title: Modified full-thickness blepharotomy for treatment of thyroid eye disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Upper eyelid retraction is the most common sign of thyroid eye disease (TED). The results of traditional surgical procedures to correct upper eyelid retraction have been limited by unreliable postoperative eyelid height and contour. We investigate the outcome of the surgical correction of upper eyelid retraction using a modification of the full-thickness blepharotomy technique initially described by Elner et al.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three patients (78 eyelids) underwent a modified full-thickness blepharotomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Symmetry (within 1 mm) was achieved in 40 patients (75.5%) and symmetry (within 2 mm) was achieved in 43 cases (81.1%). Of the 53 patients, 8 (15.1%) required reoperation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our surgical approach can be performed efficiently and produces predictably satisfactory eyelid height even in severely retracted eyelids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Division of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Aree
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nimitwongsakul
authors.forename: Christopher I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Zoumalan
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kazim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005143:Eyelids / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D049970:Graves Ophthalmopathy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome