title: Comparison of outcomes between endoscopic and external dacryocystorhinostomy with a Griffiths nasal catheter.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to give clinicians definitive and accurate information on the success of the Griffiths nasal catheter (Beaver Visitec International, Inc., Waltham, MA) in dacryocystorhinostomy as an alternative to silicone tubing.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-seven patients underwent endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (ENDCR) and 58 underwent external dacryocystorhinostomy (EXDCR) in a standardized fashion by the same surgical team between 2007 and 2009. A Griffiths nasal catheter (8 mm) made of silicone was placed into the lacrimal sac in all cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In primary ENDCR group, the overall success rate was 87.1% (61 cases) and the failure rate was 12.9% (9 cases), whereas in the EXDCR group, the success rate was 86.8% (46 cases) and the failure rate was 13.2% (7 cases). Of the 16 failed cases, anatomic fistula obstruction by granulation formation was found in 3 cases from the ENDCR group and 3 from the EXDCR group, all within 1 to 3 months, while the catheter was intact.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Griffiths nasal catheter technique is cheaper, easy to perform, and made of a suitable silicone material and can be used easily and safely in both ENDCR and EXDCR.
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Department, Istanbul Education and Research Hospital, Nafiz Gurman Sokak No: 2 Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Umit
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Taskin
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yigit
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sisman
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eltutar
authors.forename: Tamer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eryigit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D057785:Catheters; D003608:Dacryocystorhinostomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult