Comparative study of everting sutures versus everting sutures and lateral tarsal strip for correcting primary lower lid involutional entropion

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Everting sutures are a surgical technique used to bring the edges of a wound or incision together, ensuring proper healing and minimizing scarring. The goal of this study is to investigate whether there exists a significant disparity in the surgical results between using everting sutures (ES) alone or combining them with a lateral tarsal strip (ES+LTS) when treating primary involutional entropion. By comparing the outcomes of both methods, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of which one is more effective in addressing this condition.

METHODS: In this prospective randomized comparative study. A total of 52 patients were given the chance to have surgery to fix this issue. After obtaining informed consent, these brave individuals were randomly assigned to two groups: one group received ES alone, while the other group received ES+LTS. Each patient was evaluated multiple times post-surgery to ensure everything was healing properly. These evaluations took place one week, three months, six months, twelve months, and fifteen months after the surgery.

RESULTS: After undergoing surgery, patients eagerly await a successful outcome. In the case of eyelid surgeries, success is determined by a normal eyelid position at rest, which should be achieved within 15 months of the procedure. Unfortunately, 8 patients were lost to follow-up, leaving us with data from 52 patients. Among these patients, there were 10 failed surgeries for those who underwent ES alone, while those who underwent ES+LTS only experienced 1 failed surgery. Despite the setbacks, the majority of patients experienced successful results and were able to enjoy the benefits of the surgery.

CONCLUSION: These data unequivocally shows that patients who underwent ES+LTS procedures had a significantly higher success rate after 15 months compared to those who received ES alone. In other words, the numbers don't lie, and the evidence is indisputable - ES+LTS procedures are the way to go for optimal results.