EYELID-SHARING RECONSTRUCTIVE PROCEDURES: HUGHES AND CUTLER-BEARD TECHNIQUES

Course overview

OUR EYES ARE A COSMETIC FOCAL POINT, AND DEFECTS AROUND THE EYE ARISING FROM CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES, BURNS, TRAUMA, OR THE RESECTION OF CUTANEOUS MALIGNANCIES CAN DRAW SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION AND CONCERN. THE HUGHES AND CUTLER-BEARD EYELID-SHARING RECONSTRUCTIVE FLAP TECHNIQUES CAN BE EMPLOYED TO CORRECT DEFECTS OF THE UPPER AND LOWER EYELIDS AND IMPROVE COSMESIS, FUNCTION, AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS. THE HUGHES AND CUTLER-BEARD PROCEDURES ARE SUITED FOR PATIENTS WITH UPPER OR LOWER EYELID DEFECTS ENCOMPASSING MORE THAN 50% OF THE TOTAL EYELID AREA. THESE PROCEDURES HAVE UNDERGONE TECHNICAL MODIFICATION SINCE THEIR ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION BUT REMAIN HEAVILY UTILIZED IN MODERN OCULOPLASTIC SURGICAL PRACTICE.THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS SOME BASIC CONCEPTS IN RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, THE COMPLEX ANATOMY OF THE ADNEXA OCULI, AND THE INDICATIONS, RISKS, BENEFITS, TECHNIQUES, AND COMPLICATIONS OF THE HUGHES TARSOCONJUNCTIVAL FLAP AND THE CUTLER-BEARD FULL-THICKNESS CUTANEOCONJUNCTIVAL FLAP. THE ACTIVITY ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL HEALTHCARE TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS UNDERGOING THESE RECONSTRUCTIVE PROCEDURES TO IMPROVE SURGICAL AND COSMETIC OUTCOMES AND OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE.