Abstract:  Objective To evaluate the results and complications of silicone tube intubation for children presenting with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction in relation to the timing of tube removal. Design Retrospective case series study. Participants 192 patients (215 eyes) with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction from Beijing Children’s Hospital, whose age ranged from 6 months to 7 years (average 18 months), underwent silicone intubation with the Ritleng lacrimal intubation system. Methods The patients ’ records were reviewed regarding type of obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct, procedure details, timing of tubal removal, and Complications. Main Outcome Measure The success rate in relation to duration of silicone intubation. Results The overall success rate was 91.6%. There was no difference in the success rate between cases of tube removal within (95.6%) and after 2 months (97.2%) in children with simple obstruction of nasolacrimal duct, whereas in complex obstruction group, children whose tube removed after 2 months showed a higher success rate (89.3%) than children whose tube removed within 2 months(55.6%). Conclusion Removal of the silicone tube at 2 months is less likely to affect the final result in children with simple nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Removal of the tube after 2 months is recommended for children with complex obstruction. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2014, 23: 339-342)

Key words: congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction/surgery, silicone intubation