ABSTRACT
We evaluated the incidence and clinical course of exposed hydroxyapatite implants in anophthalmic sockets. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 157 patients who underwent hydroxyapatite implantation in anopthalmic socket and were followed up for more than 4 months. The number of the exposed hydroxyapatite implants was 13 of 157 eyes (8.28%). We found that the incidence of hydroxyapatite exposure following enucleation was 1 of 54 (1.85%), while was 9 of 68 eyes (13.24%) following evisceration, and following secondary implantation was 3 of 35 eyes (8.28%). The exposure of hydroxyapatite implants following evisceration was more frequent than that of following enucleation(P=0.02). 7 of 9 eyes (77.8%) of exposed hydroxyapatite implants following evisceration was late onset which was beyond postoperative 2 months. We believe that the rate of exposure following evisceration may be greater than that of following enucleation. Enucleation could be a good procedure in view of postoperative exposure. And many cases of exposed hydroxyapatite following evixceration were late onset.