title: Efficacy of transconjunctival excision of orbital fat prolapse: a long-term follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the long-term efficacy of transconjunctival excision of subconjunctival orbital fat prolapse.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of consecutive cases of orbital fat prolapse treated with transconjunctival resection between December 2002 and December 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-two eyes of 23 patients (19 males and four females) were included. The lesion was unilateral in 14 and bilateral in nine cases. It was located superotemporally in a majority of cases. Excision was performed by opening the conjunctiva and excising the prolapsing orbital fat. The conjunctival wound was closed with 1-2 interrupted sutures. With an average follow-up of 29 months (range 4-108), a recurrence was seen in three cases. The average time to recurrence was 46 months (range 40-52 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transconjunctival excision is a simple, safe and effective primary surgical procedure to treat subconjunctival fat prolapse. In our series, the recurrence rate was 9%, but no additional surgery was required. As the average time to recurrence was longer than our average follow-up, more patients may develop a recurrence in future.
authors: Oculoplastic & Orbital Service, The Rotterdam Eye Hospital, Rotterdam, the NetherlandsSuriname Eye Centre, Academic Hospital Paramaribo, Paramaribo, SurinameOculoplastic & Orbital Service, Geneva General Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Siban
authors: Olga
authors: O
authors: Weijtens
authors: Willem
authors: W
authors: van den Bosch
authors: Dion
authors: D
authors: Paridaens
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D009916:Orbital Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D011391:Prolapse; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: excision; follow-up; orbital fat prolapse; subconjunctival; surgical technique