Botulinum toxin A injection for primary and recurrent chalazia.

BACKGROUND: To study the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous botulinum toxin A injections in the treatment of primary and recurrent chalazia.

METHODS: Prospective, placebo-controlled consecutive case-series trial. Sixty three patients were divided into two groups: group 1 consisting of 32 patients previously diagnosed with and treated for primary or recurrent chalazia with 2-5 international units (IU) in 0.2-0.5 ml of preserved saline solution of botulinum toxin injection, and group 2 consisting of 31 patients receiving placebo. The main outcome measures were localization and duration of the disease, size of chalazion before and after treatment, clinical resolution of chalazion, time to resolution, and complications of treatment.

RESULTS: There was a clinically and statistically significant between-group difference in the rate of therapeutic success and post-therapeutic chalazion regression, but not in the rate of complications.

CONCLUSIONS: Botulinum toxin A injection is effective and safe treatment for primary and recurrent chalazia. Lesion regression that did not respond to the average of two injections would benefit more from surgical excision or systemic antibiotic therapy.