Surgical treatment of Entropion

The following surgical drawings have been reproduced from GA Severin: "Severin's Veterinary Ophthalmology Notes" 3rd Ed, 1996. By the permission of Dr. GA Severin.

Free hand technique for entropion

a. Appearance of eye before surgery.

b. Stabilizing eyelid with lidplate. Shaded area represents eyelid that had turned in.

c. Skin incision same size and shape of tissue that had turned in. First incision should be within 3 to 4 mm from the edge of the eyelid.

d. Skin within incision area dissected free with scissors.

Wound sutured with 5-0 or 6-0 suture, 4-0 can be used in large breeds of dogs. Be sure to take a large suture bite so the stitch will not pull out before the wound in healed. The suture should bring the tissues into apposition but not be tight. The eyelid will develop postsurgical edema and sutures that are too tight will pull out.

Stades correction for upper eyelid trichiasis-entropion

a. Upper eyelid trichiasis-entropion before surgery.

b. First incision made along border of eyelid superior to tarsal gland openings; this includes eyelashes. Second incision extends near dorsal orbital rim. Skin is removed by dissection with blunt-blunt scissors.

c. Superior skin edge anchored near base of tarsal glands with several interrupted sutures.

d. Skin edges oversutured with continuous sutures, allowing margin of the eyelid to heal by granulation.