Success rate of nurse-led everting sutures for involutional lower lid entropion

PurposeTo evaluate safety and long-term recurrence rate of entropion in patients having everting sutures (ES) for involutional entropion by ophthalmic nurses in a real clinical setting.Patients and methodsRetrospective notes review of all patients who had an outpatient ES by our trained ophthalmic nurses over 2 year's time period. Outcome measures were complication and recurrence rates. Those with less than 3 years' recorded follow-up were contacted by paper questionnaire.Results90 lids of 82 patients analysed. Mean age was 78 (range 54-97). In total, 82% had no entropion surgery before, whereas 13% had previous ES and 5% one or more other procedures. Questionnaires were sent to 38, with return rate of 81%. Recurrence rate was 21.1% after 36-60 months follow up from nurse-performed ES, with mean time to recurrence of 15 months (SD 13 months). A total of 32% of patients died during the follow-up period. Mean time between the procedure and death is 20.5 months. When ES were repeated twice (11 patients), recurrence rate was still 20%. No patients had any complications.ConclusionES can be safely performed by ophthalmic nurses, with success rate comparable to the same technique performed by ophthalmologists.