title: Endonasal endoscopic assisted replacement of lacrimal drainage tubes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe an endonasal endoscopic assisted replacement of migrated or lost Lester-Jones (LJ) tubes.
  
  
  METHODS
  In three consecutive cases of LJ tube migration or loss and an absent obvious transconjunctival tract, a curved paediatric Lusk ball-probe was passed under endoscopic visualization to the conjunctival surface through the internal nasal osteum. The drainage tube was then passed over the tip of the probe and replaced by retracting the probe back into the nose.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all cases, the drainage tube was successfully replaced using an endonasal endoscopic assisted technique. None of the cases, done 1-7 weeks after tube migration or loss, required the use of a K-wire and trephine for tube re-insertion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy tract appears to be retained following LJ tube migration or loss in selected cases. It can be accessed endonasally, allowing external tube replacement without the need for a repeat trephine.
authors.affiliation: Oculoplastic, Lacrimal & Orbital Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia. leiboigal5@yahoo.com.au
authors.forename: Igal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leibovitch
authors.forename: Ijaz
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Selva
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Wormald
authors.forename: Raman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malhotra
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003608:Dacryocystorhinostomy; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome