PURPOSE: To determine if Muller's muscle and conjunctiva resection with or without tarsectomy is an efficacious procedure for the treatment of severe involutional blepharoptosis. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for all consecutive patients with severe involutional blepharoptosis during a 12-year period treated by a single surgeon (AMP) with a Muller's muscle and conjunctiva resection with or without tarsectomy. The inclusion criteria was good levator function (≥10 mm eyelid excursion), adequate response to phenylephrine (change in eyelid height ≥1.5 mm), and severe involutional blepharoptosis (margin-to-reflex-distance-1 ≤0 mm). RESULTS: One hundred eyelids of 69 patients were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Mean preoperative margin-to-reflex-distance-1 was -0.65 mm and mean postoperative margin-to-reflex-distance-1 was 3.00 mm for all patients. For patients treated with Muller's muscle and conjunctiva resection without tarsectomy, mean preoperative and postoperative margin-to-reflex-distance-1 was -0.51 mm and 2.98 mm with 97.5% of the patients obtaining a lift greater than 1.5 mm. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that Muller's muscle and conjunctiva resection with or without tarsectomy does provide another alternative to the surgeon for the management of severe involutional blepharoptosis.
PURPOSE: To determine if Muller's muscle and conjunctiva resection with or without tarsectomy is an efficacious procedure for the treatment of severe involutional blepharoptosis. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for all consecutive patients with severe involutional blepharoptosis during a 12-year period treated by a single surgeon (AMP) with a Muller's muscle and conjunctiva resection with or without tarsectomy. The inclusion criteria was good levator function (≥10 mm eyelid excursion), adequate response to phenylephrine (change in eyelid height ≥1.5 mm), and severe involutional blepharoptosis (margin-to-reflex-distance-1 ≤0 mm). RESULTS: One hundred eyelids of 69 patients were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Mean preoperative margin-to-reflex-distance-1 was -0.65 mm and mean postoperative margin-to-reflex-distance-1 was 3.00 mm for all patients. For patients treated with Muller's muscle and conjunctiva resection without tarsectomy, mean preoperative and postoperative margin-to-reflex-distance-1 was -0.51 mm and 2.98 mm with 97.5% of the patients obtaining a lift greater than 1.5 mm. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that Muller's muscle and conjunctiva resection with or without tarsectomy does provide another alternative to the surgeon for the management of severe involutional blepharoptosis.