The lateral tarsal strip revisited. The enhanced tarsal strip

Abstract

The lateral tarsal strip procedure was originally designed for the treatment of upper and lower eyelid laxity, or lateral canthal tendon laxity or malposition. Despite the excellent results with a standard tarsal strip procedure for those eyelids with laxity and excess skin, we have encountered a number of patients with lower eyelid or canthal malpositions or both who would benefit from a tarsal strip, but who do not have lax tissues (especially skin), and may in fact have a shortage of skin. These include cases of lower lid retraction or canthal malposition following trauma, blepharoplasty, or other operations, and patients with tendency toward or having cicatricial ectropion. Any anterior lamella removal in such patients would aggravate the lid malposition and weaken the lateral canthal tissues to be sutured. We suggest a modification of the tarsal strip (developed by one of us [R.L.A.]) to treat many such patients without requiring additional anterior lamella (skin graft) or more formidable procedures. We refer to this technique as the "enhanced tarsal strip" technique, and we use this technique more frequently than the original tarsal strip procedure.