Canaliculitis After Dacryocystorhinostomy with Silicone Tubes

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence and clinical course of canaliculitis after dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) with silicone tubes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 521 eyes in 484 patients who had undergone DCR with silicone tubes between October 1994 and May 2006. RESULTS: Canaliculitis occurred in 11 eyes (2.1%). The mean age of the 10 patients involved in this study was 62.1 years (47~71 years) with a mean follow-up period of 11.1 months (6~36 months). The mean onset of canaliculitis was 3.2 months (1~5 months) after the surgery. All cases of canaliculitis were resolved with antibiotic treatment after silicone tube removal, and the surgical outcomes were successful in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of canaliculitis after DCR with silicone tubes was rare. In such cases, the final surgical outcome was successful after appropriate treatment.