Levator aponeurosis surgery. A retrospective review.

A review of all cases of aponeurotic repair done since 1980 by the author identified 140 patients and 174 eyelids. An acceptable result at 6 weeks was defined as a lid level within 1 mm of the desired level achieved in 74% of lids with acquired ptosis. The amount of ptosis present preoperatively was the major factor in our study; levator function and type of anesthesia did not affect the success rate. The most significant finding was a lower long-term success rate due to a drop in lid level clustered at the 2- to 4-month period postoperatively. The authors speculate on the cause for this finding.