Is Stenting Really Necessary in Primary Endonasal DCR—Our Experience

To Know the relevance of silicone intubation in Endoscopic DCR. A prospective randomized controlled trial study was conducted in the Department of ENT at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial Central Railway Hospital, Byculla, Mumbai. Duration of study was from March 2015 to November 2018. 100 patients in the age group ranging from 20 to 70 years, with acquired Nasolacrimal duct obstruction with epiphora and recurrent dacryocystitis were evaluated and managed. These patients were randomized into two groups based on using table of random numbers into two Group A: DCR without stent (n = 50) and Group B: DCR with stent (n = 50). Every patient was subjected to detailed history and examination. The overall success rate in our study with silicone stent was 92% and without stent was 88%. There was no statistically significant (p > 0.05) difference between the two groups. According to our experience silicone stent is really not needed in Endoscopic DCR and if at all used it should be used up to 7 days to prevent restenosis and to prevent mucosal flaps to cover stoma again. Use of silicone stent should be restricted to following cases like post traumatic, revision, fibrosed small contracted sac and suspected canalicular block cases.