Method
- Case series: 160 cases over 21 months.
- Z-plasty design for removing the epicanthal fold at the inner corner of the eye.
- Compared, by description, to the older W-plasty method.
Findings
- 160 cases performed in 21 months.
- The Z-epicanthoplasty lengthens the palpebral fissure (the horizontal eye opening), for the appearance of a larger, more open eye.
- Advantages stated: simpler design and less scarring in the inner corner of the eye than W-plasty, which needs multiple incisions.
- The abstract gives no numeric complication rate or measured fissure-length change.
What it means for a patient
- Epicanthoplasty is typically combined with double eyelid surgery to open the inner corner of the eye and lengthen the visible eye opening.
- This paper's claimed benefit is a simpler technique with less visible scarring than the W-plasty alternative, based on the author's own case series.
Citations
PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8773682/.
Terms
- Epicanthal fold: a fold of skin at the inner corner of the eye, common in Asian eyelids.
- Epicanthoplasty: surgery to reduce or remove the epicanthal fold.
- Palpebral fissure: the horizontal opening between the upper and lower eyelids.