Complications of motility peg placement for porous hydroxyapatite orbital implants.

AIM To evaluate the complications associated with pegging of porous hydroxyapatite orbital implants. METHODS Complications associated with pegging were retrospectively reviewed from the charts of 100 of 133 patients with hydroxyapatite implantation from 1993 to 2000. RESULTS 48 (48%) of the 100 hydroxyapatite implanted patients who had undergone pegging were found to have problems with their pegs, including discharge (45.8%), peg falling out (20.8%), pyogenic granulomas (16.7%), popping peg (14.6%), hydroxyapatite visible around peg hole (8.3%), part of peg shaft visible (6.2%), peg drilled off centre (6.2%), peg drilled at an angle (4.2%), and excess movement of peg (4.2%). The standard peg fell out statistically more often than the peg and sleeve system (Yates's corrected chi(2), p=0.038). There was a trend towards complications of the peg with use of a standard peg (versus sleeved peg) (p=0.226). CONCLUSIONS There are several potential complications of pegging. Most complications are minor and can be managed successfully.