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Updated: May 26, 2026
Transcanalicular Diode Laser-assisted Dacryocystorhinostomy for the Treatment of Primary Acquired Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction
Published on: October 13, 2017
A meta-analysis of primary dacryocystorhinostomy with and without silicone intubation
Yi-Fan Feng1, Jian-Qiu Cai, Jia-Yu Zhang
1The Affiliated Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, China.
Objective:
To examine possible differences in success rates of primary dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) with and without silicone intubation, and to find out whether the use of silicone tubes is beneficial.
Design:
A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register to identify potentially relevant controlled trials.
Methods:
Language was restricted to English. The surgical techniques were categorized into external DCR (EX-DCR), endonasal laser-assisted DCR (LA-DCR), and nonlaser endoscopic endonasal DCR techniques (EN-DCR). The main outcome measure was success rates after DCR-with and DCR-without silicone intubation. The statistical analysis was carried out using a RevMan 5.0 software.
Results:
Of 188 retrieved trials from the electronic database, 9 trials (5 randomized controlled trials and 4 cohort studies) involving 514 cases met our inclusion criteria. There was no statistically significant heterogeneity between the studies. The pooled risk ratio was 0.99, with a 95% confidence interval (0.91-1.08). There was no significant difference in the success rates between the DCR with and without silicone intubation (p = 0.81). Sensitivity analysis and subgroups analyses suggested that the result was comparatively reliable.
Conclusions:
Based on this meta-analysis that included 5 randomized controlled trials and 4 cohort studies, no benefit was found for silicone tube intubation in primary DCR. Further well-organized, prospective, randomized studies involving larger patient numbers are required.
