[Experience with orbital implants in particular with porous hydroxyapatite materials]. / Erfahrungen mit Orbitaimplantaten, insbesondere mit porösen Hydroxylapatitmaterialien.

PURPOSE: Various materials have been developed since the first implantation of a hydroxyapatite sphere in 1985. They are similar to the porous basic structure and imitate the biological behavior of coralline implants. This article presents own clinical experience with hydroxyapatite implants from 1993 to 2003 and compares own results and other porous orbital implants in the international scientific literature. RESULTS: The original hydroxyapatite implant is well tolerated and implant extrusion is rare. A retrospective analysis of 357 patients regarding this complication shows an extrusion rate of 2.6% over 10 years. The subjective positive tolerance of 71.2% corresponds to the results of international studies. After several stages of development the synthetic product (FCI3) is now comparable with the original product with regard to operative complications and subjective compatibility. Both orbital implants should be used with a protective covering to avoid premature extrusion and to facilitate suturing the extraocular muscles anterior. When using material from humane donors the material must be guaranteed to be completely sterile. The use of vicryl as an orbital plomb wrapping leads to contradictory reports in the literature. Hydroxyapatite ceramics in combination with silicone india rubber represent an alternative to the materials listed above and in this case a wrapping of the orbital plomb is unnecessary. Spherical orbital implants made of aluminum oxide (bioceramic implant) are an alternative to corraline hydroxyapatite implants. Because of their porous,crystalline structure bioceramic implants vascularize well. Porous polythylene orbital implants,which are not available in Germany, are economical, but due to their porosity and vascularization properties they are not comparable with pure hydroxyapatite or hydroxyapatite ceramics. FUTURE VIEW: The dynamic development of the infant anopthalmus adapted to the size growth of the orbita and the exact volume replenishment of the adult orbita cannot yet be fulfilled with the presently available porous hydroxyapatite materials and is the subject of future research.

[Long-term results of implantation of hydroxylapatite as artificial eye]. / Langzeitresultate mit der Implantation von Hydroxylapatit als Bulbusersatz.

BACKGROUND: Since its first implantation as an eyeball replacement in the United States in 1985, hydroxyapatite has been rarely used as an orbital implant in Germany. The aim of the study was to collect data on long-term tolerance, postoperative complications and the cosmetic end results. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the spring of 1997, 52 patients underwent a follow-up examination at our hospital. The average post-operative follow-up period was 23 (12-41) months. RESULTS: The subjective tolerance was considered good by 3/4 of the patients. In the comparison of position and prominence of the artificial eye, 8 patients achieved complete equalization. As regards defective lid position, 8 patients had a ptosis, 6 an ectropium, and there was one case of entropium. Changes in conjunctiva stretched from muciferous secretion to follicular squamous hyperplasia. There was no case of implant extrusion in the series examined. With reference to the method of implantation, far superior motility was observed in primary implantations. Statistically significant motility differences could not be shown regarding muscle attachment because of the small number of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: In the series examined, hydroxyapatite proved to be a generally well-tolerated orbital implant with few postoperative complications and good motility. Primary implantation with attachment of all six eye muscles gave the best results.