Histopathologic Evaluation and Tensile Strength of the Levator Aponeurosis-Tarsus Junction after Ptosis Surgery - Original Article

Material and Method: Twenty-one New Zealand rabbits were used in this prospective study. The left eye of each rabbit had LA surgery and formed the study group; the right eyes formed the control group. According to the postoperative follow-up time, the study group was divided into 5 as follows: group 1-5 days, group 2 10 days, group 3-2 weeks, group 4-4 weeks, and group 5-6 weeks. The control group had no ptosis surgery. After the follow-up period determined for each group, total eyelid excision was performed. The LA and the tarsus were evaluated histopathologically, and the stretching test was applied. Results: The average separation force in the control group was detected to be 14.36 Newtons (N). It was 1.41 N in group 1, 2.74 N in group 2, 3.56 N in group 3, 4.4 N in group 4, and 6.03 N in group 5. The histopathological evaluation performed in group 1 revealed vascularisation and polymorphonuclear cell infiltration. In group 5, the histopathological appearance of the tissue was close to normal, except for intense eosinophilic infiltration. Discussion: After ptosis surgery at the postoperative 6th week, the healing process was almost complete histopathologically, however, the tensile strength of the LA-tarsus junction did not return to the preoperative level. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2010; 40: 314-7)