Clinical Importance of the Lateral Tarsal Strip Procedure by a Single Experienced Oculoplastic Surgeon: 8 Years of Experience in a Tertiary Medical Center (Cross-Sectional Study)

Abstract

Lateral tarsal strip (LTS) is a simple surgical technique that can correct eyelid malposition. Clinical indications vary from involutional entropion and ectropion, lower eyelid laxity, and lower eyelid retraction to punctal and paralytic ectropion. Lateral tarsal strip mainly treats eyelid malposition by correcting horizontal laxity. Herein, the authors report the clinical indications for and effects of LTS. The authors retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients who underwent LTS by a single oculoplastic surgeon with 8 years of experience performing the procedure at Korea University Guro Hospital. The authors included 247 patients with 325 treated eyelids. Involutional entropion was the most common indication, accounting for 69 patients (27.94%) and 88 eyelids (27.08%). The second most common indication was lower eyelid laxity [n=44 patients (17.81%) and 68 eyelids (20.92%)]. Simultaneous surgery in addition to LTS was performed in 167 patients (67.6%) and 219 eyelids (67.4%); the most common was endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR), which was performed in 50 patients (29.94%) and 80 eyelids (36.53%). Lateral tarsal strip can be performed alone or simultaneously with oculoplastic procedures for various indications. Overcorrection with fixation above the canthal angle is useful to reduce recurrence. This study aims to explain the clinical importance of the LTS procedure.