Observation on treatment of lacrimal passage obstruction under lacrimal endoscope

Abstract

To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of lacrimal endoscope treatment for lacrimal passage obstruction, and to compare the effectiveness of endoscopically controlled laser surgery and micro-drill surgery for lacrimal passage obstruction. It was a prospective random controlled trial. Eighty nine patients (104 eyes) with lacrimal passage obstruction, including presacral canalicular obstruction (PSCO) and nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO), were collected from September 2006 to December 2006 in Department of Ophthalmology, Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Patients were examined by endoscopy of the lacrimal drainage system under local anesthesia to detect the obstruction and changes of lacrimal mucous membrane. The obstructions were treated with laser or microdrill. Irrigation was performed to prove the recanalization of the lacrimal passage followed by injected ointment with 0.3% tobramycin and 0.1% dexamethasone into the lacrimal passage. All patients were followed up after the operation for 9-12 months. The difference between the laser and the microdrill treatment was observed. Chi-square test was used to evaluate the curative effect and complications differences between these two groups. The obstruction scene in the lacrimal passage of 89 patients could be observed effectively. All obstructions (104/104 eyes) were eliminated after the operation. Through the follow-up, the cure rate reached 78.85% (82/104 eyes). The cure rate of PSCO group and NLDO group, reached 77.78% (42/54 eyes) and 80.00% (40/50 eyes), respectively (chi2 = 0.077, P = 0.782). The cure rate of laser group and micro-drill group, was 80.43% (37/46 eyes) and 77.59% (45/58 eyes), respectively (chi2 = 0.125, P = 0.724). The cure rate of laser treatment was 89.66% (26/29 eyes) in the PSCO group and 64.71% (11/17 eyes) in the NLDO group (P = 0.040). The cure rate of micro-drill treatment was 64.00% (16/25 eyes) in the PSCO group and 87.88% (29/33 eyes) in the NLDO group (chi2 = 4.664, P = 0.031). Hemorrhage and palpebral edema occurred in 10.87% (5/46 eyes) and 4.35% (2/46 eyes) after laser treatment, respectively. Percentage of hemorrhage and palpebral edema after the micro-drill treatment was 55.17% (32/58 eyes) (compared to the laser group, chi2 = 21.969, P = 0.000) and 6.90% (4/58 eyes) (compared to the laser group, chi2 = 0.017, P = 0.896). Lacrimal passage obstruction can be observed and treated directly through the endoscopy of lacrimal drainage system. Choosing an appropriate surgical procedure according to the locations of the obstruction can be helpful for improving the effectiveness of the operation.