[Modified moisture chamber].
BACKGROUND
Moisture chambers can protect the eye in corneal lubrication or eyelid closure disorders. However, in cases with protrusio bulbi or pronounced chemosis conjunctivae direct damaging contact of the cornea or conjunctiva on the one hand and the inside of the moisture-chamber-bandage on the other hand are possible. Since commercial moisture-chamber-bandages are not available with different internal radii, new methods are necessary to increase the distance between the bandage and the eye.


METHODS
A special pressure relieving foam dressing used in the therapy and prophylaxis of decubitus was prepared in such a way that a periocular attachment was enabled and an opening for the eye was left blank. This central opening was covered with a commercial moisture-chamber-bandage. Five test persons and two ventilated patients with protrusio bulbi and manifest lagophthalmus were treated with the modified moisture chamber. The relative humidity within the bandage was measured.


RESULTS
The modified moisture chamber allows an individual adaptation to the periocular shape of the face and rises the level of the monoculus for about 7 mm. The internal relative humidity was for eight hours at 98% in both test persons and patients. All test persons felt more comfortable with the modified moisture chamber on their skin.


CONCLUSIONS
The presented modified moisture chamber is a derivative of the commercial monoculus bandage for patients with sensitive protrusio bulbi.
Winter
M
M
Klinik für Ophthalmologie, Universität Kiel. mwinter@ophthalmol.uni-kiel.de
Kandzia
C
C
D000328:Adult; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008297:Male; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*