Purpose: To compare the success rate of external dacryocystorhinostomy with and without silicone intubation. Methods: This study included 129 patients with lacrimal drainage system disorders who underwent the external dacryocystorhinostomy and divided in two groups depending on whether silicone intubation was used during the surgery or not. Forty one DCRs were performed with intubation and 88 without. The data was analysed using the average, standard deviation, variation coefficient, and the statistical significance was determined using ttest. Results: The mean age of the patients was 38.0}14.6SD years, including 97 females and 32 males. The mean duration of tubes was 5.2}0.8SD months. The mean time of follow-up was 14.7}3.5SD months. Intraoperative complications were present more frequently in the group without intubation 19.3% compared to 12.2% in the group with intubation (p>0.05). The postoperative complication was closure of the anastomosis, less frequent in the group with intubation 4.9% compared to 12.5% in the group without intubation (p>0.05). The success rate was evaluated by lacrimal patency to irrigation and relief of epiphora. Patency was achieved in 89.9% of cases, whereas epiphora recurred in 10.1% of cases. By groups, patency in the group with intubation was higher 95.1% compared to 87.5% in the group without intubation (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that success rate was higher in dacryocystorhinostomy with silicone intubation, although results were not statistically significant. Prospective studies involving larger patient numbers are required to confirm this beneficial effect of silicone intubation.
Key words: external dacryocystorhinostomy, silicone intubation, success rate
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