Repeat eyelid surgery that helps TT patients with Bevel-Rotate Advancement Procedure
Official title: Maximizing Outcomes of Repeat Trichiasis Surgery Performed by Integrated Eye Care Workers
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11538875 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests whether a new eye-surgery method helps people needing repeat eyelid surgery to correct trachomatous trichiasis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $575,986 |
| NIH project number | 3UG1EY036891-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11538875 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with TT needing repeat eyelid surgery in Tanzania, treated by participating district surgeons.
✕Less likely to help
Patients outside the study regions or not meeting surgical eligibility may not benefit from this trial.
What this research studies
Trachoma is a leading cause of preventable blindness in marginalized communities, and TT often requires repeat surgery. The project will compare a new Bevel-Rotate Advancement Procedure (B-RAP) with the standard bilamellar tarsal rotation (BLTR) to see which yields better surgical success when performed by district TT surgeons in Tanzania. It builds on BESRAT findings that B-RAP may outperform the traditional method, especially for complex cases. Sixty surgeons across 8-10 districts will participate, aiming to enroll 1,000 TT patients in a randomized clinical trial. The goal is to determine if broader use of B-RAP can improve outcomes and reduce blindness from TT.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients needing repeat TT surgery could have higher chance of lasting eyelid correction and reduced risk of future vision loss.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary BESRAT results suggested B-RAP may perform better than BLTR in complex cases, guiding this larger trial.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gower, Emily W — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Gower, Emily W
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.