Autogenous dermis-fat "baseball" orbital implant.

A new procedure has been devised for the construction of an autogenous dermis-fat orbital implant, in which two figure-eight-shaped dermis-fat grafts are sutured together into a baseball shape. Correct implant size can be determined by preplacement of different-sized Mule spheres and testing for accurate fit. The "baseball" implant eliminates deep orbital fat which is distant from a vascular supply, and because it is covered with dermis, it maximizes graft vascularization, thus promoting survival of the implanted tissues. In eight patients, followed postoperatively for as long as 28 months, baseball implants have produced highly satisfactory results.