A swinging upper eyelid approach for excision of lacrimal gland masses

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To describe a novel transconjunctival technique for excision of well-defined masses of the orbital lobe of the lacrimal gland.

Methods

Case series of three patients undergoing excision of a well-defined mass of the orbital lobe of lacrimal gland using a swinging upper eyelid flap. This technique entails a supratarsal conjunctival incision combined with lateral canthotomy and superior cantholysis.

Results

Complete removal of the mass without visible scars was achieved in all cases. There were no complications related to this approach.

Conclusion

The swinging upper eyelid approach produces a wide exposure of the superolateral orbit. It allows safe removal of large lacrimal gland masses without the need for bone removal, while affording acceptable cosmesis.

KEYWORDS:

• Swinging flap
• upper eyelid
• lacrimal gland mass

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Compliance with ethical standards

This study was approved by the scientific and ethics committee of Fayoum university faculty of medicine and adhered to the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki; written informed consent was taken from all patients before surgery.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported that there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.