Evaluation of the Microvascular Blood Flow, Oxygenation, and Survival of Tarsoconjunctival Flaps Following the Modified Hughes Procedure.

For the modified Hughes procedure, a tarsoconjunctival flap from the upper eyelid is used to reconstruct large, full-thickness, lower eyelid defects. The conjunctival pedicle is divided once vascularization is deemed to be adequate. The importance of maintaining a flap pedicle to ensure adequate perfusion of the graft has been questioned. The purpose of the study was to investigate the microvascular blood flow, oxygenation, and survival of a tarsoconjunctival flap in an experimental porcine model of the modified Hughes procedure