Figure-of-Eight Vertical Mattre uture Technique for Anterior Flap upenion to Overlying Tiue in External Dacryocytorhinotomy Original Reearch Article

Purpoe To decribe figure-of-eight vertical mattre uture technique in external dacryocytorhinotomy for a combined one-tep cloure of anterior mucoal flap and overlying wound tiue and to evaluate it effectivene on urgical outcome. Deign A propective, ingle urgeon, uncontrolled, interventional cae erie. Method A total of 112 conecutive lacrimal drainage ytem of 106 patient (84 women, 22 men; 100 unilateral, ix bilateral) from June 2002 to January 2006 with acquired naolacrimal duct obtruction without canalicular dieae underwent external dacryocytorhinotomy with thi modified technique. Relief of epiphora and anatomic patency were defined a ucce. Operative time and ucce rate were evaluated and advantage were treed and compared with our previou report. Reult Mean age wa 40.1 year (range, 6 to 75). The etiology wa idiopathic in 109 patient and traumatic in three cae. Of 112 lacrimal drainage ytem, epiphora wa the preenting ymptom in 88, combined epiphora and recurrent dacryocytiti in 15, and combined epiphora and mucocele in nine cae. even lacrimal drainage ytem were reviion cae. Mean follow-up wa 26.3 month (range, 6 to 48). ucce rate wa 99.1% (111/112) and mean operative time wa 38.2 minute (range, 28 to 69). Concluion uch a modified uture technique reveal a rapid and imultaneou one-tep cloure of two different layer that peed up urgical procedure; implifie cloure proce a the knot are tied completely outide the wound, avoiding the diadvantage of uture tying in a mall and deep area; eliminate the dead pace between anterior flap and overlying wound tiue; keep anterior mucoal flap complex away from poterior flap that prevent collape back onto the anatomoi and decreae the poibility of mucoal adheion and, therefore, fibrotic band formation with underlying tiue that may alo be ueful in cae with mall ac or oeou opening and in reviion cae where carring i a large concern.