The Effect of Supine Versus Upright Positioning on Eyelid Height in the Nonsurgical Patient.

PURPOSE: To directly compare margin-reflex distance 1, margin-reflex distance 2, and palpebral fissure in the upright versus supine positions in nonsurgical patients. METHODS: A total of 43 patients (31 female, 12 male, and age range 26-96) were enrolled. Photos were taken in the clinic in the upright and supine position with a ruler placed vertically in the same plane as the eyelid, and the above computer-analyzed measurements were obtained. RESULTS: Among the 86 eyes observed, the average upright margin-reflex distance 1 was 2.97 mm (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.70-3.24), while the average supine margin-reflex distance 1 was 2.38 mm (95% CI, 2.13-2.63). These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Similarly, statistically significant differences were seen with margin-reflex distance 2 (p < 0.001), where upright measurements averaged 5.57 mm (95% CI, 5.33-5.81), and supine measurements averaged 5.01 mm (95% CI, 4.73-5.28). Finally, palpebral fissure showed similar significance (p < 0.001). Upright measurements averaged 8.54 mm (95% CI, 8.19-8.90), while supine measurements averaged 7.38 mm (95% CI, 7.00-7.76). CONCLUSIONS: Supine positioning provides a decrease in margin-reflex distance 1, margin-reflex distance 2, and palpebral fissure when compared with upright positioning in nonsurgical patients. This contradicts a previous study on intraoperative patients when lidocaine with epinephrine was used. This study helps us better understand the normal physiologic response to position changes with regard to eyelid height in the nonsurgical patient. As such, this study may function as a control for future studies comparing anesthetic/surgical parameter effects on intra- and post-operative eyelid heights.

Orbital Venous Malformation Excision after Transcaruncular Embolization with Onyx.

Orbital venous malformations are low-flow lesions resulting from vascular dysgenesis during development. Patients may present with vision loss, proptosis accentuated by Valsalva, and/or painful spontaneous thrombosis. The preferred treatment for symptomatic lesions is embolization combined with excision. A 34-year-old male presented to our institution from an outside emergency department with a diagnosis of presumed idiopathic orbital inflammation. For the prior month, he had been experiencing left orbital pressure, subjective eye bulging, and both diplopia and blurry vision when in peripheral gaze or when bending over. Despite initial improvement with steroids, his symptoms recurred with tapering. Visual acuity was reduced to 20/25, but pupils and motility remained normal. Biopsy demonstrated a vascular lesion characterized by fibroadipose tissue with histologically unremarkable blood vessels, and cerebral arteriography showed no high-flow components. A diagnosis of orbital venous malformation was made. He then underwent intraoperative angiography and Onyx embolization followed by excision via a transcaruncular approach. Two prior reports have described the use of Onyx in venolymphatic malformations. This report highlights a detailed approach to defining flow characteristics pre- and intraoperatively and expands upon our understanding of the use of Onyx for such cases.