Swiveling a Single Expanded Forehead Flap: A Novel Effective Economical Approach to Total Bilateral Upper and Lower Eyelid Reconstruction.

ABSTRACT

In our novel approach, a single expanded forehead flap was used to reconstruct bilateral upper and lower eyelids in orbital trauma. A 40-year-old man sustained blast injury resulting in bilateral orbital exenteration and need for bilateral socket and eyelid reconstruction. The sockets were each resurfaced with a temporalis flap. A subgaleal forehead tissue expander was expanded during several weeks until enough tissue was obtained. The single expanded forehead flap was swiveled in stages to reconstruct both upper and lower eyelids beginning with the left eye then the right. With this method, the authors recreated the bilateral upper and lower eyelids with a single pedicled flap and ensured secure retention of prostheses to give an acceptable appearance. The novel approach of swiveling a single expanded pedicled forehead flap to reconstruct bilateral upper and lower eyelids is easy and effective providing adequate like for like autologous tissue, and economical requiring only 1 donor site.