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Article
April 1988

Reconstruction of the Partially Contracted Ocular Socket or Fornix

Author Affiliations

From the Departments of Ophthalmology, University of Maryland, Baltimore (Dr Karesh); and the University of Illinois at Chicago Eye and Ear Hospital and Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center (Dr Putterman).

Arch Ophthalmol. 1988;106(4):552-556. doi:10.1001/archopht.1988.01060130598046
Abstract

• Foreshortening of the conjunctival fornices by symblepharon or scar formation can result in a variety of cosmetic and functional abnormalities for the anophthalmic and the sighted patient. To correct this problem, we have modified a technique for the treatment of totally contracted ocular sockets. Unlike the procedure for total reconstruction of the socket that uses a custom-designed conformer wrapped with a full-thickness mucous membrane graft, reconstruction of a partially contracted socket uses a 0.5-mm-thick mucous membrane graft sutured to the resected socket conjunctiva and splinted in place by a custom-designed conformer. Seventeen patients with a variety of underlying pathologic conditions associated with trauma and prior surgery underwent successful ocular fornix reconstruction using this technique.

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