Management of Lower Lid Ectropion

BACKGROUND: Ectropion repair is a challenge in plastic surgery. Depending on the etiology of the underlying problem, a variety of surgical techniques are available. The etiology, operative management, and recurrence rate are presented. OBJECTIVE: An improvement of the deformity or, in the ideal case, a functional and aesthetic restoration should be accomplished. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 58 patients with ectropion treated from June 2002 until March 2004 were analyzed, 33 with scar contractures, 13 with a tumor of the lid margin, 8 with facial paralysis, and 4 with senile ectropion. Surgical procedures included lateral or medial canthopexy, lateral tarsorrhaphy, wedge excision, skin graft, local flaps, cartilage graft, fascial slings, and combined procedures in one-third of the patients. RESULTS: Postoperative complications included incomplete correction and others in 18.9% of the patients. Eight patients (13.8%) had to be reoperated. CONCLUSION: Correction of the lower lid area including restoration of the lid margin in terms of shape and position is the surgical end point. The preoperative analysis is mandatory for a surgical solution to this severe problem, which is associated with a high incidence of recurrence, especially in difficult reconstructive cases. An individual sophisticated strategy combined with experience in the variety of surgical techniques is mandatory. Frequently, multiple procedures are necessary.