The survival of an angled extended Jones' tube.

AIM

To analyse the long-term outcome of lacrimal bypass surgery with an angled extended Jones' tube.

DESIGN

Retrospective, non-comparative, non-interventional case series.

METHODS

Seventy-one patients who underwent transcaruncular insertion of an angled extended Jones' tube between 1995 and 2005 were followed up over a median period of 8.7 years (range 11 days-17 years).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Patency and anatomic position of the tube, type and time lapse of the complications and subjective relief of epiphora.

RESULTS

Overall, complications occurred in 39% of the tubes (35/90) at a median of 25 days (range 3 days-6 years) after the insertion. The major complications, that is, tube displacement or obstruction, were observed in 31% (28/90), with an incidence rate of 8% per year. The minor complications, that is, conjunctival overgrowth or granuloma at the lateral end, were encountered in 8% (seven of 90). The 10-year tube survival rate was 60%, with complete relief of epiphora in 88% of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The long-term outcome with the angled extended Jones' tube inserted transcaruncularly remains relatively good, with most of the complications occurring in the early postoperative period.