High Pressure Syringing With Consequent Silicone Intubation In Connatal Dacryostenosis

1. Andreas Kuchar
2. Geraldine Stock
3. Franz Josef Steinkogler

Department of Ophthalmology, University of Vienna, Medical School, Austria

Purpose: To evaluate the success rate of high pressure syringing with consequent silicone intubation in children.

Methods: In 96 cases high pressure syringing with silicone intubation has been performed. 43 boys and 42 girls have been treated. The mean age was 1.45 years. Examination was performed 1 week, 4 weeks, 3 months and 1 year after surgery. The removal of the silicone tubes was planned 3 months after surgery

Results: In all cases a silicon intubation could be performed either bicanalicular or monocanalicular (MONOKA). No complications except slight bleeding in 43 cases occurred. No complications have been observed during the period with tubes in place.12 children lost their tubes before the planned removal. In this group a recurrence occurred in 6 cases. In all other children with planned removal only in 3 cases a recurrence of epiphora was present.

Conclusion: In general the success rate is about 91%, regarding only the group with planned removal (84 cases) we found success in 96%.
This procedure with silicone intubation can prevent postoperative adherence due to bleeding and postoperative inflammation and takes only a few minutes more than simple high pressure syringing.