Reactivation After Teprotumumab Treatment for Active Thyroid Eye Disease.

PURPOSE: To determine the recurrence and reactivation rates after teprotumumab therapy for active thyroid eye disease. DESIGN: Retrospective consecutive case series. METHODS: This was a study of all patients followed for active thyroid eye disease at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, treated with teprotumumab between May 2020 and May 2021. Patients with less than 6 months follow-up after completion of infusions were excluded. The primary outcome measure was reactivation, defined as a regression in proptosis (increase of ≥2 mm in either eye and to within ≤2 mm of pre-treatment level and Clinical Activity Score [CAS] worsening of 2 points or greater). Secondary outcome was diplopia response. RESULTS: A total of 21 patients were included in the study. The average long-term improvement in proptosis in the eye with more proptosis after teprotumumab was 1.57mm (range, -3 to 4 mm). Of the 17 initial responders, there were 8 reactivations (47%) and 2 isolated proptosis regressions (12%); Overall, 7 of 21 patients (33%) responded throughout the study period. Average time to regression was 12.25 months (range, 2-22.5 months). There was no statistically significant change in diplopia at final visit in any subgroup (P = 0.68 to >.99). CONCLUSIONS: At most, 33% of patients demonstrate continued response 2 years after teprotumumab treatment. The proptosis and CAS regression occurs in the setting of disease reactivation in 80% of regressions. Teprotumumab treatment appears to offer minimal long-term improvement in diplopia.

Metastatic gastric carcinoma to the eyelids masquerading as a chalazion: A case report.

Purpose: To describe an unusual case of metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma involving the eyelids and anterior orbit. Observations: An 82-year-old female with prior diagnosis of locally metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma developed eyelid edema. Initial ophthalmic assessment suggested presence of a chalazion that did not resolve with medical management. A few weeks after initial evaluation, the eyelid and facial edema worsened. Eyelid skin biopsy showed only inflammatory changes, but inflammatory work up was unrevealing and there was poor response to steroid therapy. Orbitotomy with biopsy ultimately revealed involvement of eyelid skin by a signet ring cell metastatic gastric carcinoma. Conclusions and importance: Eyelid and orbital metastasis from gastric adenocarcinoma may present mainly with inflammatory signs and symptoms masquerading as a chalazion. This case highlights the spectrum of presentation of this rare periocular metastasis.

Conjunctival Müllerectomy With or Without Tarsectomy Using Absorbable Versus Nonabsorbable Suture.

PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes of blepharoptosis repair using conjunctival Müllerectomy with or without tarsectomy (CM±T) using absorbable suture versus nonabsorbable suture. METHODS: Retrospective case-series of all consecutive cases of CM±T ptosis repair between January 1, 2019, and August 31, 2021. Patients were placed in groups based on whether they had absorbable or nonabsorbable suture used during their procedure. Preoperative and postoperative measurements of MRD1 were gathered in both groups, and information on patient satisfaction, symmetry, complications, and reoperations. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients had surgery using nonabsorbable suture and 96 patients had surgery using absorbable suture, with average age of 72.0 and 70.9 years, respectively ( p = 0.488). When comparing nonabsorbable to absorbable suture, the groups did not differ on average preoperative MRD1 (1.11 mm [±0.96] vs. 0.96 mm [±0.86]; p = 0.161), average postoperative MRD1 (3.18 mm [±0.54] vs. 3.20 mm (±0.51); p = 0.736) or average MRD1 improvement (2.09 mm (±0.86) vs. 2.25 mm (±0.79); p = 0.089). Goal MRD1 was achieved in 85.3% of nonabsorbable cases and 82.8% of absorbable cases ( p = 0.562) and the rate of reoperation between groups was not significant ( p = 0.63). Good postoperative symmetry was noted in 91.6% of nonabsorbable and 91.0% absorbable suture cases ( p = 0.83). No difference in the number of complications was noted between groups ( p = 0.88), including need for contact lens placement (2.7% nonabsorbable, 1.3% absorbable; p = 0.37). CONCLUSIONS: The use of absorbable suture was found to have predictable and effective outcomes similar to cases using nonabsorbable suture for CM±T without an increase in complications or rate or reoperation.

Direct Browlift.

Direct browlifting comprises various techniques to lift the brows using incisions on or around the brows. The classic direct browlift involves removing an ellipse of skin and subcutaneous tissue within or just above the brow cilia. However, the technique can be modified to address only lateral brow ptosis, to place the incision in the midforehead or the eyelid crease, and to place the incisions in different areas during bilateral surgery to attempt to improve symmetry. Careful attention to incision location, closure technique, and use of postoperative therapies can allow for nearly invisible scars in some cases.

Biplanar-pivoted V-Y Flap for Reconstruction of Medial Canthal Defects.

PURPOSE: To determine the safety and effectiveness of a biplanar-pivoted V-Y flap design in reconstructing medial canthal defects of all sizes. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients who underwent repair of medial canthal region defects with the biplanar-pivoted V-Y flap from January 2016 to May 2021. Variables collected included age, gender, surgical indication, defect sizes and location, flap(s) and/or graft(s) used, and follow-up time. Outcome measures included complications, patient satisfaction with cosmesis, ability to close the defect with minimal wound tension, and additional surgeries. RESULTS: Eighteen cases of medial canthal, nasal sidewall, and nasojugal fold area reconstruction were performed using a biplanar-pivoted V-Y flap in 18 patients. The cohort included 7 males and 11 females with a mean age of 72.4 years (range, 52-92 years) and mean follow-up time of 4.4 months (range, 1-14 months). Mean defect size was 2.0 × 1.4 cm (range, 0.5-5.5 cm). Eight patients received concomitant full-thickness skin grafts, five patients underwent simultaneous rotational flap repair, one patient underwent simultaneous nasoglabellar myocutaneous flap repair, and one patient received a simultaneous traditional, nonbiplanar V-Y plasty of the upper eyelid. All defects were closed with no wound tension. No cases of infection, hemorrhage, or wound dehiscence occurred during follow-up. Complications included mild ectropion (2 patients) and mild tip necrosis (1 patient). No patients elected for reoperation. No trapdoor deformity was observed. No patients underwent reoperation for local tumor recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The extended mobility of the biplanar-pivoted V-Y flap provides excellent closure of defects involving the medial canthal region with minimal surgical complications.