Coralline hydroxyapatite as an ocular implant.

Fifty patients received a coralline hydroxyapatite sphere as a buried integrated ocular implant after enucleation or evisceration surgery. The surgical technique is described and the results discussed. All patients obtained final prosthetic motility superior to that possible with simple spherical methylmethacrylate implants. After a follow-up of 2 to 27 months (mean, 10.4 months) there have been no cases of migration or extrusion. Complications have been minimal and easily managed. The hydroxyapatite implant appears to offer excellent cosmetic reconstruction without the unacceptable infection and extrusion rates seen with other integrated implants.