Secondary tarsoconjunctival flap after previous lower eyelid Hughes repair.

PURPOSE: To describe a secondary, two-stage eyelid-sharing tarsoconjunctival flap advancement technique for the repair of full-thickness lower eyelid defect, using the remaining upper eyelid marginal tarsus that was spared in a previously performed Hughes procedure.

METHODS: A computerized database search was performed on all cases of Hughes repair of the lower eyelid performed over a 10-year period (1995 to 2005) to identify patients who required a secondary tarsoconjunctival flap repair. In two cases of tumour recurrence at the lower eyelid margin, an eyelid-sharing, two-stage tarsoconjunctival flap repair of the lower eyelid using the remaining 4 mm of marginal tarsus that was spared in the original Hughes procedure was performed. Case reports of these 2 patients are presented together with their postoperative results.

RESULTS: The incidence rate of the described secondary tarsoconjunctival flap procedure was 2 cases per 240 cases (0.8%) of primary Hughes procedure performed over a 10-year period. The postoperative courses in the 2 patients were uncomplicated with excellent surgical results at 6 months' follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: The secondary tarsoconjunctival flap advancement procedure is an effective reconstructive technique for the repair of the full-thickness lower eyelid defect in an eyelid that has already undergone a previous Hughes repair.