Punctum Plug
A lot of discomfort exists because of ‘dry eyes’. Complaints of patients vary from a slight discomfort till red, painful en sensitive eyes. Blocking the lower tear drainage is a successful therapy to prevent complaints. The innovation of the Dutch punctum plug is the use of specific material, which has the capacity to absorb water and is comparable to soft contact lens material.
When the punctum plug is dry, it can rather easily be inserted, because of its shrunken form. In its place in the tear channel, the punctum plug will absorb tear fluid and swells till it is securely placed. Because of this, it is nearly impossible to loose the plug. The top of the plug remains visible and makes it impossible for the plug to disappear through the tear drain channel. Furthermore, if the complaints do not stop, the punctum plug can be removed easily.
Composition:
The punctum plug made by Sumipro is a product that meets the highest standards. The SUM plug is made of a modified methyl methacrylate compound. The SUM plug is dehydrated and sterile packaged in pairs.
Features:
The SUM plug is a non-invasive extra-ocular placed in the inferior punctum lacrimalis and is the only feature to block tear drainage. The SUM plug is radio-opaque and therefore photogenic using x-ray.
Indications:
After anamnesis and ophthalmological examination, the doctor can diagnose dry eyes. Artificial tears, cleaning and massaging the eyelids, blepharitis treatment and conditioning of an extinct blink reflex can be a complementary therapy to insert the plugs.
Contraindications:
Dacryocystitis, moreover, the material of the SUM-plug is chemically inert, and consequently no hypersensitivity reactions occur. The SUM-plug is inserted dry. If the desired result is reached, the plug can easily be removed with tweezers. The SUM-Plug can be used during pregnancy.
Design:
The punctum lacrimalis has a volcano-like profile, the head of the plug, like a soft lens, the ability to adapt to the anatomy of the skin. The neck is narrow design and comes in three sizes: small: 0.27mm, medium, and large 0.30mm: 0.33mm.
Through a multi-curved process the SUM plug reaches downwards its widest point and then with a sharp bend and taper to the end point.
The Inserter:
Extra care was taken with the pen gadget in order to insert the plug using a slit lamp microscope or magnifying glasses. The inserter is lightweight, easy to handle, and easily sterilized. The patient receives the SUM plugs in pairs of two, where the SUM plug must first be stretched on the protruding pin of the inserter.
Insertion:
A drop of broad spectrum antibiotics such as prophylaxis for local anesthesia are applied. Sometimes it is desirable immediately before inserting the annulus what to stretch. If the SUM plug placed over coils with a preservative-free saline. The SUM-20 plug hydrates in 30 seconds. Through expansion, the plug-SUM stuck after the inserter may be removed.
WARNING: if insertion takes too long the SUM Plug swells and becomes soft.
Follow-up:
The patient may wear the plug in situ after having stayed in the waiting room for 30 minutes without increased ocular discomfort. A follow-up appointment is made after 1-2 weeks. If the explants, placed in both puncti inferior, have brought an improvement but still does result in 100%, it may be considered to block the puncti superiors. Clinical trials show that the SUM plugs needs to be replaced every 6 months.