Nasal catheter use in dacryocystorhinostomy.

A modification of the standard dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) techniques using a self-retaining nasolacrimal catheter to act as a stent to improve the success rate of nasal ostium patency is described. A series of 21 DCRs performed on 19 patients is presented that includes eight procedures on previously failed DCRs, nine procedures on primary idiopathic obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct, and four procedures where trauma was the etiology. This technique has had no failures except for two procedures that failed because the catheter was too short. This prospective study over 3 years using this technique has resulted in no other cases of closure of the nasal ostium.