title: [Treatment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction with Song's stent. Long term efficacy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term efficacy (5 years) of Song's stent in the treatment of naso-lachrymal duct obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined Song's stents installed in 64 eyes from 62 patients with naso-lachrymal duct obstruction (NLD). Of the 64, 48 were women and 14 men of mean age 60 SD 13.17 years. Obstructions of right side 62.5% and left side 37.5%, and location in dacriocystography: sac-NLD junction 82.8%, distant NLD 10.9%, medium NLD 3.1% and both proximal and complete NLD 1.6%.
  
  
  METHODS
  chronic epiphora 96.8%, acute dacriocystitis 67.2%, purulent discharge 25% and mucocele 17.2%. Mean follow-up period was 25.23 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  13 stents were removed and 2 changed during the follow-up. 67.2% were patent at the end of the study; epiphora reduced to 32.8%, number of acute dacryocystitis, purulent discharge and mucocele to 1.6%. Subjective improvement was found in 73.5%. Surgical complications included epistaxis (15.6%) and pain (14.1%), and post-operative complications included reobstruction in 22 cases within a mean time of 8.6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Song's stent is a quick and useful option in treatment of epiphora. Despite not being efficient in all cases, it leads to improvement of symptoms and avoidance of surgery in the majority of cases. However, it requires periodical washes to maintain its patency.
authors.affiliation: Hospital General Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain. masedur@terra.es
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asencio Durán
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández Prieto
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arbizu Duralde
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Orgaz
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oliver Pascual
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ruiz del Río
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003608:Dacryocystorhinostomy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors