Silicone Intubation in External Dacryocystorhinostomy

Anila Monka, Sulejman Zhungli

Abstract: External dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is the gold standard surgical technique for the treatment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction (1). Since its introduction by Gibbs in 1967, intubation with silicone tubes has been widely used in lacrimal duct surgery. A total 87 patients who had DCR surgery between 2013 and 2014 were retrospectively reviewed in University Hospital Centre Mother Theresa in Tirana, Albania which is a tertiary referral hospital. All patients had primarynasolacrimal duct obstruction and no previous surgery for nasolacrimal duct obstruction. A complete ophthalmologic examination was performed. The aim of the study was to assess the rate of success of silicone tube intubation as compared to patients that this method was not used. . Success rate were 89 % (47/53) in silicone group, and 71 % (20/34) in silicone free group with a statistically significant deifference (p=0.04). External DCR with silicone intubation is safe and effective surgery in patients whom we expect less favorable outcome. The complications associated with silicone intubation are negligible.

Keywords: external dacryocystorhinostomy, silicon tube, surgery