Abstract
Purpose :
The outcomes of the subjective symptoms after nasolacrimal duct intubation (NDI) guided by dacryoendoscope have not been well evaluated. To assess the subjective success and quality of life of patients post NDI for nasolacrimal duct obstructions.
Methods :
One hundred twenty eight patients diagnosed with unilateral nasolacrimal duct obstruction were treated with NDI guided by dacryoendoscope at Ehime University Hospital from December 2010 to May 2014. The postoperative outcomes were assessed subjectively by Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) as well as ocular specific questionnaire including tearing, discharge, swelling, pain, irritation and blurred vision (scoring the frequency and the degree of the symptoms using a numeric scale 0 to 4) along with objective outcome assessments at 6 months after tube removal.
Results :
One hundred twenty four cases out of 128 subjects achieved surgical success (96.9%), and 110 cases out of surgically success 124 cases retained patent after tube removal during the observational periods (88.7%). The mean value for the total GBI score was +38.1, the general subscale score was +43.9, the social subscale score was +27.7, and the physical health score was +24.0. The all 6 ocular specific symptom scores improved significantly postoperatively. When the subjects were divided into 2 groups; Group 1 (presaccal obstruction group), and Group 2 (postsaccal obstruction group), only the postoperative scores of tearing improved (P<0.0001) in Group 1, while the postoperative scores of tearing, discharge, swelling, pain, and blurred vision improved (P<0.0001, P<0.0001, P=0.0002, P=0.0010, P<0.0001, respectively) in Group 2.
Conclusions :
The high surgical success rates and improved GBI scores and ocular symptoms scores indicate that NDI guided by dacryoendoscope may be one of the options of treatment other than DCR for lacrimal passage obstruction.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.