Overview of the lacrimal stents

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: Evaluation of the clinical usefulness CV balloon‐expandable stent for maintenance of the opened (post‐surgical) or dilated nasolacrimal duct. Methods: Under local anesthesia, injection of contrast for visualisation of the obstruction and fluoroscopic guidance placement of the CV balloon‐expandable stent Results: Complications of the existing stents are as follows: concerning expandable metallic double stents(Song, 1993), where implanted under fluoroscopic guidance with severe epiphora after failed balloon dacryocystoplasty. During follow‐up of 4‐20 weeks complete blockage of the stent occurred in one of seven patients. Concerning Plastic stents (Song ,1994) 19 eyes ‐ 79% complete resolution and 21% partial resolution of epiphora. Concerning Polyurethane stent, cause of failure was normal physiological reaction to foreign body, namely post‐intervention infection, inflammation and fibrosis following obstruction (complete or partial), prolapse, occlude stents and stent malpositioning.Technical problems and complications during negotiation of the guidewire, the guidewire create a false passage, improperly positioned or partial outside the nasolacrimal system. Conclusions: Treatment of nasolacrimal stenosis with CV balloon‐expandable stents can be a solution for a higher percentage of success and less complications due to the biocompatibility of the material and design. Also it obtains antifibrotic material (will have much less inflammation, infection, and following obstruction) that release and prevent the fibrosis and indirectly the obstruction and blockage of the lacrimal duct.CV expandable metallic stents seem to be of value in the treatment of the complete or partial obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct