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A Trial of Epilation Verses Surgery for Minor Trichiasis

L

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Status

Completed

Conditions

Trachomatous Trichiasis

Treatments

Procedure: Trichiasis surgery
Procedure: Epilation

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

Details and patient eligibility

About

Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Recurrent infection by Chlamydia trachomatis causes a gradual scarring process of the inner surface of the eyelid (conjunctiva) leading to in-turning of the eyelids (entropion) and lashes touching the eye (trichiasis). The rate of progression and the severity of disease are variable. Some people develop severe disease with extensive entropion and trichiasis, whilst others have a mild problem with only a few lashes touching the eye, which does not progress.

In more advanced cases there is a broad consensus that the entropion / trichiasis should be corrected by surgery. In mild cases (minor trichiasis: 1-5 lashes touching the eye) the optimal treatment is uncertain. Some advocate early surgery to turn the eyelid out for any individual with one or more lashes touching any part of the eye. Others consider this to be too early for surgical intervention, as surgery can have a high recurrence rate and complications can arise. Instead, they recommend that minor trichiasis can be managed by epilation (pulling out lashes with forceps). In many endemic regions the uptake of surgery is low, with many patients preferring to epilate for mild disease.

The primary purpose of this study is to compare the outcome of immediate surgery to regular epilation for the management of minor trichiasis. The epilation would be done by a person with good eyesight using proper epilation forceps.

Enrollment

1,300 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • Minor trichiasis: 1 - 5 lashes touching the eye

Exclusion criteria

  • Previous eyelid surgery.
  • Patients with evidence of corneal damage (will be offered surgery).

Trial design

Primary purpose

Treatment

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

Single Blind

1,300 participants in 2 patient groups

A
Experimental group
Description:
Immediate posterior lamella tarsal rotation surgery for minor trichiasis
Treatment:
Procedure: Trichiasis surgery
B
Active Comparator group
Description:
Regular epilation by another person
Treatment:
Procedure: Epilation

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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