Stye or Chalazion? Differential Diagnostic

A review of the literature data indicates the need for additional research to improve the effectiveness of barley and chalazion treatment, in particular to determine objective indicators of barley transition to chalazion based on instrumental studies, and to study the relationship of the above pathological processes with concomitant pathologies, in particular, acute respiratory diseases and dry eye syndrome. The conducted study allowed us to develop an algorithm for differential diagnosis of barley and chalazion: barley is an acute inflammatory process of the sebaceous glands of Zeiss (external) and meibomian (internal), in 55.2 % of cases it develops against the background of hypothermia and/or acute respiratory viral infections, is stopped by local use of antibiotics and corticosteroids in 65.5 % of cases during an observation period of 7–14 days, in 34.5 % of cases it passes into the stage of chronic inflammation — secondary chalazion; A secondary chalazion is the transition of an acute inflammatory process to a chronic one over an observation period of 14 to 30 days (capsule formation), accompanied by an increase in its density and blood flow velocity, as determined by ultrasound. A chalazion is detected three times less frequently than a primary chalazion due to a disruption of the secretion of the meibomian glands without signs of acute inflammation. Correlation analysis data showed that the longer the chalazion persists, the denser its capsule becomes and the more severe the impairment of blood circulation in the area. The data obtained during the study can serve as a basis for developing a conceptual understanding of the etiopathogenesis of styes and chalazions in practicing physicians. This, in turn, will facilitate the appointment of timely and adequate treatment methods, including the consistent use of local drug therapy, intracapsular glucocorticoid injections, surgical removal of the chalazion, as well as the appointment of preventive treatment in the form of eyelid hygiene and other physiotherapeutic procedures at the stage of stopping this pathological process.

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