Long-term outcome of combined lateral tarsal strip with temporal permanent tarsorrhaphy for correction of paralytic ectropion caused by facial nerve palsy

Paralytic ectropion caused by facial nerve palsy often requires surgical intervention for cornea protection. In this study, the authors intended to investigate the long-term surgical outcome of their surgical technique of correcting paralytic ectropion, which is a combined lateral tarsal strip and minimal temporal permanent tarsorrhaphy. The authors performed a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent paralytic ectropion repair by combined lateral tarsal strip with minimal temporal permanent tarsorrhaphy (5 mm) from January 2010 to December 2012. Patients with at least 1 year of follow-up were included. An analysis of preoperative and postoperative measurements included the extent of lagophthalmos, grade of superficial punctate keratopathy (SPK), and tear break-up time (tBUT). The study included 22 patients and a total of 22 eyes. The lagophthalmos, grade of SPK, and tBUT at both 1 month and 1 year of postoperative follow-up were all significantly improved compared with preoperatively (all P < 0.01). At 1 year after surgery, the mean SPK grade and tBUT were slightly, but not significantly, worse than at 1 month after surgery (P = 0.716 and P = 0.632, retrospectively). Three patients were not satisfied with the aesthetic appearance; however, no patient required additional surgery to enhance eyelid closure because of ectropion recurrence or to reopen the tarsorrhaphy during long-term follow-up. Combined lateral tarsal strip with minimal temporal permanent tarsorrhaphy is a quick, safe, and effective surgical technique for the treatment of lower eyelid paralytic ectropion. It produces minimal cosmetic disfigurement and low morbidity during long-term followup.