Results of conjunctiva-Müller muscle resection and external levator resection techniques for ptosis repair

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the results of levator aponeurosis surgery (LS) and conjunctiva-Müller muscle resection (CMR) operations for correction of upper eyelid ptosis.

Patients and methods: Eighty-five patients with ptosis who underwent either LS or CMR between January 2015 and May 2016 were prospectively included in the scope of the study. Detailed information including age, gender, etiology, type of surgery, laterality of surgery, preoperative levator function, pre- and postoperative palpebral fissure height (PFH), postoperative PFH change, postoperative day 1 pain, edema, ecchymosis, cosmetic outcome, reoperation rate and operating time from initial maneuver to wound closure was documented. Patients with good levator function (over 12 mm) were included in the study scope. Six-month postoperative measurements at follow-up were used for analysis.

Results: Of the surgical procedures, 67% (57/85) were LS and 33% (28/85) were CMR. In patients who underwent LS, preoperative PFH was statistically lower compared to CMR patients (p=0.016). Postoperative PFH and PFH changes were not statistically significant between the two methods (p=0.1 for postoperative PFH, p=0.073 for PFH change). Postoperative PFH change in both groups was statistically significant compared to preoperative values (p=0.001 for both operations). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of reoperation (p=0.027), first-day postoperative pain, edema, ecchymosis (p=0.128), and cosmetic outcome (p=0.724). In the LS group, operative time (28.9±5.1 min) was statistically significantly longer compared to the CMR group (17.71±3.11 mins) (p=0.001).

Conclusion: Although the CMR operation group has shorter operative time, CMR and LS yielded similar results in terms of cosmetic outcome, reoperation and first-day postoperative pain, edema, and ecchymosis.

The author declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

The author received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.