title: Silicone intubation with the Ritleng method using intranasal endoscopy to treat congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the technical properties and clinical efficacy of bicanalicular silicone intubation using the Ritleng method in children with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients (34 eyes; mean age, 5+/-2.04 years; age range, 2-10 years) with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction underwent silicone intubation with the Ritleng lacrimal intubation system under endoscopic transnasal control. Removal of the silicone tube was planned 6 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were successfully intubated with the Ritleng system. One patient was lost to follow-up. We successfully evaluated the clinical results in 33 eyes of 29 patients. Stent removal in 29 of 33 eyes took place 6 months after surgery; in the other 4 eyes, the silicone tube was removed 7 to 10 months after surgery because the patients were late for their visits. One eye in which the tube had remained in place for 10 months developed a slit punctum. The mean follow-up after tube removal was 40.32+/-24.46 months (range, 12-96 months). The success rate measured as improvement of signs and symptoms of obstruction was 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bicanalicular silicone intubations with the Ritleng intubation system using an intranasal endoscope for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction is an easy, nontraumatizing procedure that yields a high rate of success.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Adana Teaching and Medical Research Center, Adana, Turkey. aypelit@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Aysel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pelit
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caylakli
authors.forename: Rana Altan
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Yaycioglu
authors.forename: Yonca
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akova
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003608:Dacryocystorhinostomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007440:Intubation; D007767:Lacrimal Duct Obstruction / Q000151:congenital*; D008297:Male; D009301:Nasolacrimal Duct / Q000601:surgery; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012828:Silicones
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D012828:Silicones