Lateral tarsal strip vs. lower lid retractors reinsertion for treatment of involutional entropion

Purpose The aim of this study was to report the clinical efficacy of lateral tarsal strip (LTS) procedure for correction of senile entropion compared with lower lid retractors reinsertion. Patients and methods This is a retrospective comparative, nonrandomized interventional study that was conducted on patients attending the outpatient clinic of the Ophthalmology Department in Al Azhar University Hospital (Damietta branch), Damietta, Egypt, during the period from February 2019 to April 2021. The study recruited 56 lower eyelids of 44 patients who had involutional entropion; 12 of them were bilateral. In 29 eyelids, LTS procedure (group 1) was performed, whereas 27 eyelids were treated by lower lid retractors reinsertion (group 2). Results There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding age, sex, and laterality. Regarding the postoperative correction of entropion, the first group (treated by LTS procedure) achieved a 100% success rate, whereas the second group (treated by lower lid retractors reinsertion) had a success rate of 81.5%, with a statistically significant difference (P=0.015). Although lid lag occurred only in the second group, it was not statistically significant. Conclusion The advantages of the LTS procedure over the lower lid retractors reinsertion are less risk of undercorrection and good cosmetic acceptance of the lid margin because of the stability of the lid margin that is achieved by the LTS procedure.