Management of Lagophthalmos in a Patient with Hansen Disease

Aim: To highlight the surgical management of Lagophthalmos in a patient with Hansen disease.

Case Presentation: We present a case of a 58-year old man who had bilateral lagophthamos. He had pre-operative physiotherapy for two weeks, Temporalis muscle transfer for the left eye and post-operative physiotherapy for three weeks. His post-operative period was uneventful and the outcome of the surgery was satisfactory.

Discussion: Lagophthalmos is a fairly common and extremely distressing condition. It is often found in association with corneal anesthesia, which is responsible for the development of the corneal trauma syndrome from keratitis and ulceration leading to blindness. Out of all the surgical methods used in treatment of Lagophthalmos, Temporalis muscle transfer according to the method of Gillies is considered the best procedure.

Conclusion: Surgical correction of Lagophthalmos usually leads to restoration of voluntary blinking and closure of the eye during sleep which effectively protect the eye against further damage. Our patient was able to close his eye during sleep after the surgical correction.