The round-tipped, eyed pigtail probe for canalicular intubation: a review of 228 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness and outcomes of canalicular intubation with the use of a round-tipped, eyed pigtail probe.


METHODS
Retrospective interventional case series of 228 patients requiring intubation of the canalicular system. Patients were treated surgically with attempted repair of the canalicular system with the round-tipped, eyed pigtail probe. The main outcome measures were successful intubation of the lacrimal system, symptoms of tearing, clinical functional evaluation of lacrimal system, complications, and need for further lacrimal surgery.


RESULTS
Of 228 patients, 222 (97.4%) had their canalicular systems successfully intubated with silicone tubing using the round-tipped, eyed pigtail probe. Follow-up was obtained in 191 (86%) of the 222 patients. One-hundred sixty of 191 (83.8%) patients were irrigated and found to be anatomically patent (of the remainder, one was blocked whereas 30 were too young to be irrigated). One hundred fifty-two of the 191 (79.6%) patients had no tearing by history. Thirty-two (16.7%) had occasional tearing on some days that was not bothersome. Seven (3.7%) had intermittent or persistent tearing on a daily basis. Sixty-seven of the 191 (35%) had their lacrimal system more extensively assessed using the dye disappearance test, Jones I test, Jones II test, and canalicular probing. Anatomic patency in this subgroup was demonstrated in 66 of 67 (98.5%) of patients. The dye disappearance test, however, revealed slight asymmetry in 24 of 53 patients (45%) with canalicular lacerations yet only 14 of these 24 (58%) had any symptoms of tearing, indicating some discrepancy between subjective and objective assessment of tearing postcanalicular repair. Fifty-three of the repaired trauma patients underwent probing of the involved and uninvolved canalicular systems. In no patient was a stricture or blockage involving the uninvolved canaliculus identified. Additional lacrimal surgery (dacryocystorhinostomy) was performed on 2 of 191 (1%) patients with greater than 3 months follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
The round-tipped, eyed pigtail probe can help safely and effectively identify and repair canalicular lacerations. Symptomatic tearing was infrequent; the lacrimal systems showed complete anatomic patency in the majority of patients tested, and need for further lacrimal surgery was rare following pigtail probe intubation.
University of Ottawa, Eye Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
David R
DR
Jordan
Steven
S
Gilberg
Louise A
LA
Mawn
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004867:Equipment Design; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007440:Intubation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D022125:Lacerations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D012826:Silicone Elastomers