The effect of upper eyelid blepharoplasty on eyelid and brow position

This article evaluates the effect of upper eyelid blepharoplasty on eyelid margin position and brow height. This study is a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent upper eyelid blepharoplasty without concurrent blepharoptosis repair or brow surgery. The medical records of the participants were retrospectively reviewed and an established image analysis software was used to quantify the upper margin reflex distance (MRD1) as well as brow height using high quality standardized clinical photographs. A total of 19 patients (38 eyelids and brows) met the inclusion criteria. The mean preoperative MRD1 was 2.8 mm, and the mean post-operative MRD1 was 3.5 mm, revealing an increase of MRD1 from upper blepharoplasty alone of 0.7 mm (p = 0.0001). The mean preoperative brow position was 17.5 mm above the pupil, and the mean post-operative position was 17.4 mm, for an average change of position of -0.2 mm (p = 0.39) following upper eyelid blepharoplasty. Upper eyelid blepharoplasty without ptosis surgery results in a statistically significant increase in MRD1. Brow position does not demonstrate a statistically significant change in patients who undergo upper eyelid blepharoplasty for simple dermatochalasis.     

Acquired ptosis in patients undergoing upper eyelid blepharoplasty

Involutional or senile ptosis may be present in patients undergoing upper eyelid blepharoplasties. Several patients have been seen who have requested removal of excess upper eyelid skin when they actually required ptosis surgery. Other patients have undergone blepharoplasties and recognized the presence of ptosis following their cosmetic surgery. The ptosis was either present but unrecognized prior to surgery or developed following their blepharoplasties. Finally, some patients have required combined ptosis repair and upper eyelid blepharoplasties. This article aims to make the surgeon performing eyelid surgery aware of the potential presence of ptosis in patients undergoing blepharoplasties and assist in appropriate workup and management of these patients.     

En bloc resection in upper eyelid blepharoplasty.

Upper eyelid blepharoplasty as traditionally performed may fail to adequately debulk the eyelids especially in the middle age or older patient. A technique used by the senior author for the past 10 years is described. The en bloc resection of redundant upper eyelid tissue can be readily combined with other procedures.     

Lip augmentation using eyelid tissue from upper blepharoplasty surgery

PURPOSE: To study the efficacy of eyelid tissue removed during upper eyelid blepharoplasty as a filler graft to augment lips. METHODS: A prospective study involving 14 female patients who underwent lip enhancement with eyelid tissue. All patients underwent CO2 laser upper eyelid blepharoplasty and desired fuller lips. The eyelid tissue was deepithelialized with the CO2 laser before implantation in the lips. Patients were followed for 6 months, and an objective grading scale based on photographs was used to assess outcomes. RESULTS: In each case, the patient's lips were substantially fuller at 6 months after surgery. Patients were pleased with the natural feel and appearance of their lips. One patient had a bacterial infection, which was successfully treated with oral antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: Eyelid tissue from upper blepharoplasty surgery provides a quick, economical and natural method to enhance lip volume.     

Advantages of a double approach to upper blepharoplasty associated with eyelid malpositions

During upper blepharoplasty, myocutaneous excess and fat pads are treated using an anterior approach. Eyelid malpositions such as involutional ptosis or lid retraction could be associated and should be treated with associated procedures. Aponeurotic surgery on the levator muscle can make use of the same anterior approach, with the major difficulty of dosage. In cases of ptosis with a positive epinephrine test or minor muscular retraction, the Müller muscle-conjunctival surgery via a posterior approach seems to be more reproducible. Double-approach techniques are described.     

Investigation of goldmann perimetry in evaluation of patients for upper eyelid blepharoplasty

Purpose: To determine if preoperative Goldmann Visual Field (GVF) testing in patients with functional dermatochalasis accurately depicts the postoperative superior visual field (SVF) outcome.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was done to compare preoperative and postoperative GVF field tests in patients undergoing upper eyelid blepharoplasty for treatment of dermatochalasis. This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences institutional review board. A preoperative GVF was obtained with the eyelids in the natural position (untaped) and then again with excess skin elevated (taped). One month post-blepharoplasty, another GVF was conducted with eyelids untaped. The pre- and post GVF tests were analyzed to determine if preoperative testing accurately predicts the SVF improvement post-blepharoplasty.

Results: Forty-six eyelids (23 patients) who underwent blepharoplasty for dermatochalasis were included. The preoperative testing underestimated 76% (35/46) of cases by a mean of 61%; and overestimated the final outcome in 24% (11/46) of cases by mean of 23%. Overall, the preoperative GVF testing underestimated the postoperative outcome by a mean of 35%.

Conclusion: Improvement of the SVF after a blepharoplasty is typically greater than the preoperative GVF testing predicts.     

Effects of upper eyelid blepharoplasty on ocular surface sensation and tear production

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effect of upper eyelid surgery on ocular surface sensation and tear production. METHODS: Prospective, interventional, consecutive case series. Patients undergoing upper eyelid blepharoplasty or blepharoptosis repair were evaluated with measurements of their corneal sensation and tear production using a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer and the Schirmer 1 test without anesthesia, respectively. Measurements were obtained preperatively, and at 1 day and 1 month postoperatively. RESULTS: Eleven patients (21 eyes) were enrolled in the study. There was a significant decrease in corneal sensation between the baseline and postperative day 1 (p < 0.01) and a significant increase between day 1 and month 1 after surgery (p < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in corneal sensation between the baseline and postoperative 1 month measurement (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in tear production between baseline and postoperative day 1 (p > 0.05). There was a statistically significant increase in tear production between baseline and postoperative month 1 (p < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between corneal sensitivity and Schirmer 1 test preoperatively, at postoperative day 1, or at postoperative month 1 after surgery. INTERPRETATION: Upper eyelid surgery results in a temporary decrease in ocular surface sensation that returns to baseline after 1 month. Patients with pre-existing ocular surface dysfunction should consider aggressive treatments with lubricating drops and ointment, punctual occlusion, or anti-inflammatory therapy to accommodate the temporary effects on ocular surface sensation that result from upper eyelid surgery.     

Subcutaneous tranexamic acid in upper eyelid blepharoplasty: a prospective randomized pilot study

Objective

Postoperative ecchymoses or hematomas can prolong healing from surgery, and a search for locally administered agents that decrease bleeding is warranted. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether preoperative subcutaneous injection of tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces intra- and postoperative bleeding or ecchymoses in skin-only upper eyelid blepharoplasty surgery.

Lower eyelid retraction following blepharoplasty.

Thirty consecutive patients with lower eyelid retraction after blepharoplasty were treated surgically with varying degrees of success. Successful outcome depended on various anatomic and pathologic factors, including the time elapsed since blepharoplasty, the prominence of the globe and its effect on eyelid contour, and the degree of septal or skin involvement. Satisfactory results were also dependent on surgical techniques used. We discuss several surgical techniques and offer advice concerning the selection of a surgical procedure in light of various pathologic parameters.     

Lower eyelid blepharoplasty: An overview

Of the two common techniques of lower blepharoplasty, the transconjunctival approach is limited to young patients with prominent herniation of lower fat pad without skin excess and the transcutaneous approach to patients requiring skin excision. However, the current trends not only highlight the traditional sculpting of the three orbital fat pads in lower lid blepharoplasty but also additional relocation of the intraorbital fats for correcting the inferior orbital hollowing. The purpose of this review is to analyze the published literature on common types, techniques, indications, and outcomes of the multiple surgical variants of lower lid blepharoplasty often aimed at treating the redundant skin, steatoblepharon, tear trough deformity, lid laxity, and dermatochalasis, thereby to correct the negative vector and inferior orbital hollowing along with effacement of the lid cheek junction. An extensive survey of peer-reviewed literature published in English in electronic databases, as well as bibliographies from cited articles, was conducted. Databases such as MEDLINE PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase were scanned using relevant medical subject heading (MeSH) terms. Clinical studies with a minimum of five study cases were included. Level III evidence, case reports, letters, editorials, and case series with fewer than five eyes were excluded. This article provides a concise overview of available literature and as such no meta-analysis was done due to the narrowed scope of the involved studies and the variety in surgical approaches and techniques of lower lid blepharoplasty.     

Amaurosis after lower eyelid laser blepharoplasty

The transconjunctival CO(2) laser approach to lower eyelid blepharoplasty was used to treat a 66-year-old man presenting with bilateral lower eyelid herniated fat without excess skin. Early postoperative examination revealed left eye blindness. This report presents clinical circumstances of this rare complication and further discusses the most likely causative factors.     

Superiorly hinged blepharoplasty flap for reconstruction of medial upper eyelid defects following excision of xanthelasma palpebrum

This paper documents an interventional case series which describes a novel technique for reconstructing large medial upper eyelid skin defects following excision of xanthelasma palpebrum. All visible upper eyelid xanthelasma is excised and a superiorly hinged blepharoplasty skin flap is created with a classic skin crease and lateral blepharoplasty incision, the latter acting as an effective 'back-cut' to allow medial advancement of the flap into the defect. Excess triangles of skin are excised and the flap is sutured without tension into the defect in a conventional manner. The patients selected were patients with medial upper eyelid skin defects not amenable to direct closure following surgical excision of xanthelasma. The main outcome measures were the upper eyelid aesthetic and functional outcome, postoperative complications and need for revisionary surgery. In our study seven patients with bilateral medial upper eyelid xanthelasma excised and reconstructed with this technique were identified. Good aesthetic outcome and high patient satisfaction without functional compromise was achieved in all patients at the last follow-up visit. Patient age ranged from 30–52 years old. Follow up ranged from 8 to 18 months. In conclusion, the superiorly hinged blepharoplasty skin flap is a novel and simple technique for the reconstruction of skin defects that are not amenable to direct closure following xanthelasma excision. It avoids the complications of skin grafting and non-surgical ablative methods, particularly in dark-skinned patients.     

Reconstructive upper lid blepharoplasty

Cosmetic upper eyelid blepharoplasty is not a procedure comprising skin and fat resection only. Efficient and effective functional repair of the upper lid requires brow stabilization or elevation, levator aponeurotic repair, lacrimal gland suspension, and cutaneous laser resurfacing when necessary.     

A new upper blepharoplasty clamp

New right and left blepharoplasty clamps have been devised which conform to the three-dimensional curves of the adult upper eyelids. These are suggested for use in older patients who require excision of a large amount of skin and are an adjunct in upper blepharoplasty. We have used the new clamps successfully in 20 upper blepharoplasties. The clamps provide for a rapid, bloodless removal of large amounts of skin.     

Excision of multiple eyelid apocrine hidrocystomas via an en-bloc lower eyelid blepharoplasty incision

A 39-year-old man presented with upper and lower eyelid apocrine hidrocystomas that had recurred after each of three prior attempts at excision. These multiple, cystic tumors were adherent to the epidermis, thus precluding complete dissection and excision of each individual lesion. We report a surgical technique using a lower eyelid blepharoplasty incision to remove the confluent tumors of the lower eyelids en-bloc. We paid careful attention to both removing the lesions without rupturing the cysts and to achieving adequate depth of excision. Histology revealed features typical of apocrine hidrocystomas. The patient has remained free of recurrence three years since the en-bloc excision of the lesions.