Outcomes of mild to moderate upper eyelid ptosis correction using Müller's muscle-conjunctival resection.

BACKGROUND

Müller's muscle-conjunctival resection is used to correct mild to moderate ptosis commonly encountered in the rejuvenation patient population. The authors examined its efficacy and analyzed variables that potentially affect outcomes.

METHODS

Patients who underwent ptosis correction using Müller's muscle-conjunctival resection with greater than 10-month follow-up were included. Amount of ptosis reduction, eyelid symmetry, effects of concomitant facial aesthetic operations, and adverse outcomes were analyzed. Patients were grouped into medium- (<24 months after surgery) and long-term follow-up (>24 months) cohorts to determine whether outcomes changed over time.

RESULTS

Forty patients with a mean follow-up of 28 months combined for a total of 70 resection operations. Resection significantly reduced ptosis by a mean of 1.48 ± 0.88 mm (p < 0.001), corresponding to 0.19 mm of eyelid elevation for every 1.0 mm of Müller's muscle resected. The procedure successfully corrected 84 percent of eyelids to within 0.5 mm and 94 percent to within 1.0 mm of normal eyelid position. On patients with asymmetric ptosis, it significantly improved eyelid symmetry to within 1.0 mm from 85 percent of patients before surgery to 95 percent after surgery, and to within 0.5 mm from 53 percent before surgery to 75 percent of patients after surgery (p = 0.036). Furthermore, the mean correction of ptosis was not significantly different between medium- (1.58 ± 0.93 mm) and long-term (1.32 ± 0.93 mm) follow-up patients (p = 0.258).

CONCLUSIONS

Müller's muscle-conjunctival resection is an effective long-term solution to mild to moderate eyelid ptosis and asymmetry, and can be effectively performed concomitantly with other aesthetic facial procedures.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.