Innovative cost-effective method to repair lacrimal cannaliculi laceration – finding proximal end and stent

Abstract

Purpose: To explore a new technique to find out the proximal end of lacerated canaliculi and a new material for the stent.Methods: Surgery was performed on 9 eyes of 9 patients using a 5/0 prolene suture needle as a modified probe. Prolene suture was inserted as a stent and left in place for two months. All the data were analyzed.Results: The surgery was successful in all cases and the prolene were removed after two months. The mean follow-up time after the tube removal was 3.8 months (range 3–6 months). No other complications associated with the prolene sutures were noticed except for epiphora and corneal irritation in three cases. All the tubes were removed successfully without any difficulty. No iatrogenic injuries occurred during prolene removal.Conclusions: The reported surgical technique is a very cost-effective option for lacrimal canalicular laceration repair.

Keywords

• lacrimal canalicular laceration
• prolene suture
• stent
• identification of proximal end