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Low retention rate reported for silicone punctal plugs placed by ophthalmology residents
Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg. 2010;26(6):400-402.
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A study showed a low retention rate for silicone punctal plugs placed in dry eye patients by ophthalmology residents.
The cohort study retrospectively evaluated charts for 88 patients who underwent Eagle Plug (EagleVision) punctal plug placement by ophthalmology residents in a general clinic. Overall, 195 punctal plugs were placed, of which 38 were repeat placements.
Among 106 total punctal plug placements available for follow-up at 30 days, 71.7% of plugs were retained, 23.6% were spontaneously lost and 4.7% were removed.
Among 96 plug placements available for evaluation at 60 days, 50% of plugs remained, 47.9% were lost, 5.2% had been removed before evaluation at 60 days and 2.1% had been replaced before evaluation at 60 days, according to the study.
The prevalence of spontaneous extrusion may suggest a deficiency in resident and patient education, the need for an enhanced plug design or an alternative treatment option, or the need for an experienced physician to be present, the study authors said.
A possible limitation of the study was the lack of follow-up that generally occurs in the clinic setting. In addition, patients who did not experience complications may not have returned for follow-up.