J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  1996 Mar;37(3):427-433.

Anatomical structure and Its Clinical Significance of Whitnall's Ligament in Patients with Ptosis

• Cho YJ
• Kim YS
• Chung WS

Abstract

Whitnall's ligament plays an important role as a check ligament of the levator muscle and indicates a definite landmark during the procedure of external levator resection. Whitnall's ligament was variable in the level of the ligament. the tightness and appearance etc. The medical records of 193 patients(263 eyes) with ptosis who had undergone levator resection were reviewed from July, 1987 through October, 1994 at Yeungnam University Hospital. The structure of Whitnall's ligament was studied by measurement of the level, gross appearance of the ligament and the tightness. The level of the ligament was the length from the insertion of the levator aponeurosis to Whitnall's ligament. The most common level(88.6%) of the ligament was between 18 mm and 26 mm(range, from 9 mm to 33 mm). Whitnall's ligament levels in mild ptosis with good levator function were higher than in those of severe ptosis with poor levator function. Whitnall's ligament showed gradually higher in level as patients became older. Weak Whitnall's ligament was observed in 21 eyes and more common in mild ptosis.

Keyword

Levator aponeurosis; Ptosis; Whitnall's ligament

MeSH Terms

Humans
Ligaments*
Medical Records