BOTULINUM TOXIN FOR THE TEMPORARY TREATMENT OF INVOLUTIONAL LOWER LIDENTROPION - A CLINICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL-STUDY

Purpose: A prospective study was designed to evaluate the use of botul inum toxin as a temporary treatment in patients awaiting surgical repa ir for involutional entropion and to compare its use with lid taping. Methods: Botulinum toxin was administered to 30 patients,vith involuti onal entropion (35 eyelids). These patients had all previously been us ing lid taping and lubricant ointment as a temporary measure whilst aw aiting lid surgery. Patients' symptoms and signs were assessed before and after toxin injection. The date of entropion recurrence was record ed. Eyelid tissue from 8 patients treated with toxin and 3 control pat ients who had not been given toxin was obtained after surgical entropi on repair and examined histologically to ensure the botulinum toxin ha d no potential detrimental effects on the results of surgery. Results: The toxin was simple and quick to administer. Anatomical success was achieved in 33 of the 35 eyelids with significant improvements in symp toms and signs. The mean duration of action of the toxin was 12.5 week s. Lower lid laxity was inversely correlated with duration of toxin ac tion. There were no consistent changes in orbicularis oculi morphology after toxin injection. Conclusion: Botulinum toxin is a highly effect ive temporary treatment for involutional entropion with few complicati ons and no adverse effects on the results of surgical entropion repair .