Fibrovascular Ingrowth of the Orbital Hydroxyapatite Implant evaluated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

ABSTRACT

The degree and completion of the fibrovascular ingrowth into the implant were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging on twenty-one cases of intraorbital hydroxyapatite implant insertion following evisceration (16 cases), enucleation (3 cases), and secondary implantation (2 cases) operated at the Department of Ophthalmology, Yeungnam University Hospital during the period from April 1993 through June 1995. Six to seven microholes were made into the hydroxyapatite sphere. It was inserted into the orbital cavity without wrapping with the preserved sclera during the enucleation procedure and posterior scleral incision was performed for insertion of the implant in the evisceration procedure. The magnetic resonance imaging was first taken 2 months postoperatively and then a month interval by the time of complete fibrovascularization. The range of complete fibrovascularization time varied from 86 to 203 postoperative days. The mean time was 4.48 months which was significantly faster than that of the other authors reported in the literatures. The complete fibrovascularization time of the implant had no significant relation to the preoperative conditions, the age, the surgical procedures and the sizes of the implant.