title: Reconstruction of the lacrimal excretory system.
abstract: Primary surgical repair of the lacrimal drainage apparatus may not be feasible in patients with maxillofacial injuries involving extensive structural damage. If secondary restoration of the tear duct is not possible, reconstruction of an aberrant passage then will be necessary for tear drainage. Although the Pyrex conjunctivorhinostomy has been considered to be the most effective modality of treatment in managing patients with tear-duct dysfunction, this procedure can be plagued with problems of tube dislodgment, infection, and cicatricial tract obliteration. The patients are, furthermore, required to wear the device for the remainder of their lives. Autologous material is therefore best suited for reconstructing a conduit. A medially based mucosal flap fashioned in the lower palpebral conjunctiva, 5 mm in anteroposterior dimension and 15 mm in horizontal length, can be used to form a conduit. This is then sutured to a flap mobilized from the nasal cavity, the lacrimal sac, or the maxillary antrum. In the past 15 years, a total of 24 fistulous tracts utilizing this technique were reconstructed in 20 patients with tear-duct obstruction. The experience accumulated from managing this group of patients forms the basis of this report.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch Hospital, Galveston.
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nozaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000601:surgery; D003608:Dacryocystorhinostomy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000601:surgery*; D007766:Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008443:Maxillary Sinus / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000601:surgery; D012828:Silicones; D015607:Stents; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012828:Silicones