Abstract: Temporary plug complication

It might sound like an ambiguous modifier but it's actually even more of a misnomer, because neither the plug nor the complication were particularly short-lived. The plug was supposed to be temporary, only, three years later it still wasn't, and things got a little complicated.

Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg. 2009 Sep-Oct;25(5):413-4.
Canaliculitis with a papilloma-like mass caused by a temporary punctal plug.
Ahn HB, Seo JW, Roh MS, Jeong WJ, Park WC, Rho SH.
Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea. hbahn@dau.ac.kr

Absorbable plugs are used before attempting permanent occlusion to observe whether the patient will be amenable to treatment for dry eye. Little is known about the complications of absorbable plugs. The authors present a case of canaliculitis with a papilloma-like mass caused by long-standing unabsorbed collagen plug that had been placed 3 years earlier. This is an uncommon clinical presentation that may be encountered in patients who have canaliculitis symptoms and a history of intracanalicular temporary plug placement.