Öz
Abstract
Objective: To present the clinical features and surgical results of patients who underwent Whitnall sling surgery in congenital upper eyelid ptosis with poor levator function.
Material and Methods: Fifteen eyes of 11 patients who underwent Whitnall sling surgery in Haseki Education and Research Hospital between 2003-2005 were included in the study. Four of the patients were women and seven were men, and their ages were between 5 and 40 years. Those with systemic and ocular pathologies other than droopy eyelids were excluded from the study. Whitnall sling surgery was performed with an anterior approach. Provided that the upper
eyelid contour was regular and the lid line was symmetrical, the results in those with complete correction and upper eyelid drooping of less than one millimeter (mm) were considered ‘successful’, in those with 1-2 mm upper eyelid drooping were considered ‘satisfactory’, and in those with upper eyelid drooping two mm were considered ‘unsuccessful’.
Results: Complications such as upper eyelid contour irregularity and infection were not observed. In one patient the result was considered unsuccessful because of more than two mm ptosis. On the other hand, in one patient the result was considered satisfactory because the optic axis was open despite the 1 to 2 mm ptosis. Thirteen eyes of 9 patients (86.7%) had lower than 1 mm ptosis and the result was considered successful.
Conclusion: Whitnall sling surgery is a technique with a high success rate and low complication in patients with poor levator function. Prospective studies are needed for long-term results.