XXXX with nasolacrimal stents: results of long-term follow-up in a multicenter prospective study.

@entity1 @entity1415 @entity4 @entity9467 @entity1410 @entity158 @entity10 @entity2636 @entity4578
PURPOSE: To evaluate in a prospective, multicenter setting the long-term effectiveness of @entity2636 stents in the percutaneous management of @entity9467 . MATERIALS AND METHODS: @entity1 (n = 426; age range, 19-88 years, mean, 48; 91 @entity1 , 335 @entity1 ) with severe @entity9467 had stents (470 eyes/496 stents) inserted to treat unilateral or bilateral and complete or partial obstruction of the nasolacrimal system. The etiology of the obstruction was idiopathic in 280 cases (59.5%) and @entity4578 in 190 (40.4%). The stent set designed by Song was used in all @entity1 , and the original technique was slightly modified by us and conducted on an outpatient basis. RESULTS: The initial technical success rate of stent placement was 95%. The average time of the procedure was 6 minutes (range, 3-70). @entity9467 was complete in 452 eyes and partial in 18. On follow-up (mean, 24 months; range, 1 week to 67 months), 340 of 496 stents remained patent (68.5%). Segregating primary patency by year of follow-up, the rates were 75.6%, 68.4%, 64.8%, 60.1%, and 59.2% in the first, second, third, fourth, and the current (67 months) years, respectively. Minor complications such as moderate @entity158 (21 cases), @entity1415 (75 cases), palpebral @entity4 and @entity1410 (31 cases), and @entity10 (four cases) and two acute @entity4578 events were recorded. Of the 156 obstructed stents, 114 were withdrawn, and 49 of these @entity1 remained asymptomatic for a mean of 27 months (secondary patency, 31.4%). After stent removal, the sac configuration was unchanged in 93 (81.5%), contracted in 11 (9.6%), and widened in 10 (8.8%) cases. CONCLUSIONS: The procedure is simple and safe, both in stent insertion and in withdrawal when occluded. The success rate was >75% in the short term and >55% in the long term. Although not totally without concerns, the technique is attractive for most @entity1 who prefer not to undergo surgery or are unsuitable surgical candidates. Stent failure does not preclude subsequent treatment options and is an excellent first-line treatment of @entity9467 .
