Significance of Early Postoperative Eyelid Position on Late Postoperative Result in Mueller’s Muscle Conjunctival Resection and External Levator Advancement Surgery

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether advancement of the levator aponeurosis in external levator resection surgery or Mueller's muscle and conjunctiva in Mueller's muscle conjunctival resection (MMCR) surgery has a differential effect on variation in eyelid position during the postoperative period. Methods: In this retrospective observational cohort study, 2 groups of patients were defined. The first underwent MMCR surgery without tarsectomy by surgeon 1. The second underwent external levator resection without dissection posterior to the levator aponeurosis by surgeon 2. Marginal reflex distance (MRD1) was calculated based on digital photographs at baseline, 1 week postoperatively and at 3-month follow up. The primary outcome measure was change in MRD1 over time. The secondary outcome was defined as the proportion of patients with minimal early postoperative change (change of MRD1 less than 0.5 mm at 1 week postoperatively). Repeated measures analysis of variance, t test, and chi-square analyses were performed. Results: Of the 114 eyes in the sample, there were 68 in the MMCR group and 46 in the external levator resection group. A significant interaction between group and time was noted (p 1 mm from the early postoperative to the late postoperative time points. Conclusions: Both external levator resection and MMCR can effectively elevate the eyelid in cases of primary involutional ptosis, and have similar late postoperative results. The authors found that MMCR cases undergo greater change between the early and late postoperative period, suggesting the process of eyelid elevation after MMCR may be dynamic, involving postoperative physiologic modification.