A technique for preventing spontaneous loss of lacrimal punctal plugs.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a technique for the prevention of spontaneous loss of lacrimal punctal plugs.


METHODS
Interventional case series.


METHODS
Four consecutive patients (10 puncta in seven eyes) with severe dry eyes who experienced repeated spontaneous plug loss underwent punctal occlusion by suturing plugs with 10-0 polypropylene sutures.


RESULTS
All punctal plugs were fitted to lacrimal puncta by anchoring the sutures. Plug retention rate was 80% at 6 months after the procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
Suturing punctal plugs is effective in the production of long-term punctal closure in patients with repeated spontaneous plug loss.
Department of Ophthalmology, Jichi Medical School, Minamikawachi-machi, Kawachi-gun, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan. obatah@jichi.ac.jp
Hiroto
H
Obata
Nobuhiro
N
Ibaraki
Tadahiko
T
Tsuru
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000601:surgery*; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011126:Polypropylenes; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013537:Sutures
D011126:Polypropylenes