Lateral tarsal strip procedure: comparison of absorbable sutures and non-absorbable polypropylene suture. Does the suture type matter?

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the success and complication rates of the Lateral Tarsal Strip (LTS) Procedure, when treating involutional ectropion/entropion, is influenced by the use of suture when attaching the tarsal strip to the periosteum. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Multi-centre retrospective comparative study of re-operation and complication rates (Recurrence, Dehiscence, Suture Infection, Granuloma, Haemorrhage, Residual-Lid Laxity, Suture Extrusion and Repeat Procedure) in LTS, between 01/01/2017 and 01/01/2022 who met the inclusion/exclusion criteria, for involutional ectropion/entropion using an absorbable polyglactin (vicryl) and non-absorbable polypropylene suture (prolene). RESULTS: 1079 operations in 891 patients (36% female, average age 81.4 years) were performed with an average follow-up of 1.785 years. 588 operations in 475 patients were performed using prolene whilst 491 procedures in 416 patients were performed using vicryl sutures. Of these, 61% were performed by a consultant surgeon in the prolene group compared to 49.7% in the vicryl group. Overall complication rates between prolene and vicryl were 24.7% and 29.7% (p = 0.061) respectively. Higher complication rates for post-operative residual lid laxity, granuloma and suture infection were greater in the vicryl group versus prolene (2.65% and 0.51% p = 0.004, 2.24% and 0.68% p = 0.03, 1.83% and 0.17% p = 0.007 respectively). Non-significant results for dehiscence or repeat procedures (2.24% and 2.21% p = 0.974, 6.72% and 9.01% p = 0.166 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Both sutures are effective for the correction of involutional ectropion/entropion with LTS. Dehiscence and redo rates were not statistically significant. Nevertheless, the use of vicryl suture was found to be associated with a higher complication rate for: post-operative residual lid laxity, granuloma and suture infection.

Anterior approach ptosis surgery: comparison of absorbable polyglactin sutures and non-absorbable polyester sutures. Does Vicryl stand the test of time?

PURPOSE: To determine whether the long-term success of ptosis surgery is influenced by the use of absorbable or non-absorbable sutures to advance the levator aponeurosis onto the tarsal plate. METHODS: Multi-centre retrospective comparative study of re-operation rates in primary anterior approach ptosis surgery using absorbable polyglactin sutures (Vicryl) and non-absorbable polyester sutures (Ethibond). The Medisoft audit tool was used to identify all patients who underwent primary ptosis surgery for aponeurotic ptosis, performed by five oculoplastic consultants within a 7-year period, across two NHS Ophthalmology departments. The electronic patient records were reviewed for each patient. Basic demographics, suture material, and post-operative complications were recorded. All patients requiring repeat surgery between the study dates and the present day were recorded, allowing a minimum postoperative period of 3 years and 10 months. Re-operation rates in surgery using absorbable Vicryl sutures and non-absorbable Ethibond sutures were compared using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Four hundred and fifty-five operations in 330 patients were performed within the study period that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Fifty-seven percent of the patients were female, with an average age of 68.8 years. One hundred and sixty-nine operations in 128 patients were performed using absorbable Vicryl sutures. Of these, 22 (13.0%) required repeat operations. Two hundred and eighty-six operations in 202 patients were performed using non-absorbable Ethibond sutures. Of these, 17 (5.9%) required repeat operations. The two-tailed P-value was 0.0143. CONCLUSION: The use of non-absorbable Ethibond sutures to advance the levator aponeurosis onto the tarsal plate in primary ptosis surgery is associated with improved long-term success and reduced need for secondary surgery.

The highs and lows of Medisoft as an audit tool: lessons from a 5-year upper eyelid ptosis audit.

BACKGROUND: Increasing demand for surgeon accountability requires regular audit of individual and institutional performances. Electronic record systems proclaim efficient audit systems, but how does Medisoft live up to the hype? We present our experiences and examine how well Medisoft's audit suite meets clinical audit needs. METHODS: Medisoft audit suite was used to audit all ptosis procedures undertaken during 2010-14 in Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Repeat audit identified all ptosis procedures done in the trust since Medisoft was introduced; these data were cross-referenced to determine true re-operation rates. RESULTS: 350 operations were performed on 304 patients over 427 eyes in 5 years. 40 of 304 patients (13%) have thus far required more than one operation on at least one eye. Cross-referencing the data revealed that 11 of these patients' audit-period operations were re-operations, and 18 patients were re-operated after the audit period. In total 26/40 patients (65%) would have been missed if the data had not been cross-referenced. 17 patients had post-operative complications recorded, 7 of whom had repeat surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Medisoft supports high volume audits, reducing overall workload and increasing efficiency. However, consistent use across clinical staff is necessary to ensure all data are recorded and available for audit. When assessing re-operation rates, search parameters must be widened and cross-referenced to prevent missing vital information regarding procedures performed outside of the audit window. This could be eliminated in future if Medisoft made small changes to input of data that highlights repeat operations and their indications.

Upper Eyelid Reconstruction Using a Blepharoplasty Flap.

PURPOSE: The blepharoplasty flap is a relatively simple but under-recognized surgical technique for repairing defects that result from excision of broad-based lesions on the upper eyelid that lie between the eyelid crease and the eyelashes. As this has not been previously published in the literature, the authors aim to increase the awareness of this technique. METHODS: The eyelid crease is marked. A line is drawn perpendicular to the crease line along the aspect of the lesion closest to the centre of the eyelid, dividing the eyelid into 4 quarters. The lesion is excised along with the area lying diagonally. An advancement flap is then fashioned from excess skin of the upper eyelid and moved inferiorly to close the defect. RESULTS: The resulting cosmetic results seen postoperatively have been excellent. CONCLUSIONS: The blepharoplasty flap is a style of surgical advancement flap that utilizes the tissue that would normally be excised during blepharoplasty. This straightforward technique can prove useful in the surgical repertoire due to its potential to be widely adopted in surgical practice.

Diagonal tarsal suture technique sine marginal sutures for closure of full-thickness eyelid defects.

PURPOSE: Precise apposition of the tarsal plates and meticulous alignment of the eyelid margins are essential to ensure a seamless repair and avoid notching of the eyelid margin. The authors present a simple and reliable technique that firmly apposes and precisely aligns the eyelid margin in the x, y, and z axes, obviating the need for marginal sutures. METHODS: A retrospective audit of electronic medical records was performed for all patients who underwent reconstructive procedures that included the repair of a full-thickness defect in the eyelid margin using the diagonal suture technique from 2003 to 2012. RESULTS: Of the 652 surgeries performed in the past 9 years, 9 incidences of notching occurred, all of which were associated with infections. CONCLUSIONS: The diagonal tarsal suture technique is a simple and effective method for the repair of full-thickness defects with a high degree of patient satisfaction.

Online professionalism and Facebook--falling through the generation gap.

BACKGROUND: Facebook is the most popular social networking site (SNS) worldwide. The growing popularity of SNSs brings 'e-professionalism' to the forefront. AIMS: To assess Facebook use, publicly accessible material and awareness of privacy guidelines and online professionalism by students, foundation year doctors (FYDs) and senior staff grades (SSGs). METHODS: It was an ethical risk to access publicly available information online as many users do not appreciate the lack of privacy involved, therefore a cross-sectional survey was undertaken. Participants included 42 students, 20 FYDs and 20 SSGs from the Severn Deanery (UK). RESULTS: All 42 students and 20 FYDs had Facebook compared with 6 (30%) SSGs. Of these, 17 students (41%), 15 FYDs (75%) and 3 SSGs (50%) had public 'info pages'. 37 students (88%) reported colleagues behaving unprofessionally online with 16 FYDs (80%) but no SSGs. 32 students (76%) felt their professionalism was threatened online, alongside 18 FYDs (90%) and 2 SSGs (33%). Only 11 students (26%), 10 trainees (50%) and no SSGs were aware of guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Professionals lack awareness of their professional vulnerability online. They are not careful in restricting access to their posted information and are not mindful that the principles of professionalism apply to SNSs.

The association of urethrorrhagia and urethral stricture disease.

INTRODUCTION: Urethrorrhagia characterized by terminal hematuria and/or bloody spotting of the underwear between episodes of voiding is a common problem of childhood. We describe a series of boys with urethrorrhagia and associated clinical and endoscopic findings. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The records of boys presenting between 1990 and 2005 with urethrorrhagia were retrospectively reviewed for age, symptoms, symptom duration, physical examination, radiographic evaluation, laboratory data and endoscopic findings. RESULTS: Of 66 boys, 50 presented with classic symptoms of terminal hematuria and/or blood spotting, and 16 with atypical symptoms who underwent cystoscopy with similar findings. Endoscopic evaluation was performed in 55 (82%) patients for prolonged symptomatology or recurrent symptoms and revealed four distinct patterns: Group 1, three (5%) patients with a normal appearing urethra; Group 2, 27 (49%) patients who were found to have inflammation or hyperemia of the bulbar urethra; Group 3, 17 (31%) cases in which there was a white membranous exudate or mucosal irregularity; and Group 4, eight (14%) patients who were found to have stricture disease on cystoscopy. Stricture developed after initial cystoscopy in six cases. CONCLUSION: Consistent with previous studies, a subset of patients developed urethral stricture disease after presenting with urethrorrhagia. As eight patients had a urethral stricture on initial cystoscopy, and those with strictures are clinically indistinguishable symptomatically from those without, we feel that uroflow and selective cystoscopy are important tools for the work-up of severe and persistent cases of urethrorrhagia. Group 3 may represent a population at significant risk for the development of stricture disease warranting closer follow up and evaluation. The white membranous exudate found on cystoscopy may represent a pre-stricture lesion as evidenced by four cases that subsequently developed strictures.

Is long-term sonographic followup necessary after uncomplicated ureteral reimplantation in children?

PURPOSE: We examined the necessity of postoperative ultrasound following surgical correction of vesicoureteral reflux beyond initial postoperative assessment. The followup among children who have undergone correction of vesicoureteral reflux has varied, and currently there are no standards to document how long postoperative monitoring for hydronephrosis, renal scarring or renal growth should continue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population included 128 children who underwent surgical correction of primary vesicoureteral reflux between 1992 and 2002. Data were collected as part of a retrospective chart review and included age at surgery, preoperative grade of reflux, indications for surgery, type of surgical correction, postoperative voiding cystourethrogram and ultrasound results, and postoperative course relative to urinary tract infections, incontinence and other symptoms. RESULTS: Of 128 patients 4 had postoperative reflux on voiding cystourethrogram. In each of these cases reflux either resolved completely or remained stable during postoperative followup. A total of 17 patients had grade 2 or 3 hydronephrosis on the initial 3-month postoperative ultrasound. In all of these cases hydronephrosis remained stable or improved during followup. In no case was there evidence of development of new hydronephrosis or worsening of previously established hydronephrosis beyond the 1-year postoperative ultrasound. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that followup of uncomplicated ureteral reimplantation in children more than 1 year postoperatively is not warranted. The elimination of studies beyond 1 year following surgery would result in a significant cost savings.

External dacryocystorhinostomy and local anesthesia: technique to measure minimized blood loss.

PURPOSE: To describe the techniques required to minimize blood loss in external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) under local anesthesia and to accurately measure the intraoperative blood loss through application of these techniques. METHODS: Prospective single-surgeon series to include the first 20 sequential external DCRs from June 2002. Hemostasis was maximized at each stage of the procedure. Blood loss was measured by attaching a collection pot to the first link in the vacuum tubing. Patient demographics and operative duration were recorded. RESULTS: The mean blood loss was 4.5 mL (range, 1 to 14 mL). The mean operative duration was 36 minutes (range, 25 to 65 minutes). Seventy-five percent of patients were female and 25% were male. The mean age was 57 years (range, 48 to 76 years). CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative blood loss in external DCR can be reduced to a negligible level through careful patient preparation and operative technique. Minimal blood loss allows for patient comfort with DCR under local anesthesia.

Correction of pseudophakic anisometropia with the Staar Collamer implantable contact lens.

PURPOSE: To assess the role of the Staar Surgical implantable contact lens (ICL) for the correction of pseudophakic anisometropia. SETTING: Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford, and Rosen Eye Center, Alexandra Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom. METHODS: Six patients with pseudophakic anisometropia ranging from 2.0 to 7.9 diopters (D) (mean 4.4 D) had ICL implantation as an alternative to intraocular lens (IOL) exchange or conventional piggyback IOLs. RESULTS: All patients had a reduction in anisometropia to asymptomatic levels. The mean reduction was 3.15 D. No patient experienced adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: The implantable contact lens offers an alternative approach to the management of pseudophakic anisometropia that avoids some of the risks associated with IOL exchange, corneal refractive surgery, and conventional piggyback IOLs.