Eyelid Skin Grafting For Repair of Postblepharoplasty Lower Eyelid Retraction

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Aug. 9, 2014 - PRLog -- Dr Guy Massry, MD of Beverly Hills, California, an ophthalmic plastic surgeon with a special interest in the repair of post-surgical complications of blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid) surgery, has had his scientific manuscript titled “Injectable 5-FU With or Without Added Steroid in Periorbital Skin Grafting: Initial Observations” published, after scientific peer review, by the journal of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (OPRS) - the primary periodical of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPS). The article in now available published ahead of print at

http://journals.lww.com/op-rs/Abstract/publishahead/Injectable_5_FU_With_or_Without_Added_Steroid_in.99206.aspx

Lower eyelid retraction refers to the condition when the lower eyelid is displaced inferiorly (pulled down).  This can occur at birth, as an ageing change, after a disease state such as a Thyroid imbalance (ie. Grave’s disease), after trauma, or after surgery.  When it occurs after cosmetic lower eyelid surgery the condition is given the namePostblepharoplasty Lower Eyelid Retraction (PBLER).

Over the last 30 years the primary surgical repair mechanism for PBLER has consisted of advancing the cheek upwards (cheek lift) to add skin to the lower lid, a lower lid suspension procedure (lateral canthoplasty) to reinforce the lower lid, and the insertion of an internal eyelid graft to support and prevent re-scaring of the lower lid.  While this can be a powerful means of elevating a retracted lower eyelid, many patients have noted dissatisfaction with the outcome and eventual regression of the surgical result.  This is more a measure of the difficulty of adequately addressing this complicated problem, than of the skills of the many surgeons, including Dr. Massry, who deal with PBLER.

An earlier form of surgical treatment for postblepharoplasty lower eyelid retraction, which has been mostly abandoned, is skin grafting of the lower eyelid.  Surgeons are hesitant to use skin grafting of the lower eyelids due to the fear of the potential to develop objectionable and obvious scarring, in a patient whose primary reason for eyelid surgery is cosmetic enhancement.  In recent years, the use of injectable 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)has been used to help prevent such scarring.

In the article presented, Dr. Massry and colleagues elaborate on their results of skin grafting lower eyelids with adjunctive 5-FU http://drmassry.com/blog/5fu-injections-after-poor-outcome-eyelid-surgery/

injections for a variety of reasons, including those with postblepharoplasty lower eyelid retraction.  Both blinded surgeon evaluation of outcome, and patient satisfaction with final results have been excellent.  This is the first report of the use of injectable 5-FU for this application. Dr. Massry believes this is the first step in further study of this complicated postsurgical eyelid problem.

This recent innovation, which Dr. Massry has also presented at scientific medical meetings, is born out of a continuing effort by Dr Massry to improve the field of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Massry is also active making comprehensive information available to anyone considering ophthalmic plastic surgery (blepharoplasty, canthoplasty, ptosis repair, eyelid fat grafting, eyelid fat repositioning, etc.) through his website and social network pages.
Dr. Massry practices cosmetic and reconstructive eyelid surgery in Beverly Hills, California.

Please visit http://drmassry.com/