A retrospective study of tailored surgery based on the mechanical balance principle for involutional entropion in the lower eyelid

OBJECTIVE

Involutional entropion in the lower eyelid is one of the most common eyelid disorders of the elderly. Despite the effectiveness of the widely used surgical procedures, recurrence rates have failed to improve. In this retrospective study, we aimed to assess surgical plans, effectiveness and safety of tailored surgery based on the mechanical balance principal in treating involutional entropion in the lower eyelid.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 47 patients (54 eyelids) diagnosed with involutional entropion in the lower eyelid and receiving tailored surgical treatment based on mechanical balance principle from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2018 was carried out. Tailored surgical plans were developed according to the mechanical balance analysis of vertical, horizontal and sagittal directions.

RESULTS

All 54 eyelids with involutional entropion in the lower eyelid underwent advancement of the lower eyelid retractor (LER) through the conjunctiva. For patients with mild horizontal eyelid laxity, only LER advancement was performed. For moderate and severe horizontal eyelid laxities, combined horizontal reinforcement procedures were performed, including lateral canthopexy, lateral tarsal strip (LTS) surgery and wedge resection. The orbicularis oculi muscle (OOM) tightening or transposition was performed for OOM overriding. The follow-up time was 1 to 4 years, and there were no cases experiencing recurrence. Thus, the rates of effectiveness and recurrence were 100% and 0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first descriptive study on the tailored surgical strategies designed according to the mechanism of mechanical imbalance involved in involutional entropion. Tailored surgery based on the mechanical balance principle is safe and effective with low recurrence.

Comparison of the Postoperative Outcomes of Posterior Layer Advancement and Modified Iliff Suturing to Correct Involutional Lower Lid Entropion

Involutional lower lid entropion is treated surgically with either incision or rotational suturing. The authors have obtained good results with the modified Iliff suture (MIS) procedure. Here, the authors compare the efficacy and postoperative outcomes of MIS and posterior layer advancement. This study included Japanese patients with a normal snap-back test, who underwent primary surgery for correcting involutional lower lid entropion, performed by the same surgeon, from April 2009 to March 2017, and who were followed up for at least 24 months postoperatively. Posterior layer advancement was performed on 50 eyelids of 48 patients (19 men, 29 women; mean age 74.1 ± 8.7 years) and MIS was performed on 50 eyelids of 40 patients (16 men, 24 women; mean age 77.3 ± 7.5 years). The authors compared the postoperative follow-up duration, recurrence rate, and operating time between groups. Postoperative follow-up duration was 34.5 ± 7.4 months in the posterior layer advancement and 32.3 ± 8.1 months in the MIS group (P = 0.180). Recurrence rate was 6% (3 cases) in the posterior layer advancement group and 4% (2 cases) in the MIS group (P > 0.999). Operating time was significantly shorter in the MIS group (5.8 ± 1.1 minutes) than in the posterior layer advancement group (31.6 ± 4.1 minutes, P < 0.001). Modified Iliff suture is less invasive than posterior layer advancement and has similar postoperative outcomes; thus, it is useful for treating involutional lower lid entropion.

Assessment of the Safety and Efficacy of Prolapsed Orbital Fat Resection During Involutional Entropion Repair

PURPOSE

To assess the recurrence rate of involutional entropion in patients treated with a combined approach including a modified Bick procedure, excision of preseptal orbicularis muscle, and conservative resection of prolapsed orbital fat.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of patients undergoing repair of involutional entropion with the combined procedure including orbital fat resection and a second group with standard entropion repair without orbital fat resection was performed. Only patients with follow-up greater than 6 months were included in the study.

RESULTS

Seventy eyelids of 54 patients met all inclusion criteria for the combined procedure group over a 9-year period from 2008 to 2016. Average follow-up was 46.9 months. There was a documented recurrence of entropion in 1 eyelid during the follow-up period (1.4%). The remaining 69 cases had successful subjective and objective results without need for any additional procedures. In the group undergoing entropion repair without fat resection, 22 eyelids of 19 patients had the required follow-up period with a recurrence rate of 4.5% (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The authors demonstrate good surgical success with a combined approach of a modified Bick procedure, preseptal orbicularis excision, and conservative orbital fat resection. Conservative fat resection during entropion repair was found to be safe, and the combined procedure was found to be effective with a rate of recurrent entropion of 1.4% on extended follow-up.The authors propose that orbital fat prolapse contributes to the mechanics of involutional entropion and that conservative orbital fat resection during surgical repair of entropion can be done safely, resulting in low recurrence rates.