Clinical Treatment Efficacy Using One-snip Punctoplasty and Irrigation Technique in Primary Canaliculitis Patients.

PURPOSE: This study aims to report the efficacy and safety of one-snip punctoplasty and 18-gauge irrigation technique in patients with primary canaliculitis. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with primary canaliculitis between January 2020 and August 2021 at Inje University Busan Paik Hospital are included. All patients underwent one-snip punctoplasty and 18-gauge irrigation technique. After the procedure, patients had topical antibiotics. The resolution of symptoms and inflammatory signs and complications were evaluated 3 weeks after the procedure. RESULTS: A total of 11 patients (eight female patients and three male patients, 14 canaliculi) aged 34 to 82 years with a mean age of 63.8 ± 15.7 years were participated. Common symptoms were epiphora, mucopurulent discharge, and injection, and common signs were discharge from punctum, pouting punctum, punctal erythema, and swellling. Among 14 canaliculi, 12 (85.7%) had complete resolution and two underwent second treatment which showed completed resolution after the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: One-snip punctoplasty and 18-gauge irrigation technique are minimally invasive to punctum and canaliculi and are a highly effective surgical procedure for patients with primary canaliculitis.

Cryopreservation and its clinical applications.

Cryopreservation is a process that preserves organelles, cells, tissues, or any other biological constructs by cooling the samples to very low temperatures. The responses of living cells to ice formation are of theoretical interest and practical relevance. Stem cells and other viable tissues, which have great potential for use in basic research as well as for many medical applications, cannot be stored with simple cooling or freezing for a long time because ice crystal formation, osmotic shock, and membrane damage during freezing and thawing will cause cell death. The successful cryopreservation of cells and tissues has been gradually increasing in recent years, with the use of cryoprotective agents and temperature control equipment. Continuous understanding of the physical and chemical properties that occur in the freezing and thawing cycle will be necessary for the successful cryopreservation of cells or tissues and their clinical applications. In this review, we briefly address representative cryopreservation processes, such as slow freezing and vitrification, and the available cryoprotective agents. In addition, some adverse effects of cryopreservation are mentioned.