Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T17:02:49.528Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Eyelid gold weights in the management of facial palsy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Janet E. O'Connell
Affiliation:
(Birmingham)
P. E. Robin*
Affiliation:
(Birmingham)
*
Mr P. E. Robin, Dudley Road Hospital, Birmingham B18 7QH.

Abstract

We reviewed our experiences with 20 patients with established facial palsy who had a total of 24 gold weights inserted. All patients had corneal symptoms: ulceration, exposure keratitis or discomfort abolished. Functional improvement i.e. reduction of lagophthalamos and restoration of the blink reflex was good in our opinion and that of the patients in all cases. Dissatisfaction with the cosmetic result was expressed by two patients due to the prominence of the weight under the thin eyelid skin. Three patients had to have the weight replaced because it was too light. Two patients had their weightsremoved because of recurrent eyelid infections. In two patients the weights were removed as they had migrated over the tarsal rim. In one of these patients the weight was replaced immediately in the appropriate position, in the other it was not replaced as dissatisfaction hadbeen expressed due to the bulky appearance of the weight under the eyelid skin.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barclay, T. L., Roberts, A. C. (1969) Restoration of movement to the upper eyelid in facial palsy. British Journal of Plastic Surgery, 22: 257261.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Levine, R. E. (1986) Eyelid reanimation surgery. In: The Facial Nerve. (May, M., ed.) Thieme Inc.: New York, p. 681.Google Scholar
May, M. (1987) Gold weight and wire spring implants as alternatives to tarsorraphy. Archives of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, 113: 656660.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McLaughlin, C. R. (1952) Epiphora in facial paralysis. British Journal of Plastic Surgery, 263: 8795.Google Scholar
Smellie, G. D. (1966) Restoration of the blinking reflex in facial palsy by a simple lid load operation. British Journal of Plastic Surgery, 19: 279283.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sobol, S. M., Alward, P. D. (1990) Early gold weight implant for rehabilitation of faulty eyelid closure with facial paralysis: an alternative to tarsorraphy. Head andNeck, 12: 149153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar