eyelid graft

[steve]

Hi, I had an eyelid graft done to my eyelid 4 years ago by a Mr Raman Malholtra to help bring it back up as it slightly drooped caused by previous surgery done in 2004, however the graft was a terrible mistake. He used cartlidge from my ear but it was way to big and has formed a painful unsightly lump, and I cannot rub the eye at all which I could do before the graft was put in. When I went back to him he said it couldnt be removed but would shave some off at a cost of over £2000, when he saw I was not pleased, he said he would do it for £500 under local anesthetic, which understandably I declined. Can anyone help me regarding if and how I can get this terrible graft removed, it is so painful I cant bear it.

[Mr James McDiarmid]

Hi Steve, it may be possible to swap the cartilage for permacol, a lyophilised collagen graft.
This might help,

[atulkhanna]

Dear Steve

Having read your posting "reversing midface lift" it would appear that you have had multiple facial implants, a midface lift and then surgery to the corners of your eyes. You then had an infection and removal of the implants followed by an eyelid graft.

You now have scarring on your midface and eyes that is secondary to the original surgery, the implants, the infection, the surgery to remove the implants and the subsequent eyelid graft.

You have a complex problem that would be difficult to resolve in discussions in a forum. A face to face assessment would be more helpful.

Regards

Atul Khanna FRCS(Plast)
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
www.atulkhanna.co.uk

[steve]

Thank you for your reply. Back in 2006 I was told on a site that the cartlidge graft could be replaced. When I went back to the surgeon who put it in, he said the cartlidge could not be removed. I have asked the surgeon to explain why it cannot come out, but he has never replied. Have you ever come across a cartlidge graft used for the eyelid, and can you think of any reason it cannot be physically removed? I am very grateful for your advise on this matter.

Steve

[atulkhanna]

Dear Steve

It would be difficult to comment on this issue without examining you but in general terms since you have had several operations you will have scarring secondary to these operations. You have scarring surrounding the eyelid graft. Any further surgical procedure in the presence of such scarring could have a negative impact on the final result. There can be a higher risk of potential complications such as ectropion- pulling of the eyelid after such surgery.

Regards

Atul Khanna
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
www.atulkhanna.co.uk

[steve]

Thank you very much for your advice. I realise you would need to see me for a proper opinion but I live too far from you. I have at long last recieved a letter from the surgeon who put the graft in offering to revise the graft, but has not said how. As he put this terrible graft in I feel inclined to let him sort it out and hopefully remove it although I have noted your words of causion regarding this, but the graft does cause great discomfort and sometimes pain so I really want it removed. I just hope I am not making a mistake using the same surgeon. Thank you again.