Reconstruction of Lower Eyelid Defect using Neighboring Remnant Skin

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Facial tumor excision is a common cause of lower eyelid defect in old patients. Many methods have been introduced for the reconstruction of lower eyelid. However, conventional surgical method can cause various complications like scar, ectropion and unnatural color matching. Thus, we introduce a simple and aesthetically acceptable method for the reconstruction of lower eyelid defect. METHODS: Three elderly patients with skin cancer in the unilateral lower eyelid were operated by the new method. Following a wide excision of skin cancer, subcilliary incision of lower blepharoplasty was carried out. Elevated skin flap of lower eyelid was redrapped for the correction of defect and the remnant skin from lateral portion of lower eyelid was used for full thickness skin graft(FTSG) to correct the remaining defect. RESULTS: All grafts survived and color match of the graft was excellent without ectropion. Furthermore, wrinkles of the lower eyelid were improved after the blepharoplasty. CONCLUSION: Lower eyelid defect resulting from wide excision of malignant tumor in old patients could be reconstructed successfully by modifying the conventional lower eyelid blepharoplasty along with FTSG using the remnant skin.