Effectiveness of an Auto-stable Bicanaliculus Intubation Stent in the Management of Acquired Punctal Stenosis

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of an autostable bicanaliculus Intubation stent in the management of acquired punctal stenosis in adults.
Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried at the Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology (AFIO), Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from April 2022 to November 2022.
Materials and Methods: This Quasi-experimental study is being conducted from April 2022 to November 2022 after approval from the hospital ethical review committee. A sum of 16 subjects were included in this study, of which 11 were females, and 4 were males, while one patient did not fulfill the follow-up criteria of our study, so was not included. In adult patients with proximal punctual stenosis, bicanalicular auto-stable self-retaining stents were implanted after performing probing sac syringing. Follow-up was done up to 06 months, and anatomical and functional success was determined with the help of munk score system of epiphora, which states 0 means no epiphora and 5 means constant epiphora.
Results: Out of 15 subjects, 11 (73.3%) were females, and 4 (26.7%)) were males, who underwent bicanalicular stents.  In 14 (93.3%) subjects, anatomical and functional success was noticed, while in one (6.7%) patient, extrusion of the tube occurred.
Conclusion: The treatment of proximal punctual stenosis in adults can be easily done with the help of bicanalicular auto-stable self-retaining stents which not only improve the anatomical success rate but also improves the functioning of the puncti.