Clinical observation of 125 cases of nasolacrimal stent implantation

Objective To observe the efficacy of nasolacrimal stent implantation for patients with chronic dacryocystitis and nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Methods From January 2008 to February 2009,135 eyes of 125 cases of nasolacrimal stent implantation have been performed in our hospital, and the major diagnoses were chronic dacryocystitis and nasolacrimal duct obstruction. The nasolacrimal stent was developed by the second Xiangya hospital, the operation method was to probe via lacrimal passages into nasal cavity, then the nasolacrimal duct and lacrimal sac were dilated and the stent was placed retrogradely in them.Lacrimal system was irrigated termly after operation, and the post-operative effects and the inter- and postoperative complications were observed. Results After 6 to 19 months' follow-up, the success rate was 91. 85% . The symptom of epiphora didn' t lighten in 2 earlier post-operative eyes ( 1.48% ) , but the lacrimal duct were unblocked after repeating irrigation. The symptom of epiphora recurred in 9 terminal post-operative eyes (6.67% ) , of them 8 eyes were diagnosed with chronic dacryocystitis, and the lacrimal ducts were unblocked after repeating irrigation. The inter-operative complications included mild epistaxis and difficulties in implanting the stent, and the post-operative complication was mainly stent obstruction by secretion. Conclusion Nasolacrimal stent implantation has the same effect with dacryocystorhinostomy, has less wound, simple, so it is worth being used more widely in clinic. Termly lacrimal system irrigation helps to reduce the rate of stent occlusion occurrence after operation. Key words: nasolacrimal stent;  dacryocystitis;  chronic;  nasolacrimal duct obstruction