title: A clinical application of laser direction in anastomosis for inferior canalicular laceration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the therapeutic efficiency and efficacy of laser-directing approach on searching for the nasal broken end of lacerated lacrimal canaliculus in anastomosis for canalicular laceration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine patients (49 eyes) suffering from traumatic inferior canalicular laceration were divided into control group and laser-directing group. The distance between the lacrimal punctum and the nasal broken end of lacerated lacrimal canaliculus was more than 6 mm. During the course of management of eyelid trauma, the patients were treated by canalicular anastomosis operation with traditional method and laser-directing method in searching for the nasal broken end of lacerated lacrimal canaliculus respectively. The silicone tube of 1 mm diameter was intubated in the lacrimal passage as a stent for 4 to 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the laser-directing group, the mean time in searching for the nasal broken end of lacerated lacrimal canaliculus was (5.75+/-1.49) minutes and the mean time of operation was (49.21+/-3.37) minutes; both were significantly shorter than that of the control group (P<0.01). The cure rate of the laser-directing group was 96.55%, higher than that of the control group but without statistical significance (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The laser-directing method is much quicker and more convenient to searching for the nasal broken end of the lacerated lacrimal canaliculus than the traditional approach, and patients suffer less pain and damaging in canalicular anastomosis operation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China. ltzhly@public.qd.sd.cn
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Ke-xiao
authors.initials: KX
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ling-yun
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D005143:Eyelids / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D022125:Lacerations / Q000601:surgery*; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009301:Nasolacrimal Duct / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome