Surgical Efficacy of Probing with Silicone Intubation for Lacrimal Apparatus Obstruction in Children

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The surgical efficacy of probing with silicone tube intubation for congenital and acquired lacrimal obstruction was investigated. METHODS: Medical records of 51 children (55 eyes) with lacrimal obstruction were reviewed. Twentyfive children (28 eyes) had congenital obstruction and 26 children (27 eyes) had acquired lacrimal obstruction. Age ranged from 13 to 78 months (mean 29.8 months). All of the children were examined preoperatively by dacryocystography and treated with probing and silicone tube intubation with or without inferior turbinate fracture. RESULTS: After the follow-up period of 6~41 months (mean 13.2 months), primary success rate of probing and silicone tube intubation was 88.1% (30/37 cases) 88.9% (16/18 cases) in congenital obstruction and 73.3% (14/19 cases) in acquired obstruction. After combined inferior turbinate fracture and silicone tube intubation, success rate noted 100% in both congenital and acquired cases. The success rates showed 100% in the cases with maintenance period of silicone intubation over 16 weeks and 65.0% in the cases with maintenance period of silicone intubation under 16 weeks. The success rates revealed no statistical significance in etiology, age, obstruction site and lacrimal sac size. CONCLUSIONS: For congenital and acquired lacrimal apparatus obstruction in children, dacryocystography, probing, internal fracture of the inferior turbinate and silicone intubation should be maintained more than 16 weeks.