Background: During the past several years, coralline hydroxyapatite ocular implant has gained increasingly wide acceptance among ophthalmologists. This ocular implant is used in eviscerated eyes to restore volume loss. Its advantages and complications are presented.
Methods: Seventy-three patients received a coralline hydroxyapatite sphere as a buried integrated ocular implant after evisceration surgery between August 1991 and May 1994. The follow-up period was from 4 to 33 months, with mean of 13.5 months.
Results: There have been no recognizable cases of orbital infection, implant extrusion, or implant migration. Complications have been minimal and easily managed. Motility of the socket and fornices has been excellent, and most patients have cosmetically satisfactory motility of the prosthesis.
Conclusions: The hydroxyapatite implant appears to offer excellent cosmetic reconstruction without the unacceptable infection and extrusion rates seen with other implants.