Cryotherapy for trichiasis in trachoma

C. D. Rice, R. C. Kersten and S. al-Hazzaa
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock 72205.

Trichiasis secondary to trachoma was treated in 137 eyelids from 64 patients in Saudi Arabia. Cryotherapy with high-flow nitrous oxide was applied to the lid margin for 45 seconds in a freeze-thaw-freeze cycle. The success rate of treated eyelids was 56% after one treatment and increased to 90% after a second treatment. Hypopigmentation of the highly pigmented eyelids of the Saudi population was our most significant complication (8% of treated lids). Because cryotherapy is portable and cost-effective and can be administered by paramedical personnel, it is ideal for use in regions where trachoma is endemic.