We studied the progress of 11 cases treated from January 1997 to December 2005 by orbital prostheses that were retained with the Epitec ^TM system.
Some of the small Epitec plates used in the first period showed instability due to insufficient primary fixation. Nevertheless, primary fixation of the Epitec plates improved as the plate size was enlarged in the second and third periods; installed plates remained stable for a long time even in cases in which high doses of irradiation were applied.
The success rate in all Epitec plates was 80.9 % excluding case 2 in which the plates were removed due to tumor metastasis. Of the respective treatment periods, the success rate in the first period was 70 %, the second 100 % and the third 85.7 %. The success rate in the irradiation group was 77.8 % against 100 % in the non-irradiation group. These results are comparable with other success rates reported in facial implants.
In conclusion, the Epitec ^TM system has proved to provide effective materials for the retention of orbital prostheses.