Nasolacrimal polyurethane stent: Complications with CT correlation

Abstract

Treatment of epiphora with polyurethane stents is a technique that is well tolerated by patients and achieves a high success rate, yet problems in placement may be encountered. Though no major consequences for patients are involved, cognizance of such difficulties is important to avoid incorrect positioning of stents.

Dacryocystostenting: technical and long-term results

“…Le complicanze immediate (14%), tutte comunque lievi, sono state: epistassi modesta, edema palpebrale, creazione di falsa strada sottomucosa, sensazione di corpo estraneo [24].…”

“…All patients received moderate sedation, local conjunctivalcorneal anaesthesia (4% Lidocaine eye drops) and local anaesthesia of the nasal mucosa (swabs with 3% Xylocaine and diluted Adrenalin 1:1000). The immediate complications (14%), all of which were minor, included moderate epistaxis, eye-lid oedema, creation of false submucosa pathway and feeling of a foreign body [24].…”

The role of interventional radiology in the treatment of epiphora

“…Like dacryocystoplasty, stent placement is a procedure that can be performed simply under local anesthesia during the day hospital recovery, involving a prophylactic one week therapy with topical corticosteroids and antibiotics (43). However, in this case the risk of complications is mildly increased compared to balloon dilatation, as possible side effects include also foreign body sensation, headache, stent mal-positioning or migration and acute dacryocystitis (40,43).…”

“…However, it should be considered that even when the stent occlusion occurs, this affects, but does not preclude a further surgical intervention (6). Furthermore, stent removal is a well-tolerable procedure, that can be provided either with fluoroscopic, endoscopic or surgical approach (43,53).…”

Polyurethane stents for lacrimal duct stenoses: 5-year results

“…Polyurethane stents were introduced in 1995 by Song [22][23][24][25]. The technical success rate of stent implantation into the lacrimal sac was reported to be very high (90-100%) [6,10,19,20]. The success rates regarding reduction of epiphora were initially relatively high, but decreased markedly with time.…”