Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
European Society of Oculoplastic and Plastic Surgery, Naples, İtalya, 17 - 18 Eylül 2021, ss.1-2
Objective: To evaluate the effects of blepharoplasty operation performed with skin excision alone versus orbicularis excision on corneal nerve morphology by in-vivo corneal confocal microscopy (IVCCM).
Methods: Patients included in the study prospectively were divided into two groups based on the cosmetic need for skin excision alone (Group-S) (6 patients – 12 eyes) or orbicularis excision (Group-O) (6 patients – 12 eyes) blepharoplasty. Corneal sub-basal nerve plexus parameters [fiber density (CNFD), branch density (CNBD), and fiber length (CNFL)] were evaluated using IVCCM. Quantitative analysis of all sub-basal nerve plexus nerve fibers was determined by automated CCMetrics software (University of Manchester, UK).
Results: The mean age and gender of Group-S and Group-O were similar. There was no significant difference between Group-S and Group-O regarding preoperative CNFD, CNBD, and CNFL parameters (p>0.05). For Group-S, a significant decrease was observed in CNFD (p=0.033), CNBD (p=0.047), and CNFL (p=0.033) parameters at week 1, while no significant difference was observed in the same parameters in Group-O (p=0.221, p=0.425, p=0.369; respectively). In month 1, the significant decrease in Group-S parameters improved, and there was no significant difference with the preoperative values (p>0.05); in addition, no significant difference was observed between preoperative and month 1 values in Group-O (p>0.05). Moreover, there was no difference between the two groups in terms of changes in all parameters at week 1 and month 1 (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Although orbicularis excision is a more aggressive surgery than blepharoplasty with only skin excision, it was observed that there was no significant difference between the two surgical techniques in terms of the effects on the corneal sub-basal nerve layer. There might be a reduction in nerve parameters in the first week for both techniques; however, the reduction in nerve density results returned to the preoperative values in the 1st month for both surgical techniques.