Frontalis Sling Operation Using Silicone Rod in Congenital Blepharoptosis Patients

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of frontalis sling operation using silicone rod in congenital ptosis patients. METHODS: The authors retrospectively investigated the surgical results of congenital ptosis patients who underwent frontalis sling operation using silicone rod and were followed up for at least 12 months postoperatively. We compared their results with those of congenital ptosis patients who underwent frontalis sling operation using preserved fascia lata. RESULTS: Twenty nine patients were included in the silicone rod group and 81 in the preserved fascia lata group. The average age at operation was 70.5 months in the silicone rod group, and 62.2 months in the preserved fascia lata group. At 12-month follow-up, good lid height was achieved in 9 patients (31.0%), fair in 17 (58.6%), and poor in 3 (10.4%) among the 29 patients of the silicone rod group. Of the 81 patients with preserved fascia lata, 22 (27.2%) were good, 44 (54.3%) were fair, and 15 (18.5%) were poor at postoperative 12 months. Chronic exposure keratopathy occurred postoperatively in one patient of the preserved fascia lata group and early recurrence due to spontaneous break of silicone rod developed in one patient of the silicone rod group. CONCLUSIONS: At 12-month follow-up, frontalis sling operation using silicone rod showed equal or better results compared with the operation using preserved fascia lata. However, longer follow-up is required to confirm the long-term results of frontalis sling operation using silicone rod.