Abstract
Purpose Coralline hydroxyapatite orbital implants have been used since the 1980s. More recently, synthetic hydroxyapatite orbital implants have been used, in both primary and secondary orbital implantation surgery. The implant may be drilled and pegged, if required, after adequate vascularisation of the implant has occurred. In this study we evaluated the clinical results and vascularisation of synthetic hydroxyapatite orbital implants.
Methods Twelve consecutive patients who had synthetic hydroxyapaptite orbital implants were evaluated clinically and 8 of these patients had orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans with intravenous gadolinium performed at least 9 months post-operatively to assess vascularisation of the implant. Six patients had primary orbital implants at the time of enucleation and 6 patients had secondary implants.
Results No significant complications occurred following insertion of the synthetic hydroxyapatite orbital implants. All patients reported cosmetic satisfaction with the results of surgery. MRI scans revealed inhomogeneous enhancement in 3 of the 4 patients receiving primary implants. All patients with secondary implants and 1 patient who had a primary implant had moderate to large areas of poor enhancement in the implant.
Conclusion Synthetic hydroxyapatite implants gave good clinical results but variable vascularisation occurs, especially with secondary implants.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Perry AC . Integrated orbital implants. Adv Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg 1988;8:75–81.
Dutton JD . Coralline hydroxyapatite as an ocular implant. Ophthalmology 1991;98:370–7.
Ashworth JL, Rhatigan M, Sampath R, Brammar R, Sunderland S, Leatherbarrow B . The hydroxyapatite orbital implant: a prospective study. Eye 1996;10:29–37.
Shields CL, Shields J, Eagle RC, De Potter P . Histopathologic evidence of fibrovascular ingrowth four weeks after placement of the hydroxyapatite orbital implant. Am J Ophthalmol 1991;111:363–6.
Ferrone PJ, Dutton JJ . Rate of vascularisation of coralline hydroxyapatite ocular implants. Ophthalmology 1992;99:376–9.
Jamell GA, Hollsten DA, Hawes MJ, Griffin DJ, Klingensmith WC, White WL, et al. Magnetic resonance imaging versus bone scan for assessment of vascularisation of the hydroxyapatite orbital implant. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg 1996;12:127–30.
De Potter P, Shields CL, Shields JA, Flanders AE, Rao VM . Role of magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of the hydroxyapatite orbital implant. Ophthalmology 1992;99:824–30.
Rosier Diallo L, Baudchon P, Le Rebeller MJ . Nouveaux implants intra-orbitaires en hydroxyapatite: premiers resultats cliniques. Ophtalmologie 1993;7:435–9.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sarvananthan, N., Liddicoat, A. & Fahy, G. Synthetic hydroxyapatite orbital implants: A clinical and MRI evaluation. Eye 13, 205–208 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1999.51
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1999.51
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
The efficacy of acrylic acid grafting and arginine–glycine–aspartic acid peptide immobilization on fibrovascular ingrowth into porous polyethylene implants in rabbits
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (2007)
-
Surface modification and fibrovascular ingrowth of porous polyethylene anophthalmic implants
Macromolecular Research (2007)