Surgical Management of the Severely Contracted Socket Following Reconstruction

Abstract

Purpose: To present a surgical technique for the early maintenance of the severely contracted socket following reconstruction. Methods: Two patients with severely contracted sockets following multiple procedures and recurrent failure were identified over a 1 year period. Following fornix and eyelid reconstruction, silicone fixative was injected into the fornix through a standard conformer. The silicone fixed around a pre-placed K-wire passed from the lateral orbital rim to the posterior lacrimal crest. Both silicone and wire were removed at 3 months. Results: Both patients were able to wear and maintain an acceptable prosthesis following the surgical procedure. Conclusion: This is a safe and effective method for the early maintenance of a severely contracted socket. This technique minimizes cheesewiring or extrusion and avoids damage to superior and inferior muscles and structures.