• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.724-728
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• 2007

Purpose: The objective of this study is to prevent postoperative lower eyelid retraction and scleral show. There are several approaches for orbital rim reconstruction. But these techniques are sometimes difficult to perform, and have some merits and faults. Maybe most common unwanted and unpleasant result that we have experienced by subciliary incision preseptal approach is the lower eyelid retraction and the scleral show. Therefore, I want to find out the causes and the solutions for such complication. We must know the mechanics for those unpleasant result first of all. Methods: We conducted a comparison of postoperative photographs between retroseptal approach group and preseptal approach group, both with subciliary incision. In experimental retroseptal group, incision was applied at subciliary region. After elevating skin flap to preserve pretarsal muscle, not with muscle flap elevation, but direct oblique incision through the muscle, retroseptal dissection was applied to the ROOF and the septum. Fixating fracture line, periosteal and septal repair was followed by skin repair. The light compressive dressings and protection were kept in place for 7 days. The effectiveness of this operative method was made comparison with control group which the preseptal approach was applied to, by postoperative 2nd week and 2nd month. Results: Author's technique had been used in 20 patients and control group was composed of 50 patients over 19months period. There were better results in experimental group than in control group and all of experimental group had no complaint about the lower eyelid retraction and the scleral show. Conclusion: It must be known about the reason of the lower eyelid retraction and the scleral show induced by subciliary and preseptal approach. Mechanically it can be easily proved. And the solution maybe will be easier if we get more information about the mechanics. I recommend the retroseptal subciliary approach