Clinical Significance of Microbial Growth on the Surfaces of Silicone Tubes Removed From Dacryocystorhinostomy Patients

Study of microbial growth on silicone tubes after transcanalicular laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy and correlation with patency

“…Although, silicone tubes are considered to be relatively inert materials, a prolonged duration of the tube placement may lead to inflammation and formation of granulation tissue (Allen et al, 1989). In the study by Kim et al (2012), 8 patients (20.5%) showed inflammatory reaction around the tube at the time of extubation, vis a vis 2 (10%) of ours. This could be due to the regular lacrimal syringing performed by us in our intubated patients, in order to dislodge any collection of inflammatory material around the tube.…”

“…In a recent prospective interventional case series (Ali et al, 2013), culture of silicone stents retrieved from patients of external or endoscopic DCR, at 3 months post-operatively, revealed positive cultures in 94% patients, with 88% showing positive bacterial cultures and 60% fungal cultures. Another retrospective observational case series (Kim et al, 2012), where 39 tubes removed from external and endoscopic DCR patients were cultured, positive culture was obtained in 94.9% cases. A total of 52 isolates Goel R et al Microbial growth on stents in laser-DCR Nepal J Ophthalmol 2016;8(16): 119-127 were identified: 73.1% gram positive bacteria, 23.1% gram negative bacteria and 3.8% fungi.…”

“…This has led to considerable research on the organisms associated with dacryocystitis (Bharathi et al, 2008). For instance, two recent studies have reported the microbiological spectrum of organisms on extubated silicone tubes and correlated the same with the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes (Kim et al, 2012;Kamal et al, 2012;Ali et al, 2013). However their samples included both external and endoscopic DCR patients, and primary as well as secondary nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) or revision surgeries (Kim et al, 2012;Kamal et al, 2012;Ali et al, 2013).…”

“…For instance, two recent studies have reported the microbiological spectrum of organisms on extubated silicone tubes and correlated the same with the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes (Kim et al, 2012;Kamal et al, 2012;Ali et al, 2013). However their samples included both external and endoscopic DCR patients, and primary as well as secondary nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) or revision surgeries (Kim et al, 2012;Kamal et al, 2012;Ali et al, 2013). Also one of them was a retrospective study, with variable duration of intubation, wherein the pre-tube removal findings were based on patient records (Kim et al, 2012), while the second one was a prospective study (Ali et al, 2013).…”

“…However their samples included both external and endoscopic DCR patients, and primary as well as secondary nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) or revision surgeries (Kim et al, 2012;Kamal et al, 2012;Ali et al, 2013). Also one of them was a retrospective study, with variable duration of intubation, wherein the pre-tube removal findings were based on patient records (Kim et al, 2012), while the second one was a prospective study (Ali et al, 2013).…”