BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of simultaneous correction of a postenucleation sunken socket syndrome and deficient inferior fornix with a porous polyethylene wedge and oral mucosa graft.
METHODS: In this study, the authors retrospectively reviewed 24 patients who underwent simultaneous correction of postenucleation sunken socket syndrome by wedge implants and deficient inferior fornix by oral mucosa graft from January of 2009 until December of 2011. Upper and lower fornix depths were measured and exophthalmometry was performed before and 6 months after surgery. A paired t-test analysis was used to compare preoperative and postoperative results of fornix depth and exophthalmos.
RESULTS: Of the 24 patients, 15 were women and nine were men. The mean age of the patients was 44.1 years and the mean follow-up period was 11.2 months. Enophthalmos significantly decreased in all cases, with a mean change of 3.3 ± 1.26 mm (p < 0.001). Inferior fornix depth increased significantly, with a mean difference of 5.0 ± 0.86 mm (p < 0.001). There were no significant complications after surgery.
CONCLUSION: A simultaneous correction of postenucleation sunken socket syndrome and deficient inferior fornix using porous polyethylene wedge implants and oral mucosa graft can be effective for cosmetic improvements in anophthalmic patients.
CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.