Site of the polyurethane stent implant. A factor for predicting postoperative success?

Background. Despite new methods for treaing complete stenosis of the nasola crimal duct dacryocystorhinostomy remains the standard operation. Implantin g a nasolacrimal polyurethane stent through the nasolacrimal duct to preser ve the natural lacrimal pathway seems to offer alternative procedure with s imilar success rate and without skin incision and general anesthesia. We ex amined whether an anatomically correct position increases its success rates . Methods. This prospective study included 40 patients (mean age 57 years). T he polyurethane stent was implanted during dacryocystography, and its posit ion was checked at follow-up visits after 6 months. In the event of an addi tional canalicular stenosis a 45-mm-long stent was implanted, in the other patients a 35-mm-long stent. Results. A dacryocystographically correct position was found in only 21 of 40 patients; in the other 19 the stent did not enter the nose under the inf erior concha. However there was no correlation between correct position und er the inferior concha and success rate. In 8 of the 40 patients the stent was not parent. Conclusion. The postoperative success rate cannot be predicted by the radio graphic position along the ductus nasolacrimalis.