title: Silicone tubing is not necessary after primary endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy: a prospective randomized study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (EN-DCR) is an effective procedure when treating saccal and postsaccal obstructions of the nasolacrimal pathway. The benefit of silicone tubing after DCR is still controversial. We conducted a prospective, randomized study to evaluate the necessity of bicanalicular silicone tubes after primary EN-DCR.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-six consecutive primary EN-DCR procedures were performed in 42 patients during 2004-2007. The patients were randomized into two study groups according to whether silicone tubing was used or not.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall success rate after primary EN-DCR was 89%: with silicone tubes it was 78%, and without silicone tubes it was 100%. The difference between these two groups was statistically significant (p<0.049). The follow-up period was 6 months and included three follow-up visits: 1 week, 2 months, and 6 months postoperatively. If inserted, the silicone tubes were removed at the 2-month visit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our prospective, randomized study showed that the use of silicone tubes after primary EN-DCR is not necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, and University of Kuopio, Finland. grigori.smirnov@kuh.fi
authors.forename: Grigori
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smirnov
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tuomilehto
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teräsvirta
authors.forename: Juhani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nuutinen
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seppä
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003608:Dacryocystorhinostomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007440:Intubation / Q000295:instrumentation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009301:Nasolacrimal Duct / Q000601:surgery*; D012828:Silicones; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D012828:Silicones