Abstract: Lipiflow case report with MG dropout

I guess it's nice to have some hopeful reports like this to round out some of the less impressive results I've been hearing from some of the patients. What we'll all think of it 3 years down the road is anyone's guess at this point.

Case Report: A Successful LipiFlow Treatment of a Single Case of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Dropout.

OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this study was to investigate whether a single case of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), with significant MG dropout resulting in evaporative dry eye, could be effectively treated with the LipiFlow (a new Food and Drug Administration-approved thermodynamic pulsatile treatment).

MATERIALS AND METHODS:
A 39-year-old white woman experienced severe dry eye symptoms because of MGD with considerable MG dropout resulting in evaporative dry eye. Standardized diagnostic MG expression and meibography led to the tentative diagnosis of nonobvious MGD (only 1 functional MG on each lower lid) and MG dropout (∼50% of the lower lid MGs were missing with the remaining MGs being severely truncated). The patient underwent a single 12-min LipiFlow treatment per eye and returned for follow-up at 1 and 7 months posttreatment.

RESULTS:
The LipiFlow treatment increased the number of functional lower lid MGs from 1 to 5 glands OD and 1 to 7 glands OS at 1 month with slight regression at 7 months (4 OD and 4 OS); increased fluorescein break-up time from 4 to 7 sec OD and 4 to 9 sec OS at both 1 and 7 months; and decreased symptom scores by approximately 50% at 1 month and approximately 75% at 7 months.

CONCLUSIONS:
These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the LipiFlow in restoring MG function and improving ocular comfort even in this particular case of significant MG dropout and MG truncation.

Eye Contact Lens. 2012 Mar 12. [Epub ahead of print]
Korb DR, Blackie CA.
Source
Korb Associates (D.R.K., C.A.B.), Boston, MA; and TearScience Inc. (D.R.K., C.A.B.), Morrisville, NC.