Enucleation: is wrapping the implant necessary for optimal motility?
OBJECTIVE
To compare the mobility of wrapped and unwrapped hydroxyapatite orbital implants after enucleation.


METHODS
Fifteen consecutive adult patients underwent enucleation with hydroxyapatite implant placement. These patients randomly received either a wrapped or unwrapped implant. A masked observer measured the motility of implants at 6 weeks after implantation. The conjunctiva was marked and measured with a ruler. These measurements were used to compare the motility of the wrapped versus unwrapped implant.


RESULTS
The mean elevation for the wrapped group (n = 7) was 4 mm and for the unwrapped group (n = 8) was 3.9 mm. Depression was 4.1 mm for the wrapped group and 3.6 mm for the unwrapped group. Medial excursions were 5.3 for the wrapped group and 5.0 mm for the unwrapped group. Lateral excursions were 3.7 mm for the wrapped group and 3.5 mm for the unwrapped group. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed, and no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that placement of unwrapped hydroxyapatite implants after enucleation provides essentially the same motility as wrapped implants. This technique also saves time and money and eliminates the possibility of infectious disease transmission from donor wrapping materials.
Long
John A
JA
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
Tann
Thomas M
TM
Bearden
William H
WH
Callahan
Michael A
MA
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000592:standards; D017886:Durapatite; D015353:Eye Enucleation; D005133:Eye Movements; D005403:Fixation, Ocular; D006801:Humans; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D020273:Orbital Implants; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D017886:Durapatite