grimacing muscles by unilateral tight eyelid closure and stapedius muscle tone

Muscle hyperactivity of grimacing muscles, including the orbicularis oculi and corrugator supercilii muscles that cause crow's feet and a glabellar frown line with ageing, cannot be accurately evaluated by surface observation. In 71 subjects, this study investigated the extent to which grimacing muscles are innervated by the bilateral motor cortices, whether the corticofacial projection to the grimacing muscles affects the facially innervated stapedius muscle tone by measuring static compliance of the tympanic membrane, and whether unilateral tight eyelid closure with contraction of the grimacing muscles changes static compliance. Unilateral tight eyelid closure and its subsequent change in the contralateral vertical medial eyebrow position revealed that motor neurons of the orbicularis oculi and corrugator supercilii muscles were innervated by the bilateral motor cortices with weak-to-strong contralateral dominance. The orbicularis oculi, corrugator supercilii, and stapedius muscles innervated by the bilateral motor cortices had increased muscle hyperactivity, which lowered the vertical medial eyebrow position and decreased the static compliance of the tympanic membrane more than those innervated by the unilateral motor cortex. Unilateral enhanced tight eyelid closure with contraction of the grimacing muscles in certain subjects ipsilaterally decreased the static compliance with increased contraction of the stapedius muscle, which probably occurs to immobilise the tympanic membrane and protect the inner ear from loud sound. Evaluation of unilateral tight eyelid closure and the subsequent change in the contralateral vertical medial eyebrow position as well as a measurement of the static compliance for the stapedius muscle tone has revealed muscle hyperactivity of grimacing muscles.

Tendon grafts with peritendinous areolar tissue increase the survival of endotendinous tissues and diminish postoperative shrinkage

BACKGROUND

We observed greater postoperative shrinkage of grafted fascia lata without peritendinous areolar tissue (PAT) than with PAT in blepharoptosis surgery. In this article, we sought to evaluate the influence of PAT on tendon grafts.

METHODS

Pairs of anterior tibial tendons with or without PAT were grafted onto the backs of 12 adult Wistar rats. The cephalic and caudal ends of the tendons with or without PAT were fixed tightly on the fascia of the erector spinae muscles with 6/0 polypropylene sutures. A 7-mm distance was maintained between the sutures. Changes in the length between the sutures as well as changes in the histology of the tendons with or without PAT were evaluated at 1 and 5 months after grafting.

RESULTS

The mean lengths of the grafted tendons with PAT at 1 and 5 months after grafting were significantly longer than those without PAT at 1 and 5 months after grafting, respectively (5.4 mm and 4.5 mm vs. 3.8 mm and 2.9 mm, respectively; Wilcoxon signed-rank test; P < 0.05). The grafted tendons without PAT displayed central necrosis and scar formation, whereas those with PAT displayed no alteration in the tissue properties.

CONCLUSIONS

At both 1 and 5 months after grafting, the grafted tendons with PAT were significantly longer and survived better than those without PAT. Tendon grafts with PAT had increased survival of the endotendinous tissue and diminished postoperative shrinkage, since the vascular network of the PAT potentially contributes to early revascularisation of the graft.