Intubation of the lacrimal pathways under endoscopic control.

Described herein is a new modification of the lacrimal pathway intubation in children with efferent lacrimal pathway obstruction. For removal of the intubation set probe without olive tips from the inferior nasal meatus, a special titanium loop is used. An endoscopic technique allows us a basically more considerate performance of this procedure and to speed it up. The risk of iatrogenic damage to the mucous membrane of the inferior meatus is, thus, reduced too. From April 1994 to June 1998, lacrimal pathway intubation was performed in 235 children 283 times. Infraction of the inferior concha was performed 27 times. Insertion of a probe submucously into the inferior nasal meatus was found 35 times and the probe was released by focused incision of the mucous membrane. Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.