Sleeve technique to maintain a large mucosal ostium during endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy

Currently, many surgeons use bicanalicular silicone tubes as a stent to keep the intranasal mucosal ostium patent when they perform endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy. The authors describe the sleeve technique using bicanalicular silicone tubes. After inserting the bicanalicular silicone tube, a sleeve is passed over it. The sleeve prevents the nasal mucosa from obstructing the intranasal mucosal ostium and enlarges the mucosal ostium. In primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction, the sleeve technique was applied to 61 cases (group 1); the other 75 cases (group 2) were intubated by bicanalicular silicone tube only. The overall success rate was 95.1% in group 1 and 90.7% in group 2 (P = .51), and the average mucosal ostium at 6 months postoperatively was 3.2 ± 1.1 and 1.9 ± 1.0 mm (P = .04), respectively. The authors believe that the sleeve technique has the advantage of maintaining a larger intranasal mucosal ostium.