Anthropometric changes in the morphology of the lower eyelid after using three different approaches in patients with orbital fractures.

PURPOSE: The aim of this prospective study was to address the anthropometric changes in the morphology of the lower eyelid and esthetic outcomes after performing subciliary, subtarsal, and transconjunctival approaches in patients with orbital and periorbital fractures.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

A prospective randomized controlled clinical study was undertaken on patients with orbital floor and infraorbital rim fractures. These were equally divided into three groups: in group 1, the fractures were approached via a stepped subciliary approach; in group 2, they were approached via a subtarsal approach; in group 3, a retroseptal transconjunctival approach was performed. The patients were assessed for anthropometric changes in the morphology of the lower eyelid, esthetic outcomes, and postoperative lower eyelid complications (LLCs). A one-way ANOVA test was used to analyze differences between the operated and non-operated sides and the effect of the surgical approach on anthropometric measurements.

RESULTS

A total of 45 patients were included in the study. All the surgical approaches provided adequate surgical exposure of the infraorbital rim and orbital floor. The subtarsal approach allowed rapid access to the field (10.5 ± 1.9 min). All incisions resulted in adequate postoperative esthetic outcomes. Anthropometric analysis revealed that there were no significant differences between the three approaches, except for measurements of the eye fissure index (EFI) and lower iris coverage (LIC). Mean EFI measurements increased on all operated sides. The subciliary approach showed the highest percentage of increased measurements of this variable (34.5 ± 4.6), followed by the subtarsal approach (32 ± 2.1), and then the transconjunctival approach (31.1 ± 3.7), with p = 0.046. Furthermore, the subciliary approach significantly decreased the measurements of LIC. This change was also bigger with the subciliary approach (1.09 ± 2.3) than with the subtarsal approach (2.1 ± 2.4) or transconjunctival approach (3.4 ± 2.6), with p = 0.048.

CONCLUSION

Based on the results of this study, the subtarsal approach is a minimally invasive incision that provides an adequate and direct approach to orbital floor and infraorbital rim fractures, with a favorable periorbital architecture and the lowest incidence of LLCs. Therefore, the subtarsal technique should be preferred over subciliary and transconjunctival approaches.