Primary placement of a hydroxyapatite-coated sleeve in bioceramic orbital implants

PURPOSE: To study a new surgical option of primary placement of a hydroxyapatite-coated sleeve into the Bioceramic implant during enucleation or evisceration. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational case series. METHODS: A standard enucleation or evisceration was performed, followed by the preplacement of a hydroxyapatite-coated sleeve into the Bioceramic implant. Care must be taken to ensure the sleeve has been positioned centrally when the implant is put inside the orbital socket. Complications such as sleeve exposure, Bioceramic implant exposure, and infection were closely observed. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were treated in above fashion with five enucleation and 22 evisceration procedures. Five of the sleeves have exposed spontaneously during 1 to 4 months after original surgery. They had no further complication, except for one sleeve around which there were visible Bioceramic spicules attributable to long-term corticosteroid usage. The remaining 22 sleeves that did not spontaneously expose pursued secondary exposure of the sleeve and peg insertion by the conjunctival cutdown procedure 3 months postoperatively. One sleeve was medially positioned far away from the implant center. Re-insertion of new sleeve and peg was scheduled 2 weeks later. One additional sleeve was obliquely positioned after conjunctival cutdown procedure. Fortunately, all 27 patients were successfully fitted with a peg-coupled prosthesis with good motility. CONCLUSIONS: Primary placement of a hydroxyapatite-coated sleeve into the Bioceramic implants has several advantages, including high patient acceptance, technical simplicity, and an office-based conjunctival cutdown pegging procedure. By avoiding the expense of postoperative imaging studies and additional prosthetic modification, a more rapid and efficient rehabilitation is possible.     

Tissue breakdown and exposure associated with orbital hydroxyapatite implants.

Tissue breakdown and exposure of a hydroxyapatite implant were observed in eight patients: in four of six patients after evisceration and in four of 31 after enucleation. The reasons for evisceration were a blind, painful eye and endophthalmitis in two patients each. The reasons for enucleation were a choroidal melanoma in two patients and endophthalmitis and irreparable traumatic damage in one patient each. The patients with endophthalmitis received the implant in a second surgical procedure after intensive antibiotic treatment. Small tissue defects healed spontaneously, whereas large defects showed little tendency to heal by secondary intention. Tissue breakdown over a hydroxyapatite implant may be related to delayed ingrowth of fibrovascular tissue, and possibly related to an inflammatory reaction incited by the hydroxyapatite. Careful case selection, facilitation of tissue penetration by drilling holes into the hydroxyapatite sphere, delayed fitting of the prosthesis, and vaulting of the posterior surface of the initial prosthesis to reduce pressure on the tissues covering the anterior pole of the implant may alleviate the problems of tissue breakdown and exposure.     

The use of vicryl mesh in 200 porous orbital implants: a technique with few exposures

PURPOSE: To report the results of a wrapping technique for porous orbital implants by using polyglactin 910 (Vicryl) mesh (Ethicon Inc., Somerville, NJ, U.S.A.). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 200 consecutive patients from one author's practice who received a polyglactin 910 mesh-wrapped porous orbital implant after enucleation or as a secondary implant between October 1, 1996, and April 15, 2001. We recorded potential problems that might be attributed to polyglactin 910 mesh both before pegging (excessive inflammatory response to the material, conjunctival thinning, and implant exposure) and after pegging (exposure of the implant around the sleeve, conjunctival thinning, and implant exposure other than adjacent to the peg). RESULTS: One hundred twenty-two men and 78 women underwent placement of a polyglactin 910 mesh-wrapped porous orbital implant. The average age at the time of implantation was 48.9 years (range, 11 to 85 years). The average follow-up interval in the 200 patients was 19.4 months (range, 2 to 80 months). Thirteen of the 200 patients had less than 6 months of follow-up, leaving 187 patients with an average follow-up of 20.5 months (range, 6 to 80 months). There were 76 primary enucleations and 124 secondary orbital implants. Thirty-seven patients received a Bio-Eye hydroxyapatite implant (HA) (Integrated Orbital Implants, San Diego, Calif), 97 received a synthetic FCI hydroxyapatite implant (FCI, Issy-Les-Moulineaux, France), and 66 received a Bioceramic implant (aluminum oxide-Al2O3) (FCI, Issy-Les-Moulineaux, France). One hundred fourteen patients (57%) underwent peg placement. The average time to pegging was 9.9 months (range, 6 to 16 months). Before pegging, 4 of 187 patients (2.1%) had implant exposure. Three of these exposures followed secondary orbital implant placement (2 Bio-Eye HA, 1 synthetic FCI3 HA) and one followed an enucleation (synthetic FCI3 HA). Two patients required a temporalis fascia graft and one required a scleral patch; the remaining defect closed spontaneously. One patient had conjunctival thinning 6 months after orbital implantation, which remained stable with no frank exposure for 36 months. No patient had excess socket inflammation. After peg placement, 3 additional patients had exposure of the implant around the peg site. There were no cases of conjunctival thinning or exposure of the implant other than adjacent to the peg site. CONCLUSIONS: Polyglactin 910 mesh is an excellent option as a wrapping material for porous orbital implants. It is simple to use, readily available, eliminates the need for donor tissue, does not require a second operative site, and it is less expensive than other currently available wrapping materials. We attribute our high success rate to our technique, which emphasizes proper placement of the implant within the Tenon space, suturing the extraocular muscles anterior to their normal anatomic sites, and meticulous closure of the Tenon capsule and conjunctiva in separate layers.     

The porous polyethylene (Medpor) spherical orbital implant: a retrospective study of 136 cases

PURPOSE: To evaluate complications and risk factors associated with the placement of wrapped and unwrapped porous polyethylene (PP) spherical implants after evisceration, enucleation, or secondary implantation. METHODS: A retrospective, interventional, noncomparative case series of consecutive cases of PP implant placement after anophthalmic socket surgery performed by three surgeons over a 5-year period. A PP spherical implant was placed in 133 patients, 61 women (2 bilaterally) and 72 men (1 bilaterally). There were 91 enucleations, 30 eviscerations, and 15 secondary implant placements. Sixty-six (48.5%) implants were wrapped prior to placement. Parameters evaluated included: age, sex, prior ocular surgery or radiation treatment, indications for surgery, procedure performed, size of PP sphere, material used to wrap the implant, and complications. RESULTS: A total of 17 of 136 (12.5%) cases had documented postoperative complications, with implant exposure being the most common. In 5 patients (3.7%), implant exposure developed: 1 after evisceration and 4 after primary enucleation. Three of the five exposures were small and resolved with either observation alone or in one case with surgical revision of the socket. In two cases, the exposures were large enough that removal of the implant was indicated, one after evisceration and the other after enucleation with placement of a wrapped PP sphere. CONCLUSIONS: Our series revealed no significant difference in exposure rate between wrapped and unwrapped PP sphere implants, nor was the exposure rate affected by whether an eye was eviscerated or enucleated.     

羟基磷灰石义眼座植入Ⅰ期钻孔的初步效果

目的 评价羟基磷灰石义眼座植入Ⅰ期钻孔放置钛钉的疗效。方法 对31例眼球摘除患者行Ⅰ期或Ⅱ期羟基磷灰石义眼座植入同时行钻孔,钻入钛钉的螺纹套子,中间放置平头钉,3～7个月后剪开,更换为球头钉,定制义眼片。结果 随访3．0～11．0个月(平均6．9个月),所有患者对义眼外观及活动度满意,无义眼座暴露、继发感染、栓钉脱出、栓钉偏斜等并发症。结论 羟基磷灰石义眼座植入Ⅰ期钻孔手术效果好,无明显增加并发症的发生机会,是一种可供选择的手术方法。     

UK national survey of enucleation, evisceration and orbital implant trends

AIM: To evaluate current clinical practice in the UK in the management of the anophthalmic socket; choice of enucleation, evisceration, type of orbital implant, wrap, motility pegging and complications. METHODS: All consultant ophthalmologists in the UK were surveyed by postal questionnaire. Questions included their practice subspecialty and number of enucleations and eviscerations performed in 2003. Specific questions addressed choice of implant, wrap, motility pegging and complications. RESULTS: 456/896 (51%) consultants responded, of which 162 (35%) had a specific interest in oculoplastics, lacrimal, orbits or oncology. Only 243/456 (53%) did enucleations or eviscerations. 92% inserted an orbital implant after primary enucleation, 69% after non-endophthalmitis evisceration, whereas only 43% did so after evisceration for endophthalmitis (50% as a delayed procedure). 55% used porous orbital implants (porous polyethylene, hydroxyapatite or alumina) as their first choice and 42% used acrylic. Most implants inserted were spherical, sized 18-20 mm in diameter. 57% wrapped the implant after enucleation, using salvaged autogenous sclera (20%), donor sclera (28%) and synthetic Vicryl or Mersilene mesh (42%). A minority (7%) placed motility pegs in selected cases, usually as a secondary procedure. 14% of respondents reported implant exposure for each type of procedure and extrusion was reported by 4% after enucleation and 3% after evisceration. CONCLUSIONS: This survey highlights contemporary anophthalmic socket practice in the UK. Most surgeons use porous orbital implants with a synthetic wrap after enucleation and only few perform motility pegging.     

Current trends in managing the anophthalmic socket after primary enucleation and evisceration

PURPOSE: To evaluate current trends in the management of the anophthalmic socket after primary enucleation and evisceration. METHODS: The active membership of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) was surveyed regarding primary enucleations and eviscerations performed between January and December 2002. Survey questions included practice demographics, orbital implant use, wrapping materials, placement of a motility peg, reasons for implant choice, and complications encountered. RESULTS: A total of 2,779 primary orbital implants were reported, comprising 1,919 (69.1%) enucleations and 860 (30.9%) eviscerations. The high-density porous polyethylene implant was used most frequently for enucleations (42.7%), followed by coralline hydroxyapatite (27.3%) and nonporous alloplastic implants (19.9%). For eviscerations, the high-density porous polyethylene implant was the most commonly used implant (42.3%), followed by hydroxyapatite (25.9%) and nonporous alloplastic implants (25.7%). The top 3 reasons for implant choice were outcome (69.3%), cost (43.6%), and experience (39.5%). Most implants were either not wrapped (59.8%) or were wrapped in donor sclera (25.2%) or polyglactin mesh (7.2%). Pegs were used in 8.1% of all implants reported. The most frequent complications encountered for unpegged implants were exposure (3.2%) and infection (0.4%). For pegged implants, the most common complications reported were pyogenic granuloma (13.7%), exposure (5.7%), and discharge (5.7%). CONCLUSIONS: In managing the anophthalmic socket, ASOPRS survey respondents preferred to use the porous polyethylene implant after primary enucleation and evisceration. Most orbital implants were not wrapped, and most surgeons preferred not to place a motility post or peg in the implant.     

Problems after evisceration surgery with porous orbital implants: experience with 86 patients

PURPOSE: To assess the problems associated with the use of 4 types of porous orbital implant (Bio-Eye coralline hydroxyapatite, FCI3 synthetic hydroxyapatite, aluminium oxide [Bioceramic], and porous polyethylene [Medpor]) after evisceration surgery. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was made of all cases of evisceration with placement of one of four types of porous orbital implants performed between 1991 and 2002 by one surgeon (n = 86). Patient age, implant type and size, surgery type (standard evisceration or evisceration with posterior sclerotomies), peg system used, follow-up duration, time of pegging, problems before and after pegging, and treatment were recorded. RESULTS: Eight patients had less than 6 months of follow-up. The other 78 patients were followed for 6 to 107 months (average, 31 months). The following problems were noted before peg placement: discharge, 8 patients (10.2%); implant exposure, 6 patients (7.7%); implant fracture at the time of surgery, 1 patient (1.3%); persistent pain, 1 patient (1.3%). Of the 29 patients who had pegging, problems including discharge, exposure, pyogenic granuloma, infection, and peg sleeve problems occurred in 23 (79.3%). Sixteen (55.2%) of the 29 patients required at least 1 additional surgical procedure, 4 required 3 additional procedures, and 2 required 5 additional procedures, including implant removal. CONCLUSIONS: Although primary evisceration with posterior sclerotomies and placement of a porous orbital implant is an accepted technique for treating a variety of end-stage eye diseases, patients should be cautioned about an increased likelihood of problems and potential need for additional surgeries if pegging is considered.     

Long-term follow-up of porous polyethylene spherical implants after enucleation and evisceration

PURPOSE: To present long-term follow-up data on enucleations and eviscerations carried out with placement of spherical porous polyethylene implants. METHODS: A retrospective, interventional, noncomparative case series of all patients undergoing primary evisceration or enucleation surgery from one teaching hospital ophthalmology department. RESULTS: In total, 106 cases were identified. Eighty patients (75.5%) underwent enucleation (group A) and 26 (24.5%) underwent evisceration (group B). Patient demographics were similar in both groups. Mean implant size in group A was 20.5 mm and 17.2 mm in group B. Mean follow-up in group A was 40 months (range, 12 to 80 months). Mean follow-up in group B was 63 months (range, 12 to 72 months). Six cases (7.5%) in group A had complications (excluding implant exposure), whereas one case (3.8%) in group B had a complication (excluding implant exposure). Five patients (6.3%) in group A had implant exposure; 14 cases (53.8%) of implant exposure occurred in group B. CONCLUSIONS: Our case series revealed a significantly higher incidence of implant exposure after evisceration than after enucleation. Our data suggest that enucleation should be the procedure of choice when removing an eye to minimize the risk of subsequent complications, particularly orbital implant exposure.     

Complications of primary placement of motility post in porous polyethylene implants during enucleation

PURPOSE: To evaluate the complications associated with the primary placement of a motility coupling post (MCP) in spherical porous polyethylene (PP) implants at the time of enucleation. DESIGN: Retrospective, interventional case series. METHODS: The records of all patients who had undergone primary enucleation and spherical PP implant with MCP insertion, and who were followed for at least six months were reviewed. The MCP was screwed to a wrapped implant to protrude 3 mm to 4 mm anteriorly. After placing the implant into the orbit, the extraocular muscles were sutured to the implant, and the Tenon capsule and conjunctiva were closed onto the MCP. When the MCP was not exposed spontaneously within two months after surgery, it was externalized with a conjunctival cut-down procedure. RESULTS: The study included 52 patients (29 male, 23 female; age range, three to 76 years). The MCP became exposed spontaneously in 10 patients (19%). In the early postoperative period, we recorded nine complications in seven patients (13%), which might be related to primary MCP placement. These included prominent MCP decentration associated with implant motility restriction (6%), preseptal cellulitis (4%), and conjunctival prolapsus (8%). An ocular prosthesis was fit successfully onto the MCP in 51 patients. During the late period, 22 complications occurred in 15 patients (29%), including excessive discharge (15%), MCP decentration (4%), implant exposure (6%), implant infection (2%), pyogenic granuloma (8%), conjunctival overgrowth over the MCP (2%), conjunctival discoloration (4%), and lax eyelid syndrome (2%). Mean follow-up time was 34 months (range, six to 68 months). CONCLUSIONS: Although MCP placement in the spherical PP implant during enucleation is a useful technique, it may be associated with complications such as MCP decentration, excessive discharge, exposure, and infection of the implant.     

儿童羟基磷灰石植入眼窝成形术

目的:总结18例18眼3～12岁儿童,因眼外伤等不同原因,行眼球摘除,羟基磷灰石植入眼眶的临床效果。方法:切开结膜囊,暴露四直肌,预置6-0双针尼龙线,剪断四直肌和视神经,眼球摘除后去除角膜,彻底清除眼内容后利用自体巩膜包囊羟基磷灰石并植入眼窝,总计18眼。结果:随访3～36(平均24)mo,患者都不同程度地获得眼窝塌陷和义眼转动的改善,没有眼眶感染和植入物逐出或义眼片脱落等现象。结论:羟基磷灰石也适用于儿童眼球摘除术后减轻眼窝塌陷,改善义眼转动,改善义眼外观的效果。     

Enucleation with on-the-table evisceration. Is it a good technique?

PURPOSE: To evaluate the surgical technique of enucleation followed by an "on-the-table evisceration" and placement of a hydroxyapatite orbital implant wrapped by the patient's own sclera for the treatment of blind phthisis painful eyes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this single-center retrospective study, 50 consecutive patients undergoing an operation using the same surgical technique, between April 1993 and November 1999, were studied. Patients underwent enucleation, then the eyeball was eviscerated "on the table". The patient's own cleaned sclera was used to wrap a hydroxyapatite orbital implant, the posterior pole of the sclera was placed at the anterior pole of the implant. Conjunctival breakdown, sphere size, conjunctival discharge, the first signs of sympathetic ophthalmia motility, and cosmetic results were analysed. RESULTS: After an average follow-up of 13.3 months few complications were encountered: 4 cases (8%) of inclusion cyst and 3 cases (6%) of discharge. The implant placed had a diameter of 18 mm, 20 mm, 22 mm in, respectively, 48%, 48%, and 4% of the eyes. The prosthesis motility was good, medium, and poor in, respectively, 33 (78.6%) cases, 8 (19%) cases, and 1 (2.4%) case. The prosthesis tolerance was good, medium, and poor in respectively 86%, 10%, and 4% of the cases. CONCLUSION: The surgical technique of enucleation followed by an "on-the-table" evisceration and autologous sclera wrapping a hydroxyapatite implant is an easy procedure. It allows, on phthisis eyeballs, the placement of a large orbital implant for good cosmesis results, without major complications.     

Bovine pericardium versus homologous sclera as a wrapping for hydroxyapatite orbital implants

PURPOSE: To report our experience with bovine pericardium as a wrapping material for hydroxyapatite orbital implants after enucleation and to compare the exposure rates of the implants wrapped with bovine pericardium versus donor sclera. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of all patients who received bovine pericardium-wrapped or donor sclera-wrapped hydroxyapatite implant after primary enucleation between March 1995 and December 2001. RESULTS: Of the 26 patients who received donor sclera-wrapped implants after enucleation, 1 (3.8%) had implant exposure. Of the 26 patients who received bovine pericardium-wrapped implants after enucleation, 6 (23%) had implant exposure. The incidence of implant exposure with the use bovine pericardium wrapping material was found to be significantly higher than with sclera (P = 0.05). Six of the 7 implant exposures were noted in the first 6 months after placement of the orbital implant. Five of the 6 exposed bovine pericardium-wrapped hydroxyapatite implants were associated with socket infection. The case of exposure of the sclera-wrapped implant was treated conservatively by observation. Six patients who had exposure of bovine pericardium-wrapped implants required multiple repairs because of recurrent exposures. Four of these patients eventually required removal of the implant. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the advantages of using bovine pericardium as a wrapping material for hydroxyapatite orbital implants, we observed a significantly higher incidence of exposure with bovine pericardium compared with donor sclera in the early postoperative period. Use of bovine pericardium as a wrapping material for orbital implants should be avoided unless some future modifications of the technique can be developed to prevent such complications.     

二期羟基磷灰石植入眼窝成形术

目的 总结对已摘除眼球后造成眼窝塌陷的病例,施行二次结膜囊切开,羟基磷灰石植入眼眶的临床效果。方法 切开结膜囊,寻找四直肌,打开肌圆锥,植入同种异体巩膜包囊的羟基磷灰石,总计31例。结果 随访3～27月（平均17月）,患者都不同程度地获得眼窝塌陷和义眼运动的改善,没有眼眶感染和植入物逐出或义眼脱落等现象。结论 羟基磷灰石也适用于眼球摘除术后造成塌陷,病程长短不限。     

Synthetic hydroxyapatite-based integrated orbital implants: a human pilot trial

PURPOSE: Orbital implants are used as fillers following enucleation or evisceration surgeries to replace the lost volume for better cosmesis and motility of the artificial eye. Over the last decade porous hydroxyapatite (HAp) implants derived from the naturally occurring corals, are increasingly used. Recently synthetic HAp-based implants have been introduced. After fibrovasculrisation they have the added advantage of being directly integrated with the artificial shell, thereby increasing the motility to a great extent. The current study, evaluated the efficacy of two different models of synthetic HAp with 75% porosity and pore sizes ranging from 100 to 300 mm. METHODS: Synthetic HAp powders were prepared with a novel wet chemical route. Two models of porous orbital implants with the characteristic designs for both evisceration and enucleation surgery were developed, characterised and implanted to consecutive 25 human subjects, 17 following evisceration, and 8 following enucleation. The postoperative performances of these implants were evaluated in respect to the degree of volume replacement (implant + prosthesis), presence/absence of lagophthalmos and lower eye-lid laxity, status of socket and fornices. Magnetic resonance imaging assessed the stability of the implants within the socket and progressive fibro-vascularisation within the porous scaffold as a function of time. Finally, motility of the implants as well as the prostheses (horizontal movements by Lister Perimeter) and subjective cosmetic results (qualitative) were also evaluated. RESULTS: During the 2.5 years of follow-up study, no significant postoperative complications were noticed. One case, showed an anterior implant exposure of 3-4 mm, and was managed with donor scleral patch graft and one case of conjunctival thinning was corrected by re-suturing the conjunctival dehiscence. Fourteen of the 25 patients had a very good movement of the prostheses (> 20 degrees horizontal movement) and the other 11 patients had a fair motility (10 - 20 degrees). The degree of volume replacement (with prosthesis) was found to be very good in 21 patients and fair in other 4 patients. All patients reported cosmetic satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Synthetic HAp-based integrated orbital implants with this modified design were found clinically safe and cosmetically acceptable.     

Complications of hydroxyapatite orbital implants in children: a series of 105 cases

PURPOSE: To describe the complications encountered using hydroxyapatite as an orbital implant in the pediatric population after enucleation, and try to define the risk factors for their occurrence. MATERIAL: and methods: Retrospective review of charts of children who underwent enucleation with placement of an hydroxyapatite implant between January 1991 and 1998. Complications and their type (conjunctival, extrusion, eyelids complications) have been specifically looked for. A statistical analysis trying to isolate the risks factors was performed. RESULTS: 105 implants have been used during this period with 26.7% of complications appearing during a median followup of 22 months. Extrusion of the implant was observed in 1.9% of the cases, a chronic conjunctival erosion in 15%, a conjunctival lesion without erosion in 4.75% and no eyelid lesion could be seen. Treatment (medical or surgical) achieved 75% good results. No risk factor could be found. CONCLUSION: Hydroxyapatite orbital implants were initially thought to have no or few complications. More recently, chronic erosions in particular were described. Little data exists on the pediatric population. Our series confirms that complications occur and that they are comparable to the adult population. Nevertheless the hydroxyapatite orbital implant seems better tolerated than other porous or non porous implants and warrants its use.     

Enucleation with primary implant insertion for treatment of recalcitrant endophthalmitis and panophthalmitis

PURPOSE: A prevalent conception exists that a two-stage operation (i.e., primary enucleation or evisceration with delayed secondary orbital implant insertion) is necessary when enucleation is required for recalcitrant endophthalmitis or panophthalmitis. The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of single-stage enucleation and primary reconstruction in this setting. METHODS: In a retrospective interventional case series, 22 consecutive patients with advanced endophthalmitis or panophthalmitis refractory to prior medical treatment underwent enucleation and primary implant placement by a single surgeon between 1991 and 2001. Eleven patients received hydroxyapatite implants; 11 patients received silicone implants. All patients were treated during surgery with intravenous antibiotics. All patients were evaluated for persistent local or systemic infection, implant exposure, extrusion, and successful fitting of their prostheses. RESULTS: No cases of persistent orbital cellulitis or meningitis occurred in any of the patients. Two patients with silicone orbital implants had extrusions; one was successfully managed with a secondary dermis-fat graft, and another patient who refused additional treatment was allowed to heal by secondary intention after the implant was removed. None of the patients with hydroxyapatite orbital implants had complications. All patients (20/20) who elected to undergo prosthetic fitting were successfully fit with prostheses. One patient elected not to pursue prosthetic fitting. One patient died of unrelated causes before a prosthesis could be fit. There were no objective findings to preclude successful fitting in either case. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that enucleation with primary orbital reconstruction and implant insertion for recalcitrant, fulminant ocular infection is an acceptable and advantageous treatment strategy. The risks and expenses associated with two separate surgeries are decreased, hospitalization time is potentially reduced, and subsequent rehabilitation can be initiated in a more timely fashion.     

Autogenous temporalis fascia patch graft for porous polyethylene (Medpor) sphere orbital implant exposure

BACKGROUND: Temporalis fascia has been recommended for hydroxyapatite sphere exposure. The aim of this study was to identify potential risk factors for exposure of porous polyethylene (Medpor) sphere implants and evaluate the use of autogenous temporalis fascia as a patch graft for exposure. METHODS: A retrospective review of consecutive cases of porous polyethylene sphere orbital implant exposure. RESULTS: Five cases presented between May 2000 and October 2001 (three males, two females; mean age 44.5 years). Three had enucleation (two with primary implants) and two had evisceration (one with primary implant). Exposure occurred in one primary, two secondary, and two replacement implants. Orbital implant diameter was 20 mm in four cases and 16 mm in one case (contracted socket). The mean time from implantation to exposure was 23 months (range 0.7-42.6). Three patients had secondary motility peg placement before exposure. The average time from last procedure (sphere implant or peg insertion) to exposure was 3 months (range 0.7-12.6). Four patients required surgical intervention, of which three needed more than one procedure. Autogenous temporalis fascia grafting successfully closed the defect without re-exposure in three of these four patients. The grafts were left bare in three patients, with a mean time to conjunctivalise of 2.4 months (range 1.6-3.2). CONCLUSIONS: Exposed porous polyethylene sphere implants were treated successfully with autogenous temporalis fascia graft in three of four patients. This technique is useful, the graft easy to harvest, and did not lead to prolonged socket inflammation, infection, or extrusion.     

Long term follow up of bone derived hydroxyapatite orbital implants

AIMS: To document the long term experience of bone derived hydroxyapatite orbital implants and compare results using scleral wrapped implants with those not using sclera. METHODS: This retrospective case series reviewed the long term follow up of 118 patients with 120 eyes which had undergone enucleation and bone derived hydroxyapatite orbital implant insertion at Dunedin Hospital from 1977 until 2000. Patient details were obtained from theatre records, case note review, patient interview and examination, interview of patient relatives, and family general practitioner records. RESULTS: Of the 120 eyes 84 had bone derived hydroxyapatite orbital implants with sclera and 36 without sclera. Follow up was 0.5-25 years (mean 8.9 years). 25 (19.3%) suffered minor complications of limited exposure of the implant which resolved spontaneously, with implant drilling or wound resuture. Nine (7.5%) suffered major complications requiring explantation. Major complications were more likely in cases with major tissue disruption, ischaemia, or inflammation. There were significantly fewer complications in the group where a bone derived hydroxyapatite orbital implant was implanted without a scleral covering (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The placement of a bone derived hydroxyapatite orbital implant in the socket was associated with a low rate of long term complications and good cosmesis in most cases. The omission of a scleral covering over the hydroxyapatite sphere had some advantages and may prove to be the procedure of choice.     

Primary banked scleral patch graft in the prevention of exposure of hydroxyapatite orbital implants

PURPOSE: The most frequently reported complication of hydroxyapatite orbital implantation is exposure of the implant, which may result in infection or extrusion of the implant. This study describes the use of banked sclera patch grafts to prevent implant exposure. DESIGN: A retrospective noncomparative interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS: The procedure was performed on 110 patients over a 2-year period. Hydroxyapatite implantation was performed either at the time of enucleation or as a secondary procedure to correct postenucleation socket syndrome. INTERVENTION: A banked scleral patch graft from the second eye of the same donor was placed over a scleral-wrapped hydroxyapatite implant at the time of operation. The case records were reviewed retrospectively. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was the number of patients who developed exposure of their hydroxyapatite implant. The number of patients who had a postoperative conjunctival wound dehiscence was also recorded. RESULTS: No patients developed exposure of the implant. A significant percentage of patients developed conjunctival wound dehiscence (33%). Further surgery was not required in any of these cases, because the dehiscence spontaneously reconjunctivalized over the surface of the scleral patch graft. CONCLUSIONS: Insertion of a banked scleral patch graft at the time of hydroxyapatite orbital implantation is an effective means of preventing implant exposure, even in more complex cases. It thereby reduces the morbidity resulting from the procedure and obviates the need for further surgery when there is breakdown of the conjunctival wound postoperatively.