LEVATOR TRANSPOSITION PROCEDURE - A REVIEW OF 35 CASES

Background, Levator transposition is used as a unilateral procedure fo r patients with both ptosis and aberrant movements of the eyelid. Musc ular neurotisation occurs in the transposed levator muscle and thus so me levator function is restored. Method. We reviewed 35 patients who h ad undergone a levator transposition procedure. Results. Twenty-eight patients had jaw-winking ptosis, three had cyclic oculomotor palsy and four had a third nerve palsy with aberrant regeneration. The follow-u p period was between 1 and 39 months (mean 12 months). Eighteen patien ts were followed up for at least 12 months and their results were anal ysed as a separate group. Conclusions. The levator function attained f ollowing transposition is related to the pre-operative voluntary funct ion and this relationship is statistically significant (Wilcoxon test p<0.001). Maximal levator function may not be achieved until 12 months post-operatively. The procedure is successful in abolishing aberrant eyelid movements and treating ptosis but the majority of patients requ ire an additional levator resection to achieve a satisfactory lid heig ht.