Effect of age on surgical results in treatment of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction by Ritleng lacrimal intubation

Objective To evaluate the effect of age on surgical results in treatment of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) by Ritleng lacrimal intubation. Methods Retrospective control study. The outcome of 287 eyes of silicone intubation with Ritleng lacrimal intubation system, performed on 175 children with CNLDO after failed probing (aged from 6 to 72 months with all av-erage at 22.5 months)from Beijing Children’s Hospital, Was retrospectively reviewed. The eyes were divided into 2 age categories: category 1(≤24 months,214 eyes) and category 2(>24 months,73 eyes). Treatment success was defined as absence of epiphora, mucous discharge or increased lacrimal lake after surgery.Number of probing, type of obstruction, the therapeutic rate and timing of tube-drawing of different age were analyzed. Complications were also compared. Results The rates of outcome above-mentioned between 2 groups respectively were: complex obstruction 22.0%(47/214), 47.9%(35/73); recovery rate 89.3% (191/214) ,78.1% (57/73) ; recurrence rate 1.6% (3/191) ,8.8% (5/57) ; tube-drawing in 2 months after surgery 76.2% (163/214),46,6% (34/73) ; significant differences were found between the groups. According to the complications, incidence rate of silicone intubation dropping and suture disconnection in group 1 were higher, instead, nose wing granuloma and nasal bleeding were less in group 1, both than that in group 2 significantly. Conclusions As the increase of the number of probing and the complex obstruction after the age of 2, the success rate of the operation decreased. Key words: congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction; intubation; age; surgical results