Secondary Reconstruction of Severe Contracted Eye Socket Using Modified Ocular Conformer-Drainage Tube System

Abstract

Eye socket reconstruction has been previously reported; however, few reports address reconstruction in cases of socket contracture after graft failure. This is a retrospective observational case study of 42 patients who had previously undergone eye socket reconstruction after posttraumatic enucleation owing to severe thermal or chemical injury, and each of whom presented with a severe contracted eye socket. Patients underwent free skin grafts and the placement of a modified ocular conformer-drainage tube system. Eye sockets of adequate size were created in the 42 patients. Three patients presented with gradual extrusion of the eye prosthesis due to recurrent contraction of the inferior fornix after treatment. These patients agreed to further operative procedures 6 months after secondary reconstruction surgery, which resulted in mild upward tilting of the eye prosthesis without extrusion. The prosthetic eyes fit well in all of the secondary reconstructed sockets using this technique. Our studies suggest that the modified ocular conformer-drainage tube system can efficiently control infection after secondary reconstruction of the posttraumatic contracted socket and may result in less shrinkage of skin grafts.