Chemical Cautery with 100% TCA Versus AgNO For the Treatment 3 of Xanthelasma Palpebrum: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objective: To compare the efficacy of chemical cautery with 100% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) versus silver nitrate (AgNO ) for the treatment of xanthelasma palpebrum. 3 Study Design: Randomized controlled trial (RCT). Place and Duration of Study: Department of Dermatology, Pakistan Railway Hospital, Rawalpindi from 1 June st 2016 to 31 December 2017. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 adult patients with xanthelasma palpebrum were enrolled and randomly divided into two equal groups. In group A patients, chemical cautery was done with TCA 100% while group B patients were treated with AgNO3. Results were recorded after single session of treatment at 02 weeks for improvement/ clearing of lesion and at 03 months for post inflammatory hypopigmentation /hyperpigmentation and recurrence. Results: In group A, 19 patients (95%) out of 20 showed 75 – 100% clearing two weeks after the single treatment session in comparison to 04 (20%) patients in Group B. And only 01 patient (5%) in group A showed 50-75% clearing as compared to group B where 16 patients showed this response. None of the patient showed less than 50% clearing in group A while 01 patient (5%) in group B had this response. At the end of 03 months, 20% and 5% patients developed post-inflammatory hypopigmentation in group A and group B respectively. No recurrence of lesion was reported during this period. Conclusion: Chemical cautery for the treatment of Xanthelasma with 100% TCA gives better results than AgNO .

Keywords

• chemical cautery, cryotherapy, hyperlipidemia, radiofrequency (rf), trichloroacetic acid (tca), xanthelasma palpebrum (xp).