Patrick R Boulos’s research while affiliated with Université de Montréal and other places

Objective To evaluate perceptions of blade- versus laser-based blepharoplasty before and after being provided educational information. Design/Participants/Methods This interventional pre–post study included 145 randomly selected participants (Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, Montreal, Canada, August 2020) who were asked about their perceptions surrounding blepharoplasty. Participants then received information about the techniques before answering final questions. Results Participants perceived no difference in outcomes for blade (37%) versus laser (40%) blepharoplasty precounselling. This increased to laser blepharoplasty postintervention (56%, p < 0.001) despite being told that there was no difference in outcomes. The higher the level of education among participants, the more likely they were to correctly believe that both techniques had similar outcomes (p = 0.049). Most participants would choose laser blepharoplasty initially (64%), and this percentage increased postintervention (81%, p < 0.001). The preintervention perception of blade blepharoplasty recovery time (20.1 ± 32.6 days) was longer than that for laser blepharoplasty (13.5 ± 32.0 days, p = 0.01) and increased for both techniques postintervention (p < 0.001). Perceived pain was lower for laser blepharoplasty. Postintervention, participants responded that additional costs of ($975 ±$1,091) would justify laser over blade blepharoplasty. Conclusion Elucidating patient perceptions and preferences for blade- versus laser-based blepharoplasty provides surgeons with perspective on how to tailor preoperative counselling. Before and after the intervention, participants had a bias toward choosing laser blepharoplasty. The intervention seems to falsely convince people that laser blepharoplasty leads to better outcomes. Because the doctor's advice can greatly impact patients’ decisions, physicians have to be careful not to give false expectations when counselling patients. Inaccurate recall of key educational takeaways suggests that information should be vulgarized and delivered actively to patients.

Purpose: Helicobacter pylori could theoretically induce ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL) via 2 mechanisms: the first is that of infection within the ocular adnexa and the second is that of infection within the gastric mucosa, leading to the malignant transformation of lymphocytes that migrate to the ocular adnexa, forming a primary "ectopic" cancer. This study investigated if an association exists between gastric H. pylori or ocular adnexal H. pylori and OAL. Methods: Prospective case-control study including cases with OAL and controls with nonlymphomatous pathologies. Gastric H. pylori infection was assessed via serologic antibody testing. Ocular adnexal infection was assessed via polymerase chain reaction testing for H. pylori and Chlamydia psittaci within ocular adnexal samples. Results: Seventy-two patients were enrolled, of whom 18 had lymphoma and 54 nonlymphomatous pathologies. H. pylori antibodies were present in 5 cases (28%) and 18 controls (33%) (95% CI, 0.24%-2.50%, p = 0.78). All ocular adnexal specimens were negative for H. pylori and C. psittaci infection. The only relevant statistically significant difference between cases and controls was a history of gastric ulcer (95% CI, 1.23%-44.80%, p = 0.03). Conclusions: In the study's population, infection of gastric mucosa with H. pylori does not appear to influence the development of OAL. Also, H. pylori or C. psittaci infection within the ocular adnexa does not appear to influence the development of OAL. In the study's practice, authors do not recommend antibiotic administration or routine gastroscopy for patients with OAL. The authors do recommend referral of OAL patients with gastric symptoms to a gastroenterologist.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a topical silicone gel on scars in patients who had undergone bilateral direct brow lift surgery. Design: A randomized double-blind clinical trial with a placebo applied to one scar and topical silicone gel (Dermatix Ultra; Valeant Pharmaceuticals, Laval, Que.) used on the other scar for 2 months. Participants: Twelve patients (for a total of 24 surgical scars evaluated) were included in the study. Methods: This study was performed in 2 academic hospitals of the University of Montreal in Montreal, Que. (Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital and Notre-Dame Hospital). Inclusion criteria were all bilateral direct brow lift surgeries performed in our hospitals. Exclusion criteria included revision surgery, silicone or latex allergy, and wound infection. Each patient received 2 tubes (1 with silicone gel and 1 with placebo) and applied 1 tube to their right brow scar and the other tube to their left brow scar, following the preassigned instructions. The patient and surgeon were blinded to the nature of the substance that was applied to each scar. At each visit, pictures of both scars were taken, and a questionnaire titled "The Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale" was filled out by the patient and the surgeon. A grade ranging from 0 to 10 was given on the multiple criteria in the questionnaire, and the sum of these grades was subsequently used for the data analysis. A lower sum was interpreted as improved scarring. At the end of the study, an independent evaluator graded both scars based on pictures. Follow-up visits were held on day 7, week 6, month 3, and month 6 after surgery. A comparison of the experimental and placebo group was performed with nonparametric tests of Wilcoxon signed rank. Results: A total of 24 scars of 12 patients were analyzed (based on 4 follow-up visits). General improvement of scars was reported by the patient, the surgeon, and based on pictures. No statistically significant difference was found between the group treated with silicone gel and the group treated with placebo. All tests had a p value ≥0.08. Conclusions: We did not find a statistically significant difference between scars treated with silicone gel and scars treated with the placebo after direct brow lift surgery.

Numerous long-standing controversies influence the management of lacrimal sac abscesses, canalicular lacerations and obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct. We examined debatable beliefs that underline these controversies and concluded the following: drainage of a pointing lacrimal sac abscess can be well tolerated under local anesthesia, is associated with few adverse events, and should be performed regardless of whether systemic antibiotics have been administered. Reconstruction of monocanalicular lacerations should be considered in all cases, without distinction to whether the injury involves the upper or lower canaliculus. Finally, no firm evidence currently exists supporting intubation with routine dacryocystorhinostomy.

Herein, the authors present a retrospective case report of a patient with ocular penetration due to cocaine-induced midline destructive lesion. To their knowledge, this is the first documented case of ocular penetration secondary to cocaine insufflation.

Rationale The extent to which placebo effects can be driven exclusively by subjective impressions of improvement in the absence of any independent corroboration is unclear. Methods Thirty-six self-referred patients were treated with a light therapy device intended to rejuvenate facial skin. At each of eight weekly treatments, participants' facial skin was exposed for 40 seconds to pulses of multispectral LED-generated light in the range of 588 nm wavelength at 0.1 J cm−2. Outcomes were assessed by participants as well as by the treating doctor and by blinded, expert raters. Results Patients reported robust and statistically significant improvements in seven facial features at the conclusion of the 8-week treatment regimen as well as at 1-month follow-up (for all comparisons, P ≤ 0.003, median d = 1.14). In sharp contrast, both the treating doctor and blinded, expert raters were unable to detect any improvement whatsoever (for all comparisons, P > 0.05). Moreover, effect sizes were close to zero and in the opposite direction from improvement (median d = −0.06 for doctor ratings; and for observer ratings, there was only a 46% success rate at identifying post-treatment as compared with pre-treatment photographs). Conclusion The robust placebo responses documented in this trial were confined to the subjective impressions of the patients. Neither the treating doctor nor blinded, expert raters could detect any improvement. Thus, patients can perceive improvement in medical interventions in the absence of any independent corroboration that improvement has occurred. This result is used a heuristic to more clearly define the components of the placebo response.

A light-emitting diode (LED) photomodulation system can produce pulses of amber light expected to induce structural skin changes and reverse the effects of photoaging. To reproduce the encouraging results already published. Facial skin was exposed to pulses of 588+/-10-nm-wavelength light from a photomodulation device for 40 seconds once a week for 8 weeks. Photographs, clinical assessment, and a subjective questionnaire were taken at baseline, at the last follow-up, and 1 month after that. Thirty-six patients' pre- and post-treatment photos were arbitrarily scrambled, and 30 independent blinded observers were asked to pick the post-treatment photo. Two time-point comparisons were evaluated. For every facial characteristic studied and for both time-point comparisons, patients reported highly statistically significant improvements. In extremely sharp contrast, neither the physician's assessment nor the independent observers' evaluation indicated any improvement. Although subjective findings are comparable between studies, we were unable to reproduce the objective results of efficacy previously reported. Patients genuinely believed that several of their facial features had improved, even though there was no detectable objective change. Our data therefore suggest that the LED photomodulation treatment from the device tested is a placebo.

A comfortable, anatomically based lacrimal sac abscess incision and drainage technique is described. The records of 52 patients were reviewed. The procedure was relieving and well tolerated because of adequate infraorbital and anterior ethmoidal nerve blocks. To promote rapid resolution, both components of the abscess were drained: the distended lacrimal sac and its associated submuscular pocket. The contiguous cavities were packed and allowed to heal by secondary intention. Of 49 cases, 39 (79.6%) were done as outpatient procedures and 41 (83.7%) were performed under locoregional anesthesia. Edema completely resolved by a median of 7 days. A repeat drainage procedure within 1 month was required in only 4 of 48 cases (8.3%). Fistulas and ectropion were not found. Four of 16 patients (25.0%) who did not eventually receive a definitive procedure (dacryocystorhinostomy or dacryocystectomy) developed a recurrent lacrimal sac abscess after complete resolution of the primary episode.