NCT00522912

A Trial of Epilation Verses Surgery for Minor Trichiasis

A Randomised Controlled Trial of Epilation Verses Immediate Surgery for the Management of Minor Trachomatous Trichiasis

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 1,300 (actual)
• Sponsor: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Recurrent infection by Chlamydia trachomatis causes a gradual scarring process of the inner surface of the eyelid (conjunctiva) leading to in-turning of the eyelids (entropion) and lashes touching the eye (trichiasis). The rate of progression and the severity of disease are variable. Some people develop severe disease with extensive entropion and trichiasis, whilst others have a mild problem with only a few lashes touching the eye, which does not progress. In more advanced cases there is a broad consensus that the entropion / trichiasis should be corrected by surgery. In mild cases (minor trichiasis: 1-5 lashes touching the eye) the optimal treatment is uncertain. Some advocate early surgery to turn the eyelid out for any individual with one or more lashes touching any part of the eye. Others consider this to be too early for surgical intervention, as surgery can have a high recurrence rate and complications can arise. Instead, they recommend that minor trichiasis can be managed by epilation (pulling out lashes with forceps). In many endemic regions the uptake of surgery is low, with many patients preferring to epilate for mild disease. The primary purpose of this study is to compare the outcome of immediate surgery to regular epilation for the management of minor trichiasis. The epilation would be done by a person with good eyesight using proper epilation forceps.

Conditions

• Trachomatous Trichiasis

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Trichiasis surgery	Posterior lamella tarsal rotation
PROCEDURE	Epilation	Epilation of lashes by another well sighted person using quality epilating forceps

Timeline

• Start date: 2008-03-01
• Primary completion: 2010-05-01
• Completion: 2010-05-01
• First posted: 2007-08-30
• Last updated: 2012-01-12

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Ethiopia