OBJECTIVE: To determine the importance of sutures of the eyelid border, tarsus and skin in resistance to rupture after reconstruction. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out in rabbits submitted to total thickness resection of the eyelid. The animals were divided in 5 groups: G1(lid suture in 3 layers); G2 (lid suture excluding tarsus); G3(lid suture excluding skin), G4 (suture excluding the lid border), G5 (lid suture as in G1). The animals from group 1 to 4 were sacrificed on the 7th day and these from group 5 on the 2nd day. The palpebral specimens underwent rupture test with a tensiometer. RESULTS: 89 eyelids from 85 animals were analyzed. The group in which the border was not sutured (group 4) showed a significant reduction in all studied parameters: maximum tension, stretching and work, as compared with the other groups. CONCLUSION: The lack of suture in the eyelid border had a negative impact in scar tensile resistance. Additionally, we showed that if the eyelid border is repaired, the avoidance of tarsal suture does not interfere with the eyelid biomechanics.
Eyelids; Biomechanics; Reconstruction; Eyelids
