Ten-Year Follow-Up of Orbital Volume Augmentation With Calcium Hydroxyapatite Filler in Postenucleation Socket Syndrome.

PURPOSE

To describe the efficacy and persistence of injectable calcium hydroxyapatite (CAHY) to correct orbital volume deficit in postenucleation socket syndrome.

METHODS

An observational study was conducted as a clinical review of all patients in the authors' practice who received injectable CAHY placed in the extraconal and intraconal space to increase orbital volume with a 10-year follow up. The amount of CAHY to be injected was defined according to the degree of orbital volume deficit. Patients previously treated with radiotherapy or with a conjunctival fornix insufficient to accommodate the external prosthesis were excluded. All the patients with at least 10 years of follow up were included in the study.

RESULTS

Thirty-one postenucleation socket syndrome patients received injectable CAHY for orbital volume augmentation, with a 10-year follow up. The mean amount of preoperative relative enophthalmos measured by Hertel's exophthalmometry was 14.16 ± 2.15. An increase in the mean orbital volume of 3.35 ± 0.91 at 6 months and 2.97 ± 1.35 at 10 years was obtained. The mean follow-up was 219 ± 18 months (range, 184-240). Patients demonstrated clinical and cosmetic improvement that was observed to continue for 10 years. The complications were peribulbar ecchymosis, 2 extrusions of the internal prosthesis, and 2 ptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Injectable CAHY provides safe, simple, repeatable, and cost-effective technique to treat volume deficiency in the enophthalmic orbit in the long term. The volume augmentation obtained with this semipermanent filler demonstrated a lasting effect in the orbit with negligible loss of volume at 10 years.