Use of an Orbital Septum Flap for Correcting Severe Blepharoptosis.

ABSTRACT

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 .