J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2008 Apr;49(4):543-547. 10.3341/jkos.2008.49.4.543.

The Comparison of Punctoplasty and Silicone Tube Intubation in Patients with Punctal Obstruction

• Choi CU
• Seo SW
• Kim SD

• KMID: 2211482
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2008.49.4.543

Abstract

PURPOSE: To compare surgical results of two patient groups with punctal obstruction. One group underwent punctoplasty while the other group underwent silicone tube intubation.
METHODS
We compared postoperatively 48 eyes of 37 patients with punctal obstruction within and after one year of the procedure. 24 eyes of 17 patients had punctoplasty and 24 eyes of 20 patients had silicone tube intubation by the same surgeon.
RESULTS
Upon follow-up within one year after the punctoplasty, 13 eyes (54%) showed no epiphora, nine eyes (38%) showed intermittent epiphora, and two eyes (8%) showed persistent epiphora. However, after silicone tube intubation, 20 eyes (83%) showed no epiphora, three eyes (13%) showed intermittent epiphora, and one eye (4%) showed persistent epiphora. Over one year after the punctoplasty, one eye (4%) showed no epiphora, 19 eyes (78%) showed intermittent epiphora, and four eyes (17%) showed persistent epiphora. However, after the silicone tube intubation, 17 eyes (71%) showed no epiphora, six eyes (25%) showed intermittent epiphora, and one eye (4%) showed persistent epiphora. CONCLUSIONS: Silicone tube intubation is more effective than punctoplasty in the long term treatment of punctal obstruction.

Keyword

Epiphora; Punctal obstruction; Punctoplasty; Silicone tube intubation

MeSH Terms

Eye
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Intubation
Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases
Silicones
Silicones

Figure

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  Figure 1. A vertical snip incision was made at the lateral aspect of the posterior rim of the punctum.

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  Figure 2. A second vertical snip incision was made on the medial aspect of the posterior rim of the punctum.

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  Figure 3. A incised posterior flap of the punctum was excised by a horizontal third snip.

Reference

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