What is the Difference Between Lateral Tarsal Strip and Canthoplasty? Are They the Same Procedure?

Lateral canthoplasty takes the natural lateral canthal tendon and suspends it to the orbital bone which tightens the lower eyelid.  A tarsal strip actually uses the tarsal plate (cartilage in the lower lid) which is shortened and used as the tendon to suspended to the orbital bone.

Dr. ES

   These two procedures can be used to accomplish the same goal, which is tightening of the lower eyelid.   For a lateral canthoplasty, the lateral canthal tendon can be released and repositioned to tighten or resuspend the eyelid at a different level, superior, posterior, lateral, etc.  The lateral tarsal strip can be used to anchor the lower lid at a different position as well but anchors this strip and not the lateral canthal tendon or element.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Canthoplasty literraly means reconstruction of the outer corner of the eye called lateral canthus. There are various ways to perform a canthoplasty, depending on the goal and problem. Tarsal strip procedure is a type of canthoplasty, reserved for lax lower eyelids. Minimal invasion canthoplasty is ideal.  See link below for more info.

These terms are not exactly interchangeable.

Every lateral tarsal strip procedure is a canthoplasty.

On the other hand, various canthplasty techniques are being used, the tarsal strip procedure being one of them.

 

Technically, "canthoplasty" means "changing the canthus", usually the lateral canthus [the outside corner of the eyelids, where the upper and lower eyelid meet]; this can mean several different things: sometimes it is just tightening the eyelids to prevent postsurgical scarring from changing the position of the eyelid corner, and sometimes it is actually changing the position of the corner of the eyelid, if there is a problem to begin with.

Often, plastic surgeons will use the term "canthoplasty" to describe a tightening of the eyelids at the outside corner of they eyelids.

A lateral tarsal strip is one of the techniques used to achieve these goals. The tarsal strip basically shortens the width of the eyelid slightly to give the eyelid better tone. Where you attach the eyelid back to the bone achieves the "canthoplasty"

Hope this helps.