Silicone intubation in children with nasolacrimal obstruction.

Silicone tube intubations were performed on 36 cases of congenital nasolacrimal obstruction and on three children with traumatic canalicular lacerations. The success rates of 84% in congenital nasolacrimal duct obstructions, 54% in congenital punctal-canalicular obstructions, and 100% in canalicular lacerations and the minimal complications encountered suggest that silicone intubations in the pediatric population are useful in avoiding dacryocystorhinostomy and conjunctivo-dacryocystorhinostomy.