ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To determine the therapeutic effect between Ellman Surgitron(R) thermolysis and Argon laser thermoablation in patients with trichiais. METHODS: Thirty-one patients (46 eyes) were analyzed. We performed Argon laser thermoablation in 23 patients (35 eyes) and Ellman Surgitron(R) thermolysis in 8 patients (11 eyes). Mean age was 54. Mean follow-up period was 11 months in Ellman Surgitron(R) group, 46 months in Argon laser group. RESULTS: In Argon laser group, 17 cases of 13 patients were performed successfully in first procedure (48.6%), and cumulative success rate was 68.6% after second procedure. Eleven eyes of 6 patients (31.4%) were performed more than three times or needed to surgical intervention. On the other hand, in Ellman Surgitron(R) group, 7 cases of 5 patients (63.6%) were successfully performed in first procedure, and second procedure makes all patients allowed to be successful in treatment of trichiasis. In all two groups, complications such as lid defect, granulation tissue formation, continuous pain and erythematous skin lesions were not found. CONCLUSIONS: The success rate of Ellman Surgitron(R) thermolysis is higher than Argon laser thermoablation, and all patients in Ellman Surgitron(R) group were treated within second procedure without recurrence. The above results suggest that Ellman Surgitron(R) thermolysis is one of the good methods to treat trichiasis.