Bony nasolacrimal duct size and outcomes of nasolacrimal silicone intubation for incomplete primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between the bony nasolacrimal duct (NLD) size and outcomes of nasolacrimal silicone intubation for incomplete primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO). METHODS: Patients who underwent silicone intubation for incomplete PANDO and had undergone facial computed tomography (CT) were included. Surgical success was judged by both epiphora improvement and normalized tear meniscus height (TMH; < 300 μm) on anterior segment optical coherence tomography at 3 months after tube removal. The area, major axis diameter, and minor axis diameter of the elliptic bony NLD sections were measured in 1.0 mm-thick axial CT images. These bony NLD sizes were analyzed for associations with surgical success and TMH normalization. RESULTS: Eighty-one eyes of 48 patients were investigated. The smallest area and the smallest minor axis diameter were significantly larger in the success group (49 eyes), compared with those in the failure group (median smallest minor axis diameter: 4.7 mm vs. 3.8 mm, P = 0.008, Mann–Whitney U test). There was also a tendency for the TMH normalization rate to significantly increase as the smallest area and the smallest minor axis diameter increased (P = 0.028 and 0.037, respectively, Fisher’s 2 × 4 tests). Under multivariable logistic regression analysis using generalized estimating equation, a larger smallest minor axis diameter was associated with success of the nasolacrimal silicone intubation (odds ratio: 2.481, 95% confidence interval: 1.143–5.384). CONCLUSION: Surgical success of the nasolacrimal silicone intubation in incomplete PANDO is associated with a larger smallest minor axis diameter of the bony NLD. This finding will help understand the pathophysiology of surgical failure after nasolacrimal silicone intubation.