Polyurethane stents for lacrimal duct stenoses: 5-year results.

PURPOSE: To present 5-year results of polyurethane stent implantation for treatment of postsaccal lacrimal duct stenoses.

METHODS

Ninety-two consecutive patients admitted to our hospital for stent implantation between 1997 and 2001 were retrospectively analysed. The patients who were not re-treated in our clinic were asked by questionnaire about their satisfaction and complaints.

RESULTS

In 5 patients (5.4%) the implantation was not completed, 38 patients (41.3%) were re-treated due to relapsing epiphora during follow-up, and 11 stents (12.0%) were removed by dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). Five stents (5.4%) were extracted transnasally. Four stents (4.3%) were removed in another hospital. Eighteen patients (19.6%) had relapsing epiphora but have not been re-treated so far. Forty-nine of 92 patients (53.3%) were not re-treated in our clinic and were interrogated by means of a questionnaire. Twenty-seven answered (55.1%), 8 did not answer (16.3%) and 14 patients (28.6%) did not receive the letter because they had moved away or died. Only 12 of the patients who answered the questionnaire had no or slight complaints (44.4%, or 18.5% of all treated patients).

CONCLUSIONS

The long-term success rate of polyurethane stent implantation is very low (18.5%).