The Smooth Surface Tunnel Porous Polyethylene Enucleation Implant

* BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To describe early clinical results with the porous polyethylene smooth surface tunnel (SST) enucleation implant. * PATIENTS AND METHODS: Uncontrolled, prospective interventional case series of patients undergoing enucleation with placement of the SST implant. This implant consists of a porous polyethylene sphere with a smooth anterior surface containing pre-drilled tunnels to facilitate direct suturing of the rectus muscles to the implant without use of an implant wrap. Postoperatively, socket healing was assessed, and prosthesis and socket motility were evaluated by the surgeon using an ordinal scale (0 = no motility to 4 = excellent motility). * RESULTS: Thirty patients received the SST implant, with a mean follow-up of more than 23 months. Two cases of exposure occurred and were managed surgically without the need for explantation. Mean socket motility was 3.1 on a 0 to 4 ordinal scale, with mean prosthesis motility of 2.8. * CONCLUSION: The SST implant provides satisfactory socket motility and is generally well tolerated in the anophthalmic socket without the need for wrapping material. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging 2004;35:358-362.]