Indications and results in anophthalmic socket reconstruction using dermis-fat graft

OBJECTIVES To present the indications for a dermis-fat graft in anophthalmic socket reconstruction and evaluate the results of this procedure. DESIGN Retrospective review, interventional case series. METHODS In our study, there were 41 patients who received either primary or secondary dermis-fat graft between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2012 at Songklanagarind Hospital. RESULTS The type of dermis-fat graft used in our study consisted of both primary dermis-fat grafts (6/41) and secondary dermis-fat grafts (35/41). The major indications for dermis-fat graft were exposure (13/41), extrusion (11/41), and volume insufficiency with a shallow fornix (10/41), which accounted for 82.9% of the total cases. A total of 30 patients were able to wear the eye prosthesis over a mean follow-up time of 32.3±19.0 months. The success rate of the dermis-fat graft alone was 73.3%, while that of the simultaneous dermis-fat graft and mucous-membrane graft was 25%. CONCLUSION The most common indications for a dermis-fat graft were extrusion and large exposure. Dermis-fat graft is an alternative implant type in complicated enucleation/evisceration patients, which has a good success rate.