SURGICAL TREATMENT OF PTOSIS WITH MERSILENE MESH

• Main Authors: Brigita Drnovšek Olup, Matej Beltram
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Slovenian Medical Association 2004-05-01
• Series: Zdravniški Vestnik
• Subjects: frontalis suspension; complications
• Online Access: http://vestnik.szd.si/index.php/ZdravVest/article/view/2321

<p>Background. Frontalis suspension is the best surgical procedure for severe ptosis with poor or absent levator muscle function. The transmission of frontalis muscle activity to the upper lid is achieved by the insertion of the biologically acceptable stretchable connection between the two. The authors describe the results of thirteen years of use of the Mersilene mesh sling for the correction of severe blepharoptosis.</p><p>Methods. From January 1990 to October 2003 brow suspension was performed on 55 eyelids of 39 patients with severe ptosis. The aetiology of ptosis was congenital ptosis in 15 cases, chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia in 5, myasthenia gravis in 4, trauma in 3, oculomotorius paresis in 3 and unknown one in 9 cases. The surgical technique used was modified Fox’s procedure. Mersilene mesh sling was used in all cases. All procedures were performed in general anesthesia.</p><p>Results. In all 39 cases a significant improvement in lid height was obtained. We encountered 6 cases with complications: fistula formation, granuloma formation, exposure keratitis and wrinkling of the upper eyelid.</p><p>Conclusions. Mersilene mesh proved to be a suitable suspensory material for ptosis surgery in all 39 cases. The mesh is inexpensive, easy to prepare and work with, and causes few complications.<br /><br /></p>