The use of self-inflating hydrogel expanders in pediatric patients with congenital microphthalmia in China.
OBJECTIVE
To report the results of enlarging orbital volume in consecutive cases of severe congenital microphthalmia by means of solid hydrophilic tissue expanders.


METHODS
The medical records of consecutive patients with congenital microphthalmia who underwent the placement of a hydrogel expander were retrospectively reviewed. Main outcome measures were orbital tissue expansion, prosthetic retention, and patient family satisfaction.


RESULTS
A total of 17 patients were included in the study. All patients were able to retain an ocular prosthesis. The horizontal palpebral length increased from 71.3% of the contralateral unaffected eye to 85.4% of the contralateral unaffected eye. The expansion of orbital volume was assessed in seven patients. The volume of the microphthalmic orbits was expanded from 74.7% of the contralateral unaffected orbits to 83.5% of the contralateral unaffected orbits. Aesthetic results were satisfactory to both physicians and patient families. The following complications were noted in two patients: inferior migration of a spherical expander occurred in one case; a hemispheric expander was removed by the patient in another case.


CONCLUSIONS
Hydrogel implants can successfully expand the dimensions of the conjunctival sac and the orbit in cases of severe congenital microphthalmia.
Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Zhijia
Z
Hou
Qiong
Q
Yang
Tao
T
Chen
Lei
L
Hao
Yang
Y
Li
Dongmei
D
Li
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D056965:Injections, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008850:Microphthalmos / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009929:Organ Size; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011475:Prosthesis Failure / Q000209:etiology; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015625:Tissue Expansion Devices; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate