Otologic T-tube in endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy: a new approach

Otologic T-tubes had a success rate of 73% if implanted during endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). We suggest that they can be used successfully in endoscopic DCR, and are promising as an alternative to silicone stent intubations.

To evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic DCR using otologic T-tube.

Twenty patients (22 eyes) with nasolacrimal duct obstruction underwent endoscopic DCR. After creating an aperture in the medial wall of the lacrimal sac, the otologic T-tube (1.15 mm diameter, Invotec, Jacksonville, FL, USA) was inserted into the sac transnasally. The T-tube was left in the lacrimal sac for between 3 and 6 months. The patients were followed up for between 6 and 24 months (mean 12.4 months). The improvement in patients' epiphora complaint was grouped as very good, good, or no change.

Eleven eyes (50%) proved to be 'very good', whereas five eyes (23%) were good, and six eyes (27%) had no change. Of six eyes that were reported to have no change after the operation, three experienced spontaneous tube loss in the early period, one eye was a recurrent case, and the other two were primary cases.