Long-term enhancement of botulinum toxin injections by upper-eyelid surgery in 14 patients with facial dyskinesias.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effects of upper-eyelid surgery (limited myectomy, blepharoplasty, and levator aponeurotic advancement) on patients who demonstrated a suboptimal response or residual heaviness of the upper eyelids after botulinum toxin eyelid injections for facial dyskinesia.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SUBJECTS: Charts of 358 patients with a diagnosis of benign essential blepharospasm, Meige syndrome (with eyelid involvement), and hemifacial spasm were reviewed.

METHODS

Data were retrospectively analyzed and included subjective and objective responses about botulinum toxin injections (number and duration of effect of injections before and after eyelid surgery).

RESULTS

Of 358 patients with facial dyskinesias, 14 (3.91%) underwent upper-eyelid limited myectomy with or without upper-lid blepharoplasty (n = 5), upper-lid blepharoplasty alone (n = 6), or levator advancement with or without blepharoplasty (n = 3). Mean subjective improvement was 68.75% after limited myectomy combined with blepharoplasty and 58.33% after levator and/or blepharoplasty surgery. Average duration of effect of injections increased from 122.1 days in the patients prior to undergoing eyelid surgery to 210.5 days after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Upper-eyelid surgery, including limited myectomy, enhanced the effect of the botulinum toxin in this small group of patients. Patients with a suboptimal response to injections in terms or moderate to marked dermatochalasis with subjective heaviness of the eyelids, upper-eyelid blepharoplasty, and/or limited myectomy should be considered.