FRONTALIS SLING SURGERY WITH SILICON ROD IN PTOSIS DUE TO CHRONIC PROGRESSIVE EXTERNAL OPHTHALMOPLEGIA

Chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO) is a rare genetic disorder which affects the ocular muscles producing ophthalmoplegia and ptosis. Mitochondrial DNA is at fault. Due to drooping of the upper eyelid the patient finds it difficult to move around. Besides, the patient adopts a defective head posture for proper viewing. Attempt has been made to elevate upper eyelid by the action of frontalis muscle using silicon rod as a sling. Frontalis sling surgery in CPEO using different materials like fascia lata, muscle tendon, skin muscle strip, supramid suture, silicon rod etc. are tried by different surgeons with varied success. 4 cases suffering from CPEO have been included in this study. For molecular diagnosis help has been taken from Geneticist. In all the cases, after obtaining the consent, upper eye lid of one eye has been elevated by frontalis sling using a silicon rod. Patient is given the option to undergo second procedure for the other eye if he was satisfied and there were no ocular complications. In all the cases satisfactory elevation of upper lid in the operated eye was achieved. Frontalis sling using silicon rod was found to be an easy and effective surgery to assist vision in CPEO where levator action was lost.