Br J Ophthalmol: first published as 10.1136/bjo.68.8.535 on 1 August 1984. Downloaded from

British Journal of Ophthalmology, 1984, 68, 535-537

Inferior rectus paresis after secondary blepharoplasty

EDUARDO ALFONSO, ANDREW J. LEVADA, AND JOHN T. FLYNN From the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University ofMiami School ofMedicine, Miami, Florida, USA

SUMMARY A 52-year-old woman underwent a secondary cosmetic blepharoplasty for repair of residual dermatochalasis. Afterthis procedure vertical diplopia was noted. Ultrasound examination and the findings at operation were consistent with trauma to the . We present this as an additional complication of cosmetic blepharoplasty.

Numerous complications ofblepharoplasty have been The patient was examined by an ophthalmologist reported. They include blindness, orbital and and observation was recommended. One year later haematoma, epiphora, ectropion, lagophthalmos, she was examined by a second ophthalmologist in ptosis, incision' complications, scar thickening, Munich. A left hypertropia of 260 and exotropia of incomplete or excessive removal of orbital fat, 12° were found, and both inferior recti were thought injury, exposure keratitis, and corneal to be involved. The patient could fuse only in gaze up ulcer. '-" Disturbances of ocular motility are and left. On 21 October 1981 she underwent a 5 mm uncommon, but superior oblique palsy,2 inferior recession ofthe right combined oblique injury,- superior rectus incarceration in the with release of conjunctival scar inferiorly, myotomy to ofthe inferior rectus muscle, and insertion of a Teflon wound,4 and restriction secondary retrobulbar http://bjo.bmj.com/ haemorrhage5 have been reported. We report cap. After this procedure the ductions of the right eye inadvertent inferior rectus resection as an additional were improved but diplopia persisted. complication of cosmetic blepharoplasty. The patient was first seen at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute four months after her eye muscle Case report surgery. Examination revealed Snellen visual acuity of 6/6 (20/20) in each eye. The lid fissures were equal A 52-year-old white woman with dermatochalasis in the primary position. Positive physical findings underwent bilateral upper and lower lid cosmetic were limited to her ocular motility examination. At on September 28, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. blepharoplasties and a face lifting procedure in both distance and near she had a left hypertropia and Munich, Germany. However, one year later she was exotropia in all fields ofgaze. Examination ofductions again unhappy with her appearance. In September showed less than 5° of depression of the left eye 1980 she underwent a repeat face lifting procedure Intorsion was preserved on down gaze. Active forced combined with bilateral upper lid blepharoplasties generation of the left inferior rectus was absent. The performed by a second surgeon in Hamburg, right eye showed mild limitation of up gaze. Passive Germany. Five days later, on 10 October 1980, ductions were normal in both eyes. After prism bilateral lower lid blepharoplasties were done. During neutralisation of her objective angle the patient could a complicated dissection in which fat was noted to be briefly fuse targets. She could also fuse in extreme up adherent to tarsus and lower lid retractors, both lower and right gaze. conjunctival sacs were inadvertently entered. Ultrasound examination revealed widening in the Immediately after the procedure the patient region of the left inferior rectus muscle. Differentia- experienced vertical diplopia, worse on gaze up and tion between intrinsic muscle widening and thickened to the left. adjacent scar tissue could not be made (Fig. 1). On 13 July 1982 the patient underwent exploration Correspondence to John T. Flynn, MD, Bascom Palmer Eye Insti- of the left inferior rectus muscle. Only a few fibres of tute, PO Box 016880, Miami, FL 33101, USA. muscle were seen, the bulk being replaced with fibrous 535 Br J Ophthalmol: first published as 10.1136/bjo.68.8.535 on 1 August 1984. Downloaded from

536 Eduardo Alfonso, AndrewJ. Levada, andJohn T. Flynn

Fig. I Standardised A-scan echograms. Top: Arrow Fig. 2 Upper: Intraoperativephotograph shows loss of

indicates right inferior rectus muscle (RIR). Bottom: Arrow muscle tissue, replacement byfibrous tissue, and attachments http://bjo.bmj.com/ indicates region ofleft inferior rectus muscle (LIR). to lower lid structures in the area ofthe left inferior rectus muscle. Lower: Normal left superior rectus muscle. tissue (Fig. 2). A 7-0 mm recession of the superior Orbital haematoma may cause interference with the rectus muscle on an adjustable suture was performed function of any of the .7 Involve- along with transposition of the left medial and lateral ment of the conjunctival sac in dissection of the lid recti inferiorly to the area of the inferior rectus may result in symblepharon with subsequent mech- insertion. anical limitation of gaze.4 Finally, careless handling on September 28, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. One month after surgery the patient had 12 prism of deep tissue and overzealous excision of fat during dioptres of right hypertropia and 6 prism dioptres of blepharoplasty are said to lead to severing, entrap- exotropia at both distance and near (Fig. 3). Her field ment, or excision of the cyclovertical extraocular of single binocular vision performed on a Goldmann muscles-the superior rectus, inferior rectus, perimeter extended from 30 below the primary superior oblique, or inferior oblique.5 position down to 300. Horizontally it measured 700 in Reported cases of direct trauma to the extraocular extent. The patient achieved binocular vision with a muscles during lid surgery are uncommon, and we chin up position. have been unable to find prior instances of damage to the inferior rectus muscle after either primary or Discussion secondary blepharoplasty. At least two cases of injury to the during primary Disturbances of extraocular motility following blepharoplasty have been reported. Levine et al.4 blepharoplasty are rare, though some authors point published a case in which the superior oblique tendon, out that temporary and permanent eye movement fat, orbicularis muscle, and levator aponeurosis were disorders may be more common than reports indi- incarcerated within the closure of the . cate.6 However, devastating symptoms can ensue. Moreover, Wesley et al.2 reported a case of damage Several mechanisms of injury have been reported. to the superior oblique tendon by electrocautery Br J Ophthalmol: first published as 10.1136/bjo.68.8.535 on 1 August 1984. Downloaded from

Inferior rectusparesis aftersecondary blepharoplasty 537

Fig. 3 Composite ofeye movements one month aftersurgery. Note residual right hypertropia and exotropia in alifields of

gaze. http://bjo.bmj.com/ during coagulation of vessels within the orbital fat both the surgeon and patient should be aware of near the trochlea. these possible complications. Secondary blepharoplasty presents another level Sandra Frazier Byrne performed the ultrasound examination and of complexity to the surgeon, since the anatomy interpretation. of the tissues may be extensively disordered by

This investigation was supported in part by Research Grant on September 28, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. prior surgery. Knowledge of orbital anatomy is of EY03580-03 from the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of prime importance in helping to identify vital Health, Bethesda, Maryland. structures and avoid their inadvertent excision.6 Less radical removal of fat is safer and thus more References degirable.8 I Castanareas S. Complications of biepharoplasty. Clin Plast Surg 1978; 5: 138-65. When extraocular muscle imbalance follows 2 Wesley RE, Pollard ZF, McCord C. Superior oblique paresis after blepharoplasty, Tenzel notes that motility generally blepharoplasty. Plast Reconstr Surg 1980; 66: 283-7. improves without surgical intervention. He recom- 3 Neuhaus RW, Baylis HI. Complications of lower lid blepharo- mends following diplopia fields and deferring surgery plasty. In: Rutterman AM, ed. Cosmetic oculoplastic surgery. New York: Grune and Stratton, 1980: 275-306. as long as improvement is seen.5 4 Levine MR, Boynton J, Tenzel RR, Miller GR. Complications of Our case developed permanent ocular misalign- blepharoplasty. Ophthalmic Surg 1975; 6: 53-7. ment following secondary bilateral lower lid 5 Tenzel RE. Surgical treatment of complications of cosmetic blepharoplasties. This was partly due to periocular blepharoplasty. Clin Plast Surg 1978; 5: 517-23. 6 Rces TD. Cosmetic facial surgery. Philadelphia: Saunders, 1973: scar formation, but also due to inadvertent excision 51-9. of the inferior rectus muscle. Despite extensive 7 Smith B. Postsurgical complications of cosmetic blepharoplasty. bilateral muscle surgery only a very small field of Trans Am Acad Ophthalmol Oiolaryngol 1969; 73:1163-4. binocular vision has been recovered. Cosmetic 8 Spira M. Blepharoplasty. Clin Plast Surg 1978; 5: 121-37. 9 McCord CD. Complications of upper lid blepharoplasty. In: blepharoplasty can have complications that will leave Rutterman AM, ed. Cosmetic oculoplastic surgery. New York: permanent sequelae. Thus, before it is undertaken, Grune and Stratton, 1980: 249-74.