The use of porous polyethylene in orbital surgery

Abstract

High-density porous polyethylene represents a major advance toward the ideal alloplastic implant material for orbital and socket reconstruction. This material is biologically stable, and easy to shape or contour, induces very little inflammatory cell response, and its pores become infiltrated with fibrovascular tissue. High-density porous polyethylene adheres well to bone and can be fixated easily with sutures or screws. The advantages of orbital spherical porous high density polyethylene implants over hydroxyapatite implants are the ease of attaching extraocular muscles, the absence of breaking or crumbling, less tissue dragging during insertion, no requirement for wrapping the implant in sclera or fascia, and a significantly lower cost. It's strong yet somewhat flexible. ln addition, the high-density porous polyethylene sphere implant can now be drilled to receive a coupling post to allow fitting of integrated prosthesis. On the basis of this review, it is felt that high-density porous polyethylene implant is an excellent alternative to existing materials used for facial contour correction.