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Stitch Eyelids to Eyebrow to Fix Ectropion After Eyelid Surgery?

asked 2 years ago by eric12 in ca
Latest answer by William Portuese, MD
Question viewed 2,317 times
Tags: eyebrows, eyelids, revision, stitches

I need to have a second surgery because my first eyelid surgery did not go well. I have ectropion in one eye. My doctor wants to perform a procedure that he invented. He wants to stitch my eye to my eyebrow shut for over a week. If this works it will be great, but won't this make it worse and create many new scars? Has anyone heard of this procedure? What other options are there for me?

8 answers to Stitch Eyelids to Eyebrow to Fix Ectropion After Eyelid Surgery?

+3

There are many techniques to fix ectropion after eyelid surgery

Repair of ectropion after blepharoplasty can be challenging. As with most things preventing the problem in the first place is advantageous over any form of repair. Fortunately, many standard techniques have been developed to repair this problem. This would depend upon the cause of your particular difficulty. The causes include excess skin removal, excess postop swelling and inflammation, inappropriate applying of cold compresses after surgery. The standard technique is to release the... more
J. Timothy Heffernan, MD

Seattle Oculoplastic Surgeon

drtimheffernan.com

+3

Treatment of ectropion

Treatment of ectropion can be a difficult venture. The ectropion can be a cosmetic issue with asymmetry and lower position of the lower eyelid with resulting excessive showing of the sclera on that side. Or, it can be a medical issue with exposure of the cornea and sclera casuing abrasions, ulcerations, and infections. Some ectropion will improve over time if it is scarring problem and the scarring will soften and loosen with time. Suturing the lower eyelid to the upper eyelid (not usually... more
Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+2

Ectropion repair

It is best to address the underlying cause of the ectropion and not just hold the eyelid up for a temporary position. This will only create new scarring, and it is best to undergo a routine ectropion repair by releasing the scar tissue that is causing it.
William Portuese, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattlefacial.com

+2

Reapir of ectropion after blepharoplasty

Eric, Ectropion might be a genaralization for what is happening to your lower eyelid. More than likely, scar will be released, occasionally the midface is brought up for support, and a spacer graft (like tissue from the roof of your mouth) can be used to provide vertical archtecture to your lower eyelid. At the end of the case to allow healing in a smooth plane a FROST stitch is placed sewing the lower eyelid to the brow. That is the last part of the procedure. good luck Dr.schwarcz... more
Robert Schwarcz, MD

New York Oculoplastic Surgeon
+2

Fixing ectropion after eyelid surgery?

Eric, This is I believe your second posting on this website and like others of my colleagues I think it is safe to say we are getting an uneasy feeling reading your posts. In your previous post, you were advised to best wait 5-6 months or so until the swelling subsided and the eyelid tissues became supple and handled normally again. A successful ectropion repair depends on correction of THE CAUSE of the ectropion be it scar, looseness or muscle paralysis. With either removal of too much... more
Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+2

Frost suture for ectropion

Ectropion surgery is performed for a tight lower lid. This usually requires a skin graft and/or space graft as well as either a canthopexy or canthoplasty. Many surgeons either tape the eye or palce a Frost suture that is suspended to the eyebrow for support during the early healing process.
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+2

This is an appropriate surgical maneuver

Hi Eric This is now the third email of yours I've answered. You should know that in addressing vertically compromised lower eyelids, it is approriate to use a variety of techniques to improve the lower eyelid position. This includes removal of lower eyelid scar tissue, placement of hard palate graft, orbital rim implants, etc. Suturing the eyelid in place is like casting the eyelids so they don't move while the tissue heals. However, you indicated that surgery was only 4 months ago. It is... more
Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon
+2

Stitches hold your eyelid in place while it heals.

Stitching the lower eyelid to the eyebrow is only part of the operation. Most likely the surgeon plans on removing scar tissue from your lower eyelids, and possibly placing tissue from elsewhere in your body into your eyelid as a spacer. The stitches to your brow are used to hold the eyelid in the correct position until some of the healing has occurred. Think of it like a cast for a broken bone.
Marc Cohen, MD

Philadelphia Oculoplastic Surgeon

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