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An effective technique in lower eyelid reconstruction in elderly patients: analysis of postoperative results of the Tripier flap technique

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European Journal of Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Eyelids are unique units of the face that have functional and aesthetic properties. To maintain these functions, proper reconstruction of the periorbital structures is crucial. Tripier flap is a feasible technique to reconstruct the eyelid defect with a similar tissue. The present study aims to reveal long-term postoperative outcomes of the Tripier flap.

Methods

The patients who underwent lower eyelid reconstruction with the Tripier flap technique between November 2017 and March 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The demographic characteristics of the patients, etiology and morphometric measurements of the defects, type of the surgery, complications, and aesthetic outcomes were evaluated.

Results

Tripier flap technique was applied in 9 of 35 patients. The mean age of the patients was 73.4. In all patients, the etiology was oncologic surgery. Basal cell carcinoma was the most common pathological diagnosis. Postoperative complications were in the early period is wound dehiscence and in late period chronic edema of the flap in another one. The average follow-up time is 19.6 months.

Conclusions

Tripier flap is an efficient technique, especially in elderly patients, excessive tissue in the upper eyelid contributes to achieving low complication rates, satisfactory long-term functional, and aesthetic results that make this technique favorable.

Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study.

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Funding

Authors have no conflict of interest, financial or otherwise. There is no financial relationship with any institution, organization, or company.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

    Burkay Akduman, Murat Kara & Uğur Koçer

Authors
  1. Burkay Akduman
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  2. Murat Kara
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  3. Uğur Koçer
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Contributions

All authors participated in the writing of the manuscript. Planning of the study conception, design of the manuscript, then collecting and analyzing the data retrospectively were performed by Burkay Akduman and Murat Kara. All surgical procedures were performed by Burkay Akduman, Murat Kara, and Uğur Koçer. Uğur Koçer made English editings of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Burkay Akduman.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

This study adhered to the ethical principles stated in the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ankara Training and Research Hospital Institutional Review Board (approval no: E-20–409).

Consent to participate

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Consent for publication

The authors affirm that human research participants provided informed consent for publication of the images in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Competing interests

Burkay Akduman, Murat Kara, and Uğur Koçer declare no competing interests.

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Presentation at a Meeting

42th National Congrees of Turkish Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Organisation: Turkish Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery.

Date: 24.10.2020.

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Akduman, B., Kara, M. & Koçer, U. An effective technique in lower eyelid reconstruction in elderly patients: analysis of postoperative results of the Tripier flap technique. Eur J Plast Surg 46, 51–58 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-022-01983-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-022-01983-w

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