Venous wall graft in the eyelid reconstruction: observations drawn from 64 cases

Abstract

The aim of this report is to illustrate the venous wall graft and to present the observations drawn from a large series of eyelid reconstructions performed with this method. 64 patients underwent venous wall grafts, mostly after resection of invasive carcinomas of the eyelids and in only one case after traumatic injury. All patients had good functional and cosmetic results. The average follow-up time was 6.5 years. Few negligible complications were observed. Only two cases (3.1%) needed further surgical treatment. Vein graft is a reliable alternative to traditional procedures in replacing tarsus-conjunctival layer, achieving satisfactory results. A single surgical session is required, usually without complications.

Keywords

• Venous wall graft, tarsus-conjunctival layer, full-thickness reconstruction, eyelid tumors.