title: Large upper eyelid full-thickness defects reconstructed only with an anterior lamella.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to report a surgical procedure that only uses anterior lamella structures (muscle and skin) to reconstruct large upper eyelid full-thickness total defects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design is a non-comparative retrospective interventional small case series. Three patients with upper eyelid full-thickness (anterior and posterior lamellae) total-defect (horizontal extent: > 3/4 length, vertical extent: > 15 mm) after tumor excision (basal cell, squamous cell, or Merkel's cell carcinoma). As intervention an eyelid reconstruction using only a rotation/advancement muscular-skin flap was used. The outcome was postoperatively an upper eyelid anatomic cosmetic-appearance and lid-closure function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Good anatomic cosmetic-appearance and lid-closure function were achieved soon after surgery. No remarkable ocular as well as extra-ocular side effects or complications were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a single-stage procedure it appears possible to repair upper eyelid full-thickness total defects by reconstructing only the anterior lamella. With this procedure there is no need to reconstruct the posterior lamella and/or to use tissue from other eyelids or parts of the body.
authors.affiliation: ivan.haefliger@bluewin.ch
authors.forename: I O
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Haefliger
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Trittibach
authors.forename: A-R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Pimentel
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Piffaretti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005142:Eyelid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome