AIM:To evaluate the efficacy and characteristics of silicone tube double-passage annular lacrimal intubation and epidural catheter for repairing the traumatic lacrimal rupture.

METHODS:Retrospective case study. Sixty-two cases(62 eyes)with traumatic lacrimal rupture were involved in the study from January 2009 to December 2013. Thirty-two cases(32 eyes)were treated with silicone tube double-passage annular lacrimal intubation, 30 cases(30 eyes)with epidural catheter. All cases were underwent anastomosis surgery successfully after having searched for the broken ends of canaliculus by operation microscope. The operation time, postoperative reaction, efficacy, complications and so on were retrospectively analyzed between two methods.

RESULTS:The operation time of silicone tube double-passage annular lacrimal intubation group was 55～120(85.17±15.05)min and epidural catheter group was 30～70(49.83±10.71)min. Four cases(12.5%)in silicone tube double-passage annular lacrimal intubation group happened postoperative anastomotic inflammation in 1wk and 24 cases(80%)happened in epidural catheter group. Thirty-one cases(97%)in silicone tube double-passage annular lacrimal intubation group and 26 case(87%)in epidural catheter group were anastomosed successfully 1wk after the stents was removed. At 6mo after surgeries, in silicone tube double-passage annular lacrimal intubation group, 2 cases(6%)were accompanied by lower eyelid ectropion and 1 case(3%)were accompanied by lacrimal puncta laceration. And in epidural catheter group, 10 cases(33%)were accompanied by lower eyelid ectropion and 5 case(17%)were accompanied by lacrimal puncta laceration.

CONCLUSION:A good result can be obtained by using the silicone tube double-passage annular lacrimal intubation and epidural catheter for repairing the traumatic lacrimal rupture. But in silicone tube double-passage annular lacrimal intubation group, postoperative reaction is lighter and complications can be less. In epidural catheter group, postoperative reaction is heavy and complications are more.