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Pediatric canalicular lacerations: epidemiology and variables affecting repair success
Insights
Pediatric canalicular lacerations are most common in young boys, often caused by dog bites. Operating room repairs show higher success rates than minor procedure room repairs for these eye injuries.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Trauma Surgery
Background:
- Canalicular lacerations are injuries to the tear drainage system.
- Pediatric cases represent a significant subset of these injuries.
- Understanding epidemiology and repair outcomes is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the epidemiology and outcomes of pediatric canalicular lacerations.
- To identify factors influencing repair success in children.
- To evaluate repair variables in relation to patient age.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of pediatric canalicular laceration repairs over 10 years.
- Data collection on demographics, injury mechanism, associated injuries, and repair setting.
- Analysis of repair success based on various factors including procedure location and stent type.
Main Results:
- 27.7% of canalicular lacerations occurred in patients under 18.
- Dog bites were a significantly more common cause in children than adults.
- Repair success was higher when performed in the operating room compared to minor procedure rooms.
Conclusions:
- Young boys are most affected by pediatric canalicular lacerations, with dog bites being the primary cause.
- While many children have no associated injuries, a thorough examination is necessary.
- Surgical setting impacts repair success, highlighting the importance of the operating room for these procedures.
Purpose:
To evaluate the epidemiology and outcomes of all pediatric canalicular lacerations at a high-volume urban tertiary eye care center. Variables of repair were evaluated in relation to age and success of repair.
Methods:
A retrospective review over a 10-year span of all primary pediatric canalicular laceration repairs was performed. Variables included patient demographics, repair setting, mechanism of injury, associated injuries, type of stent used, and success of repair.
Results:
Of 137 canalicular lacerations evaluated, 27.7% occurred in patients younger than 18 years. The majority of the children were male (73.7%) and white (68.4%), with a mean age of 10.8 years (range: 1.1 to 17.9 years). The mechanism of injury was significantly more likely to be due to dog bites in children when compared to adults (P < .0001), particularly those younger than 10 years (P = .0068). Repair was significantly more successful in the operating room than the minor procedure room, regardless of type of stent used (P = .0247). The majority of children did not have other injuries (60.5%). However, of the other injuries sustained, 52.6% required further monitoring or repair.
Conclusions:
Pediatric canalicular lacerations are most common in young boys and dog bites are the most common etiology. Although many children may not have other injuries, full examination is warranted because other injuries may require intervention or more frequent monitoring.
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