[Lari Plastic Surgery] Lower blepharoplasty including entropion correction, the most common cause of iatrogenic ectropion

People who come to the hospital for consultation with ectropion symptoms

have ectropion for various reasons,

but the majority of cases are due to cicatricial ectropion.

This means it was caused by a wound or scar,

and excluding relatively uncommon causes such as facial accidents or burns,

in many cases it can be predicted to be ectropion caused by surgery.

Surgeries that can cause ectropion are generally procedures performed on the lower eyelid. Among them, the most common cause of iatrogenic ectropion is

lower blepharoplasty, including entropion correction.

Entropion is a condition in which the eyelashes curl inward and touch the eyeball or cause discomfort.

Like this.

What is entropion correction surgery?

It is a surgery that corrects entropion, in which the eyelashes curl inward.

Entropion symptoms

At first, they may simply cause a foreign-body sensation in the eye and fatigue,

but if this condition persists, it can lead to conjunctival redness, corneal damage, and even decreased vision in severe cases,

so depending on the degree, correction may be necessary.

For entropion correction,

the degree of the eyelashes turning upward and the excess skin of the lower eyelid

these two points must be carefully assessed.

The principle of entropion correction surgery is to properly turn the eyelashes outward, but removing the excess skin of the lower eyelid where entropion has occurred

also has a major effect on preventing recurrence of entropion,

so both factors must be considered.

This is why lower blepharoplasty, including entropion correction,

is the most common cause of iatrogenic ectropion.

Excess skin removal that is done

for a definite correction of entropion!

Take a look at the photo below.

It shows the excess skin removed from a patient who underwent the entropion correction surgery above.

Even if the eyelashes are turned outward properly,

if the excess skin below the eyelashes is supporting the eyelashes upward,

a clean correction becomes difficult and the chance of recurrence becomes very high.

That is why it is important to remove an appropriate amount of excess skin, but if that amount is not properly controlled,

ectropion can develop as a result.

In entropion correction surgery, controlling the amount of excess skin removed

can be an important factor that may cause ectropion,

so special caution is required during the operation.

Lower blepharoplasty performed on middle-aged and older patients due to sagging lower eyelid skin and fat

also causes iatrogenic ectropion in the same context.

This is because lower blepharoplasty also involves removing protruding fat,

and cutting away part of the sagging skin caused by aging,

which to some extent pulls up the deep-set wrinkles in the lower eyelid.

The photo above shows the fat and excised skin from lower blepharoplasty,

and some people may be surprised by the amount of skin removed.

A lower eyelid procedure that deals with sagging skin and deep wrinkles

does not mean that a large amount of skin should always be removed.

In lower blepharoplasty as well, it is important to accurately assess the amount of fat removed and the degree of skin sagging,

and cut away only what is necessary;

if this is not properly controlled, ectropion can occur.

In lower blepharoplasty as well, the amount of excess skin removed

is determined by the doctor

and can be a cause of iatrogenic ectropion.

To prevent iatrogenic ectropion,

in lower blepharoplasty, including entropion correction surgery,

having the surgery performed by a doctor with extensive experience and delicate surgical skills

can be the best approach.

Nevertheless, because each patient’s postoperative course is different,

for any surgery it is important to follow postoperative precautions carefully,

and even if recovery is delayed or prolonged depending on the wound condition and skin condition,

you must strictly follow the doctor’s instructions.

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