Short report

Upper eyelid reconstruction: a short report of an eyelid defect following a thermal burn

Francesco Inchingolo¹ , Marco Tatullo¹ , Fabio M Abenavoli² , Massimo Marrelli³ , Alessio D Inchingolo¹ , Roberto Corelli¹ , Angelo M Inchingolo¹ and Gianna Dipalma¹

¹  Department of Dental Sciences and Surgery, General Hospital, Bari, Italy

²  Department of Otorinolaringoiatry, Hospital "Fatebenefratelli", Rome, Italy

³  Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Calabrodental, Crotone, Italy

author email corresponding author email

Head & Face Medicine 2009, 5:26doi:10.1186/1746-160X-5-26

Published:	25 November 2009

Abstract

While the principles of eyelid reconstruction are well-established, achieving good functional and aesthetic reconstruction remains challenging.

This communication presents a technique that we used on a young patient with an eyelid defect following a thermal burn. The patient was operated on to reconstruct the entire upper eyelid using, as a posterior lamella, a mucochondrial autologous graft taken from the ala of the nose as a tarsus and conjunctiva substitutes that were sutured to the Elevator palpebrae superioris aponeurosis and muscle. On the other hand, to reconstruct the anterior lamella, which consists of skin and muscle, the surgeons used a myocutaneous temporal flap taken from the region immediately lateral to the external canthus of the palpebral region, and which, after being isolated following a drawing of the upper eyelid to be reconstructed, was rotated and then sutured to the posterior lamella using the orbicularis oculi muscle as a pedicle.