The Outcome and the Influential Factors Involved in Levator Resection for Blepharoptosis Correction

Abstract

Purpose: To identify any factors that may predict successful levator resection in blepharoptosis correction Methods: The hospital records of 52 consecutive patients undergoing anterior levator resection for unilateral congenital blepharoptosis were reviewed. Successful result was defined a lid level within 1 mm of the fellow eye 1 year after surgery. We studied the effect of levator function, the amount of ptosis and the kind of anesthesia on the surgical outcome. Results: Twenty-eight patients (53.8%) were treated with a levator resection under local anesthesia (group 1) and 24 patients (46.2%) were treated with a levator resection under general anesthesia (group 2). The mean age was 16.37 +/- 9.3 (range 4-40) years. The overall success rate was 76.9% two months after surgery and 61.5% one year after surgery. The most common complication after one year was undercorrection (38.5%). Sever ptosis (P=0.002) and decreasing preoperative levator function (P=0.007) were associated with decreasing chance of success. The kind of anesthesia was not a predictor factor for surgical success (P=0.312). Conclusion: The preoperative levator function and the amount of ptosis were found to be the most significant predictors of surgical outcome. The surgery under local anesthesia was not associated with a higher success rate.