Abstract: Maskin probe study in rosacea patients

Intraductal Meibomian Gland Probing in the Management ofOcular Rosacea.

PURPOSE:
Rosacea is a significant cause of ocular surface disease, and our current therapeutic armamentarium is often ineffective. Intraductal meibomian gland probing is a novel technique to address dry eye syndrome, although its use has not been described in the management of ocular surface disease from rosacea.

"Armamentarium". Just in time to be my Word of the Day.

METHODS:
Patients with ocular rosacea, meibomian gland dysfunction, and surface disease, which was refractory to conventional management, underwent intraductal meibomian gland probing. Each patient completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire before the procedure and at the 1- and 6-month postoperative visits.

Does was need to be were, the third comma need to be ditched, or something else altogether done to that sentence? Sorry (slapping forehead) I'll stop picking nits now, I promise. I really am glad to see a study published about probing and this one looks quite positive:

RESULTS:
Forty eyelids of 10 patients (5 men, 5 women; mean age = 42.1 years) underwent intraductal meibomian gland probing. All patients reported subjective improvement in their symptoms of discomfort, tearing, and blurred vision. The mean preoperative, 1-month, and 6-month OSDI scores were 78.11 (standard deviation [SD] = 5.33), 37.54 (SD = 7.25), and 43.00 (SD = 5.49), respectively. The differences between the preoperative and one- and six-month scores were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Nine of the ten patients in this study were able to discontinue their doxycycline use after surgery, and 10 out of 10 patients reported decreased frequency of artificial tear use. No complications were identified in the 6-month follow-up period.
CONCLUSIONS:
Intraductal meibomian gland probing is a safe, effective technique to address the ocular surface disease, tearing, and discomfort associated with ocular rosacea, and this intervention results in a dramatic improvement in these symptoms. This study provides the first documentation of these findings and represents the first quantitative demonstration of the use of intraductal meibomian gland probing in the peer-reviewed literature.

Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg. 2012 Jul 25. [Epub ahead of print]

Wladis EJ.

Source

Department of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, Lions Eye Institute, Albany Medical College, Slingerlands, New York, U.S.A.