Prognosis of upper eyelid epiblepharon repair in down syndrome

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the recurrence rate after upper eyelid epiblepharon repair in patients with Down syndrome.

Design: Retrospective, observational study.

Methods: Total of 578 Korean children (21 with Down syndrome patients, 557 with non-Down syndrome patients), who had undergone epiblepharon repair and were followed up for more than 2 months, were included in this study. The recurrence rate was compared between two groups at 2, 6 months after surgery. Recurrence was defined as the re-appearance of cilia touching to cornea. The recurrence rate was also analyzed according to whether patients had undergone concomitant z-medial epicanthoplasty or not.

Results: Lower eyelid epiblepharon repair was performed on 22 eyelids of Down syndrome patients, and 1072 eyelids of non-Down syndrome patients. At 3 months after surgery, the recurrence rate was not significantly different between two groups (P = 1.00). Upper eyelid epiblepharon was repaired on 40 eyelids of Down syndrome patients, and 204 eyelids in non-Down syndrome patients. At 2 and 6 months after surgery, the recurrence rate was significantly higher in Down syndrome patients (27.5% and 29.4%) than non-Down syndrome patients (3.4% and 4.6%) (P = 0.000, P = 0.004, respectively). The recurrence rate of upper eyelid epiblepharon repair was not affected in both groups whether Z-epicanthoplasty was combined or not (P = 1.00 in both groups).

Conclusions: In Down syndrome patients, the recurrence rate after upper eyelid epiblepharon repair was higher than non-Down syndrome patients. The effect of combined Z-medial epicanthoplasty was limited in both groups.