Classification of Blepharoptosis by Etiology

Purpose: We have classified blepharoptosis into the categories including pseudoptosis in Koreans and compared with other previous studies. Methods: Total of 250 patients(398 eyes) who underwent surgery for blepharoptosis from 1987 to 2006 were studied. By classification of Beard, patients were categorized into congenital, acquired and pseudo blepharoptosis and later they were reclassified by their etiologies. Also addition of pseudoptosis to the classification of Frueh, blepharoptosis were categorized into neurogenic type, myogenic type, aponeurotic type, mechanical type and pseudoptosis. And we divided these cases by the degree of blepharoptosis, levator function and the operation methods. Results: Out of the 250 patients, 175 patients were congenital type, 49 were acquired type and 26 were pseudoptosis. According to the mechanistic classification, 177 myogenic type, 30 aponeurotic, 7 mechanic, 8 neurogenic and 28 pseudoptosis were categorized. Regarding severity of blepharoptosis, there were 29.2% of mild, 40% of moderate, and 30.8% of severe cases. Out of the 398 cases, in terms of the operation methods, there were 39 aponeurosis plication, 184 levator resection, 5 Muller tucking, 60 Orbicularis oculi muscle flap, 66 frontalis transfer, and 21 blepharoplasty. Conclusion: The cause and degree of ptosis, and levator function are very important when considering the amount of resected muscle. There were only a few studies about blepharoptosis classification including pseudoptosis category. Therefore, through this study, we can investigate the relationship between the pseudoptosis and the others. This study could be useful for the making future management plans of blepharoptosis in Korean patients.

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