Punctoplasty; A New Technique For Elderly Epiphoric Patients

Irfan Qayyum, Prof Mumtaz Hussain

Purpose: To relieve the epiphora in the patients with age related punctual occlusion.

Material & Method: The study was conducted on 20 patients at Eye unit II Mayo hospital Lahore. Patients who presented in OPD with epiphora due to the punctal occlusion were admitted in the ward. After taking informed consent, in all the patients probing and syringing was done before punctoplasty, to make sure that blockage was at the punctal level and all the remaining passage is opened. Punctum was dilated with punctum dilator and DCR tube was inserted in to the canaliculli through the dilated punctum. Upper part of the tube was stitched around the margins of the punctum with 10/0 suture. At the end syringing was done through that tube.

Results: In all the patients epiphora was relieved the very next day. And after 3 weeks sutures and DCR tube was taken out and punctum was found widely dilated.

Conclusion: Punctoplasty using DCR tube is a useful technique in patients with age related punctal occlusion.