Reconstructive blepharoplasty after removal of palpebral squamous cell carcinoma in an equine - case report

ABSTRACT Blepharoplasty in equines is rarely performed because periocular tissues present low mobility, especially in the lower eyelid, which frequently subjects this species to enucleation. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is among the most common malignant neoplasms of the eyes and annexes, which increases local recurrences due to the lack of available safety margin. A 12-year-old Creole equine with a white coat presenting an ulcerative lesion on the lower right eyelid was treated. The treatment strategy considering the SCC suspicion was the surgical excision of the lesion and maintenance of the eye, followed by blepharoplasty for eyelid reconstruction. The hemi H-plasty technique was performed to reconstruct the right lower eyelid after a skin incision circumscribing the lesion and respecting a safety margin. Two parallel skin incisions were made from the base of the surgical wound, twice the length of the defect height, and small triangles of skin (Burow’s triangles) were excised, and then the flap was advanced into the wound and fixed. No postoperative complications or tumor recurrence were observed during the following 24 months of follow-up, and the technique ensured the functional and aesthetic reconstruction of the region.