Upper eyelid island orbicularis oculi myocutaneous flap for periorbital reconstruction

PURPOSE: To describe the upper eyelid island orbicularis oculi myocutaneous flap, medially or laterally based, for reconstruction of periorbital defects. METHODS: During the past three years we have used the island orbicularis oculi myocutaneous flap in 62 patients with tumors of the periorbital area, with the following indications: (a) anterior lamellar defects of the medial aspect of the upper eyelid, when the peripheral arcade is intact; (b) up to 2/3 anterior lamellar lower eyelid defects; (c) inner and outer canthus defects; and (d) defects of the peripalpebral area (the lateral half of the eyebrow, bridge of the nose and suprazygomatic areas). RESULTS: The flap proved to be flexible, safe, relatively simple, and provided good functional and aesthetic results. Complications were minimal. CONCLUSIONS: The upper eyelid island orbicularis oculi myocutaneous flap may be a useful tool for periorbital reconstruction.