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Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of dacryoendoscopic-assisted laser dacryoplasty with silicone intubation (DLDI) for the management of nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) or stenosis, and to identify the factors associated with DLDI failure., Methods and Analysis: This study was designed as a prospective, single-centre cohort study. Patients with NLDO or stenosis who underwent DLDI from December 2019 to December 2021 at Tianjin Eye Hospital were considered for enrolment. The Kaplan-Meier estimator was used to assess the anatomical and functional success rate of DLDI within 2 years follow-up after removal of the silicone stent. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to identify risk factors for treatment failure., Results: 170, 174 and 178 eyes were included in Groups A (proximal NLDO), B (distal NLDO) and C (nasolacrimal duct stenosis), respectively. The overall anatomical success rate was 84.8% for the entire cohort at the 2-year follow-up. The cumulative anatomical or functional success rate for Groups B and C was significantly higher than that for Group A. In the multivariable model, a higher risk of failed DLDI surgery was associated with a history of chronic dacryocystitis (HR=3.07; p<0.001) and a longer duration of epiphora than 1 year (HR=2.67; p<0.001). Of the 522 eyes, 37 patients (7.1%) had surgery-related complications., Conclusions: DLDI is an effective minimally invasive technique for treatment in patients with distal NLDO or stenosis. Factors associated with a higher risk of reoperation include a longer duration of epiphora and a history of chronic dacryocystitis., Trial Registration Number: NCT05999058., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Purpose: To examine the effect of age at time of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) intervention on symptom resolution and reoperation rates in patients with Down syndrome (DS)., Methods: The medical records of patients with DS and CNLDO between 2012 and 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. Age at the time of first stent placement was utilized to categorize patients into age groups <3 and >3 years of age. Epiphora resolution at last office visit and restenting rate were used as outcome measures., Results: A total of 49 patients with DS and CLNDO were identified between 2012 and 2021; of these, 17 had received surgical stent placement with appropriate follow-up. Epiphora resolution (X 2 1 = 0.78, P = 0.33), restenting rate (X 2 1 = 2.84, P = 0.09), cumulative stent duration (P = 0.33) and number of stent placement operations (P = 0.98) were not significantly different between the age groups. There was no significant difference between stent duration <1 year or >1 year with regard to epiphora resolution (X 2 1 = 0.91, P = 0.34)., Conclusions: Success of stent placement and reoperation rates among patients with DS and CNLDO were not associated with age and duration of stent intubation. Intervention at later ages may still be beneficial for symptom resolution in patients with DS., (Copyright © 2024 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: To establish whether bicanalicular silicone tube intubation is required during endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (En-DCR) for treating chronic dacryocystitis with a small lacrimal sac., Methods: In total, this study enrolled 264 patients diagnosed with unilateral chronic dacryocystitis with small lacrimal sacs via computed tomography-dacryocystography that underwent En-DCR from March 2016-September 2020. Patients were randomized into two treatment groups, with those in group A undergoing tubes intubation and those in group B not undergoing this procedure. The tubes were removed 3 months post-operation in group A. Surgical outcomes and related complication rates were then compared., Results: This study included 242 patients, including124 and 118 in groups A and B, respectively. At the three-month follow-up time point, 12.90% of patients in group A exhibited ostial granulation tissue, with this frequency with no differences observed in group B (11.86%). At 6 months post-surgery, 80.65% of patients in group A and 72.88% of patients in group B exhibited successful surgical outcomes, with no significant differences between groups. At 9 months postoperatively, the overall effective success rate was 60.74%, and the success rate was significantlyhigher in group A relative to group B (group A: 75.81%; group B: 44.92%). There were no failed patient outcomes observed as of the 12-month follow-up time point., Conclusions: While En-DCR-based treatment of chronic dacryocystitis in those with smalllacrimal sacs did not yield satisfactory outcomes with respect to the overall effective success rate, these results suggest that intraoperative intubation may improve success rates in long-term follow-up.

Purpose: A fresh-frozen human cadaveric feasibility study to investigate the feasibility of probing and stenting the nasolacrimal ducts (NLDs) of human cadavers with a novel flexible bicanalicular nasolacrimal stent., Methods: A custom-designed bicanalicular nasolacrimal stent was made by connecting a 250 mm long, 0.9 mm diameter silicone tube to a 200 mm long stainless-steel, snake-chain probe at each end. The punctum was dilated, and the snake-chain stent fed into the nasolacrimal drainage system. The emergence of the stents from the terminal end of the NLD and retrieval with a ball probe was conducted under endoscopic guidance., Results: Bicanalicular nasolacrimal stenting with intranasal retrieval under endoscopic guidance was successfully achieved in six NLDs of three adult cadaveric nasolacrimal drainage systems., Conclusion: Despite being soft and flexible, the snake-chain silicon stent passes smoothly and freely through cadaveric human NLD and is easily retrieved from the nasal cavity. This novel NLD stent design may make stenting of the NLD easier and less traumatic., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Middle East African Journal of Ophthalmology.)

To compare the success rates of probing with or without monocanalicular intubation, and/or inferior turbinate fracture in resolving simple congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO). A randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted on children aged 12-36 months exhibiting symptoms of epiphora and/or mucous discharge along with a positive fluorescein dye disappearance test (DDT). Patients were randomly assigned to one of the following interventions: (1) probing; (2) probing and monocanalicular intubation; (3) probing and inferior turbinate fracture; (4) probing, inferior turbinate fracture, and monocanalicular intubation. Participants were categorized into two age groups (12-24 months and 24-36 months) and assessed for resolution of CNLDO three months post-surgery. Success was defined as the absence of epiphora or mucopurulent discharge and a negative DDT. Among the 201 participants, 51 underwent probing alone, 53 underwent probing with intubation, 47 underwent probing with turbinate fracture, and 50 underwent probing with turbinate fracture and intubation. No significant differences were observed in age, gender, or laterality of the disease between the groups (Ps > 0.05). While there was no significant difference in success rates among interventions in both age groups (Ps > 0.05), patients aged 24-36 months who underwent interventions involving intubation exhibited a significantly higher success rate compared to those without intubation (93.0% vs. 76.2%; P = 0.018). However, this difference was not observed in patients aged 12-24 months (95.7% vs. 92.9%; P = 0.551). Incorporating interventions such as intubation and/or turbinate fracture alongside conventional probing does not significantly alter the success rate of simple CNLDO resolution in children aged 12-24 months. However, older patients (24-36 months) may derive greater benefits from interventions involving intubation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term functional outcomes of canalicular laceration repair using the Masterka® monocanalicular intubation system., Methods: this interventional case series included the data from 30 patients who underwent canalicular laceration repair with a 30-mm pushed monocanalicular stent (Masterka®) and suturing of the lacerated canaliculus with 8/0 Vicryl interrupted sutures. Operative details and complications were meticulously noted. Stent removal took place as early as 3 months post-surgery, with functional success defined as the absence of epiphora four years after surgery., Results: The average age of patients was 28.5±26.3 years, with 20 out of 30 patients (66.6%) being male. Lower canaliculus involvement was noted in 23 patients (76.6%), while the upper canaliculus was affected in 7 patients (23.4%). On average, patients presented for medical attention within approximately one day of sustaining with injuries, and all underwent successful repairs. Notably, functional success was observed in all 30 cases, constituting a 100% success rate. Stent-related complications were encountered in two patients (6.6%). One patient reported stent removal after an average follow-up period of one month, while the other developed a punctal granuloma one-month post-surgery, which regressed following one month of topical steroid treatment., Conclusion: Repairing canalicular lacerations using the self-retaining Masterka® monocanalicular intubation system demonstrated a notable achievement in long-term functional success while presenting minimal complications. To further substantiate these promising results, an interventional study that includes a comparison analysis with other types of intubation methods is warranted., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To assess and compare the success rate (SR) of probing and intubation in patients with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO)., Methods: We conducted a literature search for identifying relevant studies published in English using PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from the date of inception to Feb 2023. After extracting data, the SR was compared between the study groups: simple and complex CNLDO. To compare the treatment outcome, the mean difference of the SR was considered as the effect size. Random effects model or fixed effects model were performed for statistical inferences., Results: A total of 21 studies were eligible to be analyzed. The pooled SR of treatment was 88% in simple, and 57% in complex CNLDO. Exerting intubation in increased the SR from 87% (SR of probing) to 92% in simple CNLDO which was not significant. However, compared to probing, intubation has a significantly higher SR in complex CNLDO (46 to 82%). While the SR of probing was significantly lower in complex CNLDO, the difference between the SR of intubation was not significant between groups. Although increasing the age does not have an adverse effect on the SR in simple CNDLO, it causes a significant decrease in the SR of complex group., Conclusion: This study revealed that even though the addition of NLD intubation does not provide significant benefits beyond probing alone for patients with simple CNLDO, in children with complex CNLDO, NLD intubation should be considered as a primary treatment due to its substantial increase in surgical success rates. Delaying the treatment would increase its success in patients with complex but not the simple CNLDO., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: This prospective clinical study evaluates the effect of a silicone stent tube (SST) on the success rate of endonasal-endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (EN-DCR) to treat primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction., Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to receive EN-DCR with or without SST intubation over a period of 3 months. The surgery was performed using standardized techniques. Patients were assessed at three different timepoints: one day, 12 weeks and 24 weeks after the surgery. The results were compared in order to evaluate statistical differences. Surgical success was determined by means of positive irrigation procedures, as well as by the improvement of symptoms and a high level of patient satisfaction., Results: A total of 56 randomized cases completed 24 weeks of follow up. 1 Patient dropped out due to malignant genesis of the nasolacrimal duct obstruction. After 24 weeks of follow up no statistically significant differences in levels of epiphora (p > .10) or patency (p > .16) were revealed. Comparisons regarding changes in time did not show levels of significance (p > .28)., Conclusions: This study could not confirm a statistically significant benefit or disadvantage for SST Insertion in EN-DCR., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The pigtail was used to create an opening at the lower punctal site in grade 0 stenosis with insertion of self-retaining tube and Mitomycin C (MMC)., Methods: The patients with acquired lower punctal stenosis (grade 0) were divided randomly into equal groups, Group A: were treated with pigtail and MMC 0.02% and Group B: were treated with pigtail alone. The pigtail was inserted through the upper punctum until its tip reached the occluded punctum, this site was incised with a scalpel (No. 11). A self-retaining bicanalicular tube was then placed., Results: Results of 36 eyes from 26 patients were included. No differences were observed between both groups regarding epiphora score, FDD test and punctal size preoperatively. The postoperative epiphora score, there were significant differences at 1 month (P = 0.035), 3 months (P = 0.005), and 6 months after removal (P < 0.001). The FDD test, there were significant differences at 6 months (P = 0.045), 1 month (P = 0.021), 3 months (P = 0.012), and 6 months post tube removal (P = 0.005). The punctal size, both groups differed at 1 month (P = 0.045), 3 months (P = 0.03), and 6 months post tube removal (P = 0.005). Only one case (5.5%) at each group showed extrusion of the tube., Conclusion: The pigtail probe, bicanalicular stent and MMC can be an effective method in treatment of severe punctal stenosis., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: A common complication of bicanalicular intubation is dislocation of the silicone tube., Methods: Eleven patients with prolapsed silicone tubes who had undergone bicanalicular nasal intubation were injected with a 2 per cent lidocaine solution to infiltrate the lacrimal duct mucosa. A memory wire probe was used to pull a 4-0 suture through the lacrimal passage retrogradely, allowing the suture to grab the silicone tube. Paraffin oil was applied to the contact part of the rope and the silicone tube, then the distal end of the silk thread was removed from the nostril until the tube was pulled into place., Results: The prolapsed silicone tubes were restored by surgery in nine patients, with the drainage tube in the correct position in the eye and the lacrimal duct irrigation unobstructed., Conclusion: The optimisations made in this study are considered effective adjustments of reduction surgery for a prolapsed silicone tube.

Purpose: To evaluate the results of using a pigtail probe to open the inferior punctum followed by bicanalicular silicone tube intubation in patients with severe acquired punctal stenosis., Methods: Forty-one eyes of 25 patients with severe inferior punctal stenosis admitted to our tertiary care center were included in the study. The degree of epiphora was determined using the Munk score and the fluorescein disappearance test. The inferior punctum was located and opened by entering the superior punctum with a pigtail probe. Then, bicanalicular silicone tube intubation was performed. The silicone tube was removed after six months. A Munk score of 0 or 1 and a fluorescein disappearance test score of 1 and 2 were considered a complete success., Results: Ten (40%) patients were male, and 15 (60%) were female. The mean age was 60.4±15.5years. One year after the surgery, epiphora was absent in 18 eyes (43.9%) (Munk score grade 0) and rarely seen in 9 eyes (22%) (Munk score grade 1). At the one-year follow-up, the fluorescein disappearance test score was stage 1 (<3min) in 21 eyes (51.2%) and stage 2 (3-5min) in 13 eyes (31.7%). There was a statistically significant difference between the preoperative and one-year postoperative test results (P<0.001)., Conclusion: In cases with severe punctal stenosis, a pigtail probe is an effective method for locating and opening the punctum, and punctal opening and prevention of restenosis were achieved by a bicanalicular stent., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Mental practice is an effective method for skill acquisition in medicine. We describe the integration of interview-derived sensory cues with a list of procedural steps into a cohesive script to facilitate mental practice for a High Acuity, Low-Occurrence procedure, the bougie-assisted cricothyrotomy. Data collection occurred through interviews with emergency physicians. Interview transcripts were analyzed on a coding framework based on a previously published list of procedural steps. These cues were integrated with procedural steps to create a narrative script. Eight interview transcripts were analyzed. A total of 328 cues were identified. On average, each participant identified 13.7 cues per procedure. This represents the first attempt to combine cues identified by practitioners along with procedural steps with the aim of supporting rich mental representations of a procedure. We expect that this script will be useful to physicians seeking to improve their skills in this rare procedure., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP)/ Association Canadienne de Médecine d'Urgence (ACMU).)

Purpose: To determine the optimum angle for placement of Lester Jones lacrimal bypass tube using fixed radiological markers on CT scan head with axial and coronal cuts, as well as analysing the anatomical variation and range of angulation between individuals within our local population., Methods: A retrospective radiological study conducted on a randomly selected sample of 384 adult patients in a UK Teaching Hospital. The angle between the medial canthus and the middle turbinate was measured on CT scans of the head using fixed radiological anatomical landmarks and analysed using the IMPAX software. Patients with orbital or nasal fractures, as well as those with history of surgical procedures involving the facial bones, were excluded. The accuracy of our measurements was validated using three dimensional (3D) CT head reconstruction technology., Results: Analysis of the results showed a range of angulation between 28-45 degrees, with a mean angle of 36.99 ± 4.78 SD. There was no significant correlation found when comparing the different age groups using the One Way ANOVA test. Furthermore, a non-significant correlation was found between males and females when their mean angles were compared using the independent t-test., Conclusion: Our study showed that the ideal angle for insertion of Lester Jones tube would be between 30-45 degrees, with a mean of 37 degrees. No significant correlation was found between the age of the patient and the ideal angle of insertion of Lester Jones tube. Moreover, no significant difference was found in the angle measurements between males and females., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Khedr et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Purpose: To define and compare the effectiveness of external dacryocystorhinostomy (EX-DCR), endonasal (EN-DCR), and transcanalicular laser-assisted (TL-DCR) with or without silicone stent (S) intubation., Methods: Studies were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and WoS. Frequentist and Bayesian network meta-analyses were performed and pooled estimations were expressed as risk ratio (RR). We included all original investigations of prospective, randomized controlled trials comparing success rate for any two of the following six surgical procedures: standard EX-DCR with or without S, cold EN-DCR with or without S, and TL-DCR with or without S. The primary outcome measure was the objective success rate., Results: Thirty-two studies with 3277 cases were included in the final quantitative analysis. TL-DCR with S was inferior to EN-DCR with S (RR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.05-1.37), EX-DCR with S (RR: 1.17 95% CI: 1.05-1.29), EN-DCR without S (RR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.03-1.35), and EX-DCR without S (RR: 1.15; 95%CI: 1.05-1.26) in frequentist statistics. No other statistical difference was found between other surgeries. When we excluded studies with additional interventions (nasal and revision surgery) for sensitivity analysis, 23 studies with 2468 cases were included to analysis. The success rates of TL-DCR with S and EN-DCR without S became similar (RR: 1.14 95% CI: 0.99-1.30) but there was no change in other outcomes. Similar results were found in Bayesian statistics. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve was higher for EN-DCR with S (0.75), whereas it was higher for EX-DCR with S (0.56) after sensitivity analysis., Conclusion: Between endoscopic and external and transcanalicular laser without S procedures, there is no statistical difference. The rank probability showed that EN-DCR with S was a more appropriate surgical option when patients with nasal disease were included, whereas EX-DCR with S was a more appropriate surgical option when patients with nasal disease were excluded from the analysis., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Nocardia species are aerobic, rod-shaped, Gram-positive bacteria that are ubiquitous throughout the environment. Nocardia nova has been reported as the second most prevalent Nocardia species. However, reports of ocular and periocular infection caused by this organism are rare. The authors present a case of a 58-year-old woman with a medical history of acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction of the left eye who underwent a revision dacryocystorhinostomy with silicone stent intubation and developed a surgical site infection that was culture-positive for N. nova . Treatment consisted of removal of the silicone stent and a prolonged course of oral antibiotics, resulting in the patient's full recovery. This is the second reported case of postoperative periocular N. nova infection after dacryocystorhinostomy and silicone stent intubation., Competing Interests: The authors have no financial or conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 The American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Inc.)

Purpose: This study introduces a method for Crawford bicanalicular stent placement for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction by looping the ends to themselves which are tied together with dissolvable sutures to ease in-office removal., Methods: This is a single institution, retrospective study that evaluates outcomes of patients aged 5 years and under who underwent bicanalicular stenting for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction by a single surgeon (G.S.E.) between 2004 and 2020. Only primary surgeries were included in the analysis. Stenting could be accompanied by balloon dilatation and/or turbinate infracture. Age, sex, follow-up time, complications, type of intervention, extrusion, recurrence, and operative room removal were recorded., Results: This study included 56 eyes from 54 patients with a mean age of 19.0 ± 9.5 months (range, 8-50 months). There was a 30.3% extrusion rate, a 5.4% rate of recurrence of disease, and a 3.6% rate of operative room removal. The average follow-up time was 25.1 ± 39.8 months (range, 1-132 months). For patients with or without extrusion, there were no significant differences between age, sex, laterality, type of intervention, follow-up time, or rate of recurrence. Each eye that had recurrence (3 total) or needed operative room removal (2 total) underwent only bicanalicular stenting without accompanying procedures, although the difference in rates between procedures was also not statistically significant., Conclusions: This method had a low recurrence and operative room removal rate, with similar extrusion and complication rates to other bicanalicular stent and intubation methods for the treatment of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction., Competing Interests: The authors have no financial or conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 The American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Inc.)

Purpose: To determine the incidence of tympanostomy tube (T-tube) insertion in children who required probing and intubation for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) at a single academic institution and to analyze success rates., Methods: The medical records of 92 patients who underwent nasolacrimal probing and intubation for CNLDO over a 9-year period were reviewed retrospectively. A preoperative questionnaire was given to the patient's guardian concerning laterality of CNLDO, history of otitis media (OM) antibiotic therapy, history of T-tube placement and number placed. At least 12 months following the initial nasolacrimal duct P&I, a second questionnaire was administered regarding resolution of CNLDO symptoms, additional measures taken to relieve postoperative symptoms if present, and any further history regarding OM episodes or T-tube insertion., Results: Of the 92 children with CNLDO, 37 (40%) required T-tubes either prior to or following nasolacrimal duct probing and intubation, a rate higher than in the general population (P < 0.00001). 21 (56%) of CNLDO probing and intubation patients who required T-tubes required at least two sets, at different times, to relieve OM symptoms. Six of 37 patients (16%) with a history of T-tube placement and 1 of 55 (2%) with no history of T-tube placement had persistent epiphora after nasolacrimal probing and intubation (relative risk, 8.92; P = 0.0388)., Conclusions: In our study cohort, pediatric patients with CNLDO who required nasolacrimal probing and intubation were at higher risk of needing T-tubes for chronic OM than the general population, and those needing T-tubes were at increased risk of residual epiphora., (Copyright © 2023 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The treatment options for canalicular obstruction remain controversial, and there are different approaches. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the success of balloon dilatation and silicon tube intubation according to the etiology in patients with canalicular obstruction., Methods: The files of 91 patients with isolated monocanalicular obstruction were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were grouped according to surgical methods (Group A: both balloon dilatation and silicon tube intubation; Group B: Only balloon dilatation) and etiologies (topical anti-glaucomatous usage-related, inflammatory, chemotherapy-related, radiotherapy-related, trauma-related, idiopathic). Preoperative and postoperative Munk scores and lacrimal irrigation results were noted in all cases., Results: Munk score was found to be statistically significantly lower in the 1st year in both groups. The patency rate with lacrimal syringing was found to be statistically significantly higher in group A. Success rates both in the munk score and lacrimal passage patency were found to be statistically significantly lower in inflammatory etiology than other etiologies., Conclusions: Both techniques can be used as first-line therapies for canalicular obstruction. It should be considered that recurrence may develop in stenosis of inflammatory origin and more invasive surgery may be required., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Purpose: To compare outcomes of mini-invasive canaliculotomy with those of conventional canaliculotomy conducted using the punctum-sparing approach for the treatment of primary canaliculitis., Methods: A prospective, comparative, and interventional case series study was conducted on 118 individuals with unilateral inferior primary canaliculitis. These patients were randomly divided into two groups, each with 59 cases. Group A underwent mini-invasive canaliculotomy (minor incision ~3 mm), whereas group B received conventional canaliculotomy (long incision ~6-8 mm). Punctum-sparing and canaliculus-reconstructing procedure was used to treat all patients. Both groups had silicone tube intubations and were retained in the lacrimal passages for one month. Both groups' surgical success rates and postoperative complications were measured at the last follow-up of 12 months after surgery., Results: A total of 108 patients were finally included in the study, 53 in group A and 55 in group B. There were 79 females and 29 males with a median age of 57 ± 13.4 years. The anatomical success rates for groups A and B were 96.2% and 92.7% (P = 0.679), respectively. Functional success rate was accomplished by considerably more patients in group A (50/53, 94.3%) compared to group B (45/55, 81.8%) (P = 0.046). No recurrences were seen during follow-up visits in any of the participants., Conclusions: The two procedures employed in this study to treat primary canaliculitis achieves excellent clinical effects with no incidence of recurrence. The mini-invasive canaliculotomy is worthy to be recommended for its higher functional success rate with mini-invasion of canaliculus and intact lacrimal punctum., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Royal College of Ophthalmologists.)

This study aimed to introduce a mini-invasive surgical approach without damaging lacrimal punctum for treating primary chronic canaliculitis (PCC). A retrospective analysis of 35 patients (35 eyes) suffering from PCC were recruited in the study. The surgery method is described briefly below: After making a conjunctival incision about 3-mm in length along the horizontal canaliculus at about 3-mm to the nasal of punctum, a curette of 2-mm diameter was used to evacuate the concretions through the incision of canaliculus. After evacuating all concretions, a silicon tube was inserted into the lacrimal duct through canaliculus to nasal cavity. With a follow-up of 12 months, all patients had resolution of symptoms of inflammation and no recurrent case was found. The anatomical success was achieved in 34 cases (97.1%). The functional success was achieved in 32 cases (91.4%). Key Words: Primary chronic canaliculitis, Mini-invasive, Silicone tube.

Background: The proper estimation of depth of the orotracheal tube (OTT) in intubated patients is difficult. Several methods have been developed for proper estimation of the depth of OTT. The purpose of this study was to compare two commonly used formulae (21/23 rule and Chula formula) for proper estimation of depth of OTT in our Pakistani population., Methods: In this randomized interventional study, we included 74 adult patients. The study was conducted in the Intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan, from October 2021 to April 2022. Patients were intubated using either the 21/23 rule (OTT was fixed at 21 cm in females and 23 cm in males from the right incisor) or the Chula formula (OTT was fixed at the right incisor according to the height based formula, {(height in cm/10)+4}). The distance between the carina and the OTT tip was measured using the digital chest x-ray with a PACS software., Results: A total of 74 patients were intubated in which 32 were intubated using 21/23 rule and 42 were intubated using the Chula formula. Four female patients in 21/23 rule group encountered unsafe distance between the carina and the tip of the OTT (i.e., <2 cm) while no such complications were reported in Chula formula group (p-value 0.031)., Conclusions: Chula formula was safe method for OTT placement in our study. Further studies with larger sample size are needed to assess the safety and efficacy of Chula formula for Pakistani Population.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical characteristics and dacryoendoscopic findings and clinical efficacy of silicone tube intubation (STI) in the patients who referred to our center due to failed with conventional STI., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 61 cases from 50 patients who underwent STI or endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy using dacryoendoscopy from January 2016 to May 2021. Clinical characteristics, tear meniscus height, lacrimal irrigation test, dacryocystographic findings, dacryoendoscopic findings and surgical outcomes were evaluated., Results: The study included 12 male and 38 female patients (mean age, 64.1 ± 13.2 years). In the preoperative lacrimal irrigation test, passage was found in 33 eyes (54.1%) and no passage in 28 eyes (45.9%). The causes of lacrimal duct obstruction were in the order of stenosis (31.1%), mucus (27.9%), membrane (24.6%), granulation (13.1%), and stone (3.3%), and the location were in the order of nasolacrimal duct (39.3%), lacrimal sac (36.1%), canaliculus (21.3%), and inferior meatus (3.3%). As for the characteristics of obstruction, the secretory type was 21 eyes (34.4%), and structural change type was 40 eyes (65.6%). The STI group consisted of 57 eyes (93.4%) and endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy consisted of four eyes (6.6%). The overall success rate was 83.9%. Clinical results were correlated with dacryoendoscopic finding (p = 0.015), but not with lacrimal irrigation test or dacryocystography. The structural change type had a higher surgical success rate than the secretory type (84.4% vs. 66.7%, p = 0.015). In particular, the structural change type showed higher success rate than the secretory type below the lacrimal sac (95.5% vs. 61.9%, p = 0.034)., Conclusions: STI using dacryoendoscopy has a higher surgical success rate than conventional STI since dacryoendoscopy provides direct visualization of nasolacrimal duct obstruction. It could be useful in increasing the surgical success rate in patients with structural changes below lacrimal sac.

Purpose: To assess the success rate and complications of Lacrijet monocanalicular stent (FCI S.A.S, Paris, France) intubation in children treated for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO)., Methods: Retrospective review study which included children with CNLDO that were intubated with Lacrijet monocanalucilar silicone tube.The Lacrijet tube remained in place for 11-15 weeks post operatively and was removed in the clinic with topical anesthesia. Operative time was recorded for each case. All children were evaluated using the following parameters preoperatively and postoperatively: tear meniscus height, Fluorescein dye disappearance test (FDDT), and MUNK score., Results: The study included 20 eyes with mean age of 26.25 ± 11.25 months. 17 eyes (85%) had undergone probing previously. Mean operation time of Lacrijet intubation was 8.5 min (95% CI 7.04-9.95). Mean follow-up period was 204.65 ± 105.27 days. Lacrijet intubation resulted in statistically significant improvements in tear meniscus height ( P  < .001), FDDT ( P  < 0.001), and MUNK score ( P  < 0.001) in all children. Two different sizes of Lacrijet intubations were used. Complete success was obtained in all cases. No complications were observed., Conclusions: Lacrijet lacrimal intubation has a high rate of success, shortens surgical time and has a low rate of complications in children with CNLDO.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of monocanalicular silicone tube intubation outcomes as an initial surgical treatment in children older than 1 year old with primary nasolacrimal obstruction., Methods: Probing or monocanalicular silicone tube intubation was performed as primary surgical treatment on 12-48 months old children with primary nasolacrimal obstruction. Probing was performed on 53 eyes of 43 patients and silicone tube intubation on 45 eyes of 39 patients. Treatment was considered successful after improvement in patient complaints, the presence of normal tear meniscus, and normal results of fluorescein disappearance time test. Retrospective treatment success was compared between two groups according to age groups., Results: Treatment success was 79.1% in the probing group and 92.3% in the silicone tube intubation group. The success of the treatment was evaluated separately in the groups of 12 to <24 months, 24 to <36 months, and 36 to <48 months, and although the success level of the silicone tube intubation group was consistently found to be higher, the difference was not statistically significant. Treatment success decreased statistically significantly in the probing group with increased age of the patients, especially after 24 months. There was no such statistically significant decrease in the silicone tube intubation group., Conclusion: The choice of monocanalicular silicone tube intubation for primary surgical treatment in children with primary nasolacrimal obstruction provides success without the need for repetitive surgical interventions, especially in children older than 24 months.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the experience with, and the feasibility of, point-of-view video recordings using eye-tracking glasses for training and reviewing neonatal interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic., Design: Observational prospective single-centre study., Setting: Neonatal intensive care unit at the Leiden University Medical Center., Participants: All local neonatal healthcare providers., Intervention: There were two groups of participants: proceduralists, who wore eye-tracking glasses during procedures, and observers who later watched the procedures as part of a video-based reflection., Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was the feasibility of, and the proceduralists and observers' experience with, the point-of-view eye-tracking videos as an additional tool for bedside teaching and video-based reflection., Results: We conducted 12 point-of-view recordings on 10 different patients (median gestational age of 30.9±3.5 weeks and weight of 1764 g) undergoing neonatal intubation (n=5), minimally invasive surfactant therapy (n=5) and umbilical line insertion (n=2). We conducted nine video-based observations with a total of 88 observers. The use of point-of-view recordings was perceived as feasible. Observers further reported the point-of-view recordings to be an educational benefit for them and a potentially instructional tool during COVID-19., Conclusion: We proved the practicability of eye-tracking glasses for point-of-view recordings of neonatal procedures and videos for observation, educational sessions and logistics considerations, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic distancing measures reducing bedside teaching opportunities., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Purpose: To assess the long-term quality of life outcomes of minimally invasive conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy with StopLoss Jones tubes., Methods: A retrospective interventional case series was performed on all patients diagnosed with proximal bicanalicular obstruction who underwent a minimally invasive conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy with StopLoss Jones tubes over a period of 5 years from October 2014 to September 2019. The procedure was performed as per standard published protocols of minimally invasive conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy and StopLoss Jones tubes. Patients were followed for a minimum of 1 year after surgery. The tools employed to study were the "Jones tube satisfaction questionnaire" and the "Nasolacrimal duct obstruction-symptom score." These tools were employed at every step from the preoperative stage to each of the follow ups. Statistical analysis was performed using the R 4.0.4 (R Project, R Foundation)., Results: A total number of 44 eyes of 42 patients were studied. Of these, 73.81% (31/42) were females. The mean age of patients was 61.81 years. Approximately 87% and 64% of the patients completed 2 and 3 years of follow up, respectively. For up to 2 months postoperative period, the outcomes were excellent, with the majority (76.74%, 33/43) reporting "moderately satisfied" outcomes on Jones tube satisfaction questionnaire. The dissatisfaction began at the 3-month follow up (4.55%, 3/44) and peaked at 6-month follow up (25%, 11/44), owing to tube-related complications. The mean ± standard deviation nasolacrimal duct obstruction-symptom score scores dipped from 19.98 ± 2.88 at baseline to 5.58 ± 2.99 at the 2-month follow up. Similar to Jones tube satisfaction questionnaire, the scores began worsening at 3-month follow up (9.8 ± 5.86) with the poorest scores at 6 months (12.34 ± 5.96), and these changes were significant as compared with the baseline (p < 0.001). The Jones tube satisfaction questionnaire and the nasolacrimal duct obstruction-symptom score scores showed significant improvements at 1-year follow up, owing to appropriate management of complications. The good outcomes were maintained for up to 3 years of postoperative period., Conclusions: The long-term quality of life outcome following minimally invasive conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy with StopLoss Jones tubes was good. The quality of life significantly suffers between 3 and 6 months following the surgery and improves equally well following appropriate management of complications., (Copyright © 2021 The American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Inc.)

Purpose: To study the long-term outcomes of lacrimal canalicular trephination (LCT) with viscoelastic-assisted monocanalicular stenting (VAMS) for the treatment of epiphora secondary to lacrimal canalicular obstructions (LCO). Methods: Our study was a retrospective interventional work. All patients diagnosed with LCO, having morbid epiphora (Munk's scale ≥ 2), were included. The LCO was divided as proximal (< 6mm from punctum) and distal (≥ 6mm from punctum). Sisler's lacrimal trephine (21 gauge) was used to recanalize the LCO with monocanalicular stent (0.64mm diameter) insertion, which was kept for a minimum of 6 weeks and a post-stent removal follow-up of 12 months was ensured. Fluorescein dye disappearance test and lacrimal irrigation were used as functional and anatomical tests for evaluation, respectively. Results: We included 73 eyes of 52 patients having a mean age of 44.5 years. Of the total, the proximal LCO was seen in 38 eyes (52.1%) and distal in 35 eyes (47.9%). The preoperative Munk's score of 5 was noted in the majority (n=57 eyes, 78.1%). The majority (n=32 eyes, 43.8%) had chronic blepharitis or meibomian gland disease as etiology. Monocanalicular stent was kept in place for a mean of 13.5 weeks. At a mean follow-up of 14.5 months, complete response was noted in 35.6% cases, while 50.7% had partial and 13.7% had a failure of the procedure. Conclusions: LCT (without DCR) is a minimally invasive, simple, and effective technique for the treatment of LCO in the long term. VAMS is a helpful innovation to facilitate the insertion of the flexible silicone stent., (© The Authors.Romanian Society of Ophthalmology.)

Objective: According to the most recent metanalysis, the best way to establish safe enteral feeding in preterm babies using nasogastric or orogastric tubes is still not well understood. This study aimed to determine the effects of bolus nasal tubes versus bolus orogastric tubes on the time required to reach full enteral feeding in preterm infants, as well as to compare the incidence rates of adverse events including nonintentional removal or displacement of the feeding tube, aspiration pneumonia/pneumonitis, apnea, necrotizing enterocolitis, gastric residual, and growth parameters between the studied cohort of preterm infants., Study Design: We conducted an unblinded pilot randomized clinical trial on hemodynamically stable preterm infants (>28 weeks) recruited from level 2 neonatal intensive care unit at Mansoura University Children's Hospital from June 2015 to May 2017., Results: Our study included 98 stable preterm infants with mean gestational age (orogastric group: 33.27 ± 1.08, nasogastric group: 33.32 ± 1.57) and mean birthweight (orogastric group: 1,753.3 ± 414.51, nasogastric group: 1,859.6 ± 307.05). Preterm infants who were fed via bolus nasogastric tube achieved full enteral feeding in a significantly shorter duration compared with the infants fed via bolus orogastric tube. The incidence rates of aspiration and feeding tube displacement were significantly higher in the bolus orogastric tube group compared with the bolus nasogastric tube group. There was no difference in the incidence rates of apnea, necrotizing enterocolitis, bradycardia, oxygen desaturation, and gastric residual in both groups., Conclusion: Preterm infants without any respiratory support receiving bolus nasogastric tube feeding achieved full enteral feeding significantly sooner than those receiving bolus orogastric tube feeding. Additionally, bolus nasogastric tube feeding had a lower incidence of aspiration, tube displacement, and the infants regained birthweight more quickly than those receiving orogastric tube feeding., Key Points: · Preterm babies achieve full entral feeds sooner by nasogastric tubes than orogastric tubes.. · Incidence of nasogastric tube displacement and aspiration is less than orogastric tube.. · Infants on nasogastric tubes feeding regain birth weight quicker than those fed by orogastric tubes.., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To compare the outcomes of canaliculotomy and curettage with and without silicone tube intubation in the treatment of primary canaliculitis., Methods: A prospective, randomized, interventional case series was performed. Fifty patients diagnosed with unilateral inferior primary canaliculitis underwent canaliculotomy with curettage and were randomly divided into two groups depending on silicone tube intubation. Twenty-five patients were recruited in group A (without intubation) and 25 patients were recruited in group B (with intubation). The resolution of infection, the success rate and postoperative complications observed in both groups were analyzed with a minimum follow-up of 1 year., Results: Forty-seven patients were finally included in the study consisting of 23 patients in group A and 24 patients in group B. There were 33 females and 14 males with a median age of 57 ± 13.9 years (range 29-89 years). All patients recorded complete resolution of canaliculitis and no recurrent infections were observed in the 2 groups during follow-up. A significantly higher number of anatomical and functional successes were achieved in patients in group B (100%, 87.5%) than in group A (78.3%, 60.9%) ( P < .05,). The surgical complication of canalicular obstruction was significantly higher in patients in group A (21.7%, 5/23) compared to group B (0/24)(P < .05)., Conclusion: Canaliculotomy with curettage gives excellent clinical outcomes in the treatment of patients with primary canaliculitis and a higher success rate can be achieved when silicone tube intubation is performed during the procedure. The use of silicone tube intubation may be a necessary choice in canaliculotomy to avoid post-operative canalicular obstruction.

Importance: The current neonatal resuscitation guidelines recommend positive pressure ventilation via face mask or nasal prongs at birth. Using a nasal interface may have the potential to improve outcomes for newborn infants., Objective: To determine whether nasal prong/nasopharyngeal tube versus face mask during positive pressure ventilation of infants born <37 weeks' gestation in the delivery room reduces in-hospital mortality and morbidity., Data Sources: MEDLINE (through PubMed), Google Scholar and EMBASE, Clinical Trials.gov and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials through August 2019., Study Selection: Randomised controlled trials comparing nasal prong/nasopharyngeal tube versus face mask during positive pressure ventilation of infants born <37 weeks' gestation in the delivery room., Data Analysis: Risk of bias was assessed using the Covidence Collaboration Tool, results were pooled into a meta-analysis using a random effects model., Main Outcome: In-hospital mortality., Results: Five RCTs enrolling 873 infants were combined into a meta-analysis. There was no statistical difference in in-hospital mortality (risk ratio (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.52, p=0.92, I 2 =11%), rate of chest compressions in the delivery room (RR 0.37, 95% CI 0.10 to 1.33, p=0.13, I 2 =28%), rate of intraventricular haemorrhage (RR 1.54, 95% CI 0.88 to 2.70, p=0.13, I 2 =0%) or delivery room intubations in infants ventilated with a nasal prong/tube (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.39,1.02, p=0.06, I 2 =52%)., Conclusion: In infants born <37 weeks' gestation, in-hospital mortality and morbidity were similar following positive pressure ventilation during initial stabilisation with a nasal prong/tube or a face mask., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: In rectal cancer surgery, insertion of transanal tube has been shown to have efficacy to prevent anastomotic leakage. This randomized controlled study aims to clarify the incidence of anastomotic leakage with or without transanal tube in patients with rectal cancer., Methods: Patients who underwent elective low anterior resection were randomly allocated to either have transanal tube insertion or not for five days after surgery. We examined the incidence of anastomotic leakage, postoperative 30-day morbidity and mortality., Results: 157 patients were randomized to the transanal tube group or the no-transanal tube group. Symptomatic anastomotic leakage occurred in six patients (7.6%) of the former group and eight patients (10.3%) in the latter group, without significant difference (p = 0.559). There was also no significant difference in morbidity between groups (p = 0.633) and no mortality was detected., Conclusions: Transanal tube insertion had no significant benefit towards prevention of anastomotic leakage in rectal cancer surgery., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To identify a rationale for correct surgical treatment of proximal lacrimal obstructions., Methods: Retrospective review of 775 consecutive patients (974 eyes) with proximal lacrimal obstructions, operated on with customized surgery by a senior surgeon (FMQL) from January 2003 to December 2018., Results: In case of punctal stenosis, punctoplasty was as effective as punctal dilatation with monocanalicular or bicanalicular stent (p > 0.05). In proximal canalicular obstructions, failure rate of dacrocystorhinostomy with retrograde intubation (R-DCR) was significantly higher in case of false inferior passage creation than in case of no false passage creation (p = 0.02). In mid-canalicular obstructions failure rate of R-DCR was 41.3%, and bypass surgery with Jones tube at second stage was likely. Trephination and monocanalicular intubation, performed in selected cases, had a failure rate respectively of 16.6% and 21.7% in mid and distal canalicular obstructions. Canaliculodacryocystorhinostomy (CDCR) was successful in 77% of cases of proximal common canalicular obstruction. Bypass surgery is the treatment of choice in case of no residual patency, and rates of tube extrusion were significantly reduced with the use of StopLoss Jones tubes (SLJT) (1.7%) with respect to standard tubes (12%), (p = 0.04, Fisher's exact test)., Conclusion: Patient history and accurate diagnosis of the site of obstruction are essential for a correct surgical choice. Less invasive techniques as trephination and intubation may be effective, but should be reserved to patients with no associated lower lacrimal obstruction. Further studies require specific randomized clinical trials, and a standardized protocol adopted by different clinical centres., (© 2020 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Abstract: To explore the treatment benefit of 125I seeds fixed on a gastric tube in the early inoperable esophageal carcinoma (EC).Three senile patients with early inoperable EC who were treated with brachytherapy between October 2017 and February 2019 were included in this study. 125I seeds were fixed on the gastric tube, which was then inserted on the surface of the EC. One patient suffered from severe pulmonary insufficiency; 1 patient underwent colon cancer surgery one week before treatment and suffered from liver dysfunction and esophageal varices; 1 patient suffered from venous embolism of lower extremities and pulmonary artery embolism.All three patients were successfully operated and completed treatment. During the operation, no displacement and shedding of 125I seed gastric tube occurred. After surgery, the discomfort while swallowing and pain after eating were significantly improved. Moreover, dysphagia was relieved in patient 3. In addition, no complications, such as perforation or bleeding, occurred. Local lesions were effectively controlled.Gastric tube with 125I seeds provides a new treatment protocol for inoperable EC and malignant obstruction of esophageal carcinoma., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Introduction : During the last 40 years equipment has been improved with smaller instruments and sufficient size working channels. This has ensured that bronchoscopy offers therapeutic and interventional options. Areas covered : We provide a review of recent advances and clinical challenges in pediatric bronchoscopy. This includes single-use bronchoscopes, endobronchial ultrasound, and cryoprobe. Bronchoscopy in persistent preschool wheezing and asthma is included. The indications for interventional bronchoscopy have amplified and included balloon dilatation, endoscopic intubation, the use of airway stents, whole lung lavage, closing of fistulas and air leak, as well as an update on removal of foreign bodies. Others include the use of laser and microdebrider in airway surgery. Experience with bronchoscope during the COVID-19 pandemic has been included in this review. PubMed was searched for articles on pediatric bronchoscopy, including rigid bronchoscopy as well as interventional bronchoscopy with a focus on reviewing literature in the past 5 years. Expert opinion : As the proficiency of pediatric interventional pulmonologists continues to grow more interventions are being performed. There is a scarcity of published evidence in this field. Courses for pediatric interventional bronchoscopy need to be developed. The COVID-19 experience resulted in safer bronchoscopy practice for all involved.

Background: High-flow nasal cannulae (HFNC) deliver high flows of blended humidified air and oxygen via wide-bore nasal cannulae and may be useful in providing respiratory support for adults experiencing acute respiratory failure, or at risk of acute respiratory failure, in the intensive care unit (ICU). This is an update of an earlier version of the review., Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of HFNC compared to standard oxygen therapy, or non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV), for respiratory support in adults in the ICU., Search Methods: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and the Cochrane COVID-19 Register (17 April 2020), clinical trial registers (6 April 2020) and conducted forward and backward citation searches., Selection Criteria: We included randomized controlled studies (RCTs) with a parallel-group or cross-over design comparing HFNC use versus other types of non-invasive respiratory support (standard oxygen therapy via nasal cannulae or mask; or NIV or NIPPV which included continuous positive airway pressure and bilevel positive airway pressure) in adults admitted to the ICU., Data Collection and Analysis: We used standard methodological procedures as expected by Cochrane., Main Results: We included 31 studies (22 parallel-group and nine cross-over designs) with 5136 participants; this update included 20 new studies. Twenty-one studies compared HFNC with standard oxygen therapy, and 13 compared HFNC with NIV or NIPPV; three studies included both comparisons. We found 51 ongoing studies (estimated 12,807 participants), and 19 studies awaiting classification for which we could not ascertain study eligibility information. In 18 studies, treatment was initiated after extubation. In the remaining studies, participants were not previously mechanically ventilated. HFNC versus standard oxygen therapy HFNC may lead to less treatment failure as indicated by escalation to alternative types of oxygen therapy (risk ratio (RR) 0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.45 to 0.86; 15 studies, 3044 participants; low-certainty evidence). HFNC probably makes little or no difference in mortality when compared with standard oxygen therapy (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.11; 11 studies, 2673 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). HFNC probably results in little or no difference to cases of pneumonia (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.09; 4 studies, 1057 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), and we were uncertain of its effect on nasal mucosa or skin trauma (RR 3.66, 95% CI 0.43 to 31.48; 2 studies, 617 participants; very low-certainty evidence). We found low-certainty evidence that HFNC may make little or no difference to the length of ICU stay according to the type of respiratory support used (MD 0.12 days, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.27; 7 studies, 1014 participants). We are uncertain whether HFNC made any difference to the ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to the fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO 2 /FiO 2 ) within 24 hours of treatment (MD 10.34 mmHg, 95% CI -17.31 to 38; 5 studies, 600 participants; very low-certainty evidence). We are uncertain whether HFNC made any difference to short-term comfort (MD 0.31, 95% CI -0.60 to 1.22; 4 studies, 662 participants, very low-certainty evidence), or to long-term comfort (MD 0.59, 95% CI -2.29 to 3.47; 2 studies, 445 participants, very low-certainty evidence). HFNC versus NIV or NIPPV We found no evidence of a difference between groups in treatment failure when HFNC were used post-extubation or without prior use of mechanical ventilation (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.22; 5 studies, 1758 participants; low-certainty evidence), or in-hospital mortality (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.64 to 1.31; 5 studies, 1758 participants; low-certainty evidence). We are very uncertain about the effect of using HFNC on incidence of pneumonia (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.17 to 1.52; 3 studies, 1750 participants; very low-certainty evidence), and HFNC may result in little or no difference to barotrauma (RR 1.15, 95% CI 0.42 to 3.14; 1 study, 830 participants; low-certainty evidence). HFNC may make little or no difference to the length of ICU stay (MD -0.72 days, 95% CI -2.85 to 1.42; 2 studies, 246 participants; low-certainty evidence). The ratio of PaO 2 /FiO 2 may be lower up to 24 hours with HFNC use (MD -58.10 mmHg, 95% CI -71.68 to -44.51; 3 studies, 1086 participants; low-certainty evidence). We are uncertain whether HFNC improved short-term comfort when measured using comfort scores (MD 1.33, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.92; 2 studies, 258 participants) and responses to questionnaires (RR 1.30, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.53; 1 study, 168 participants); evidence for short-term comfort was very low certainty. No studies reported on nasal mucosa or skin trauma., Authors' Conclusions: HFNC may lead to less treatment failure when compared to standard oxygen therapy, but probably makes little or no difference to treatment failure when compared to NIV or NIPPV. For most other review outcomes, we found no evidence of a difference in effect. However, the evidence was often of low or very low certainty. We found a large number of ongoing studies; including these in future updates could increase the certainty or may alter the direction of these effects., (Copyright © 2021 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Purpose: The aim of this study is to report the outcome of balloon catheter dilation as the primary treatment of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction in children of all ages., Methods: A 10-year retrospective study of 148 children (270 eyes), aged 9 to 159 months (mean age: 29.6 ± 17.7 months), who previously had not undergone a nasolacrimal surgical procedure and who presented with clinical signs of nasolacrimal duct obstruction, was conducted. All children underwent balloon catheter dilation of the nasolacrimal duct., Results: Treatment success, defined as complete resolution of nasolacrimal duct obstruction symptoms present at follow-up visits at 1 week and up to 6 months after surgery, was 87% (234 of 270 eyes). Partial success was defined as occasional tearing which was acceptable to parents and present in 3% (nine eyes). Only 10% of the children underwent a second procedure due to complete failure. In a sub-analysis by age groups-under 18 months, between 18 and 36 months, and above 36 months-complete resolution rates were 85%, 93%, and 77%, and partial success rates were 3%, 3%, and 4%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the age groups ( p  = .007)., Conclusion: In this large cohort of patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction, balloon catheter dilation was successful as a primary treatment for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction, particularly under the age of 36 months.

Purpose: A drain tube is commonly inserted during breast reconstruction surgery. This leads to a scar in addition to the scar on the breast. This study was performed to investigate how patients feel about the drain scar and to clarify its ideal location., Methods: A questionnaire survey about the drain scar was distributed to 38 consecutive breast reconstruction patients and a total of 104 female doctors and nurses engaged in breast reconstruction. The drain scars were evaluated using the Japan Scar Workshop (JSW) Scar Scale., Results: A total of 32% of the patients expressed some anxiety about the drain scar. Patients who were anxious about the drain scar had higher scores on the JSW Scar Scale than those who were not anxious. Younger doctors and nurses preferred the drain scar to be on the side of the chest, while older doctors and nurses preferred the drain scars to be at the axilla., Conclusions: About a third of the patients had some anxiety associated with their drain scar after breast reconstruction surgery, and this anxiety level was correlated with objective assessment of the scar. Thus, more patient involvement or the provision of more information regarding drain placement is required.

Difficult airways can be managed with a range of devices, with video laryngoscopes (VLs) being the most common. The C-MAC® Video-Stylet (VS; Karl-Storz Germany), a hybrid between a flexible and a rigid intubation endoscope, has been recently introduced. The aim of this study is to investigate the performance of the VS compared to a VL (C-MAC Macintosh blade, Karl-Storz Germany) with regards to the learning curve for each device and its ability to manage a simulated difficult airway manikin. This is a single-center, prospective, randomized, crossover study involving twenty-one anesthesia residents performing intubations on a Bill 1™ (VBM, Germany) airway manikin model. After a standardized introduction, six randomized attempts with VL and VS were performed on the manikin. This was followed by intubation in a simulated difficult airway (cervical collar and inflated tongue) with both devices in a randomized fashion. The primary end-point of this study was the total time to intubation. All continuous variables were expressed as the median [interquartile range] and analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. A 2-way ANOVA with Bonferroni's post hoc test was used to compare both devices at each trial. All reported p values are two sided. The median total time to intubation on a simulated difficult airway was faster with the VS compared to VL (17 [13.5-25] sec vs 23 [18.5-26.5] sec, respectively; 95% CI; P = 0.031). Additionally, on a normal airway manikin, the VS has a comparable learning curve to the VL. In this manikin-based study, the novel VS was comparable to the VL in terms of learning curve in a normal airway. In a simulated difficult airway, the total time to intubation, though likely not clinically relevant, was faster with the VS to the VL. However, given the above findings, this study justifies further human clinical trials with the VS to see if similar benefits-faster time to intubation and similar learning curve to VL-are replicated clinically., Competing Interests: JP declares that no competing interests exist. RRN: recipient of honoraria from Karl Storz, Germany for lectures at Euroanesthesia. Karl-Storz had no role in the present study and was not involved in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.

Background/aim: Tracheostomy performed on patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may lead to the infection of operators and medical staff. To date, there are no established methods of infection control. The aim of this study was to provide helpful and useful information regarding tracheostomy during the COVID-19 pandemic., Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis on 12 patients with severe COVID-19 who were intubated and underwent tracheostomy in our hospital., Results: Percutaneous tracheostomy was performed in eight cases, and open tracheostomy was performed in four cases. Open tracheostomy in the operating room was performed under a negative pressure closed-space system using a surgical drape to prevent aerosolization., Conclusion: Our experience suggests that bedside percutaneous tracheostomy may be a useful option in patients with COVID-19. In cases where percutaneous tracheostomy is anticipated to be difficult, open tracheostomy using a negative pressure closure may be useful in preventing aerosolization and reducing the risk of infection of healthcare workers., (Copyright© 2020, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Background and Aim: Intubation of the terminal ileum (TI) demonstrates a complete colonoscopy, but its clinical value during screening exams is unknown. We aimed to determine whether TI intubation during screening colonoscopy is associated with colonoscopy quality measures or identifies subclinical pathology., Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study examining average-risk screening colonoscopies performed at an academic health system between July 2016 and October 2017. Data were extracted from an internal colonoscopy quality registry and the electronic health record. Appropriate statistical tests were used for group comparisons, to correlate TI intubation rate (TIIR) with measures of colonoscopy quality and to examine factors associated with the likelihood of TI intubation., Results: There were 7799 colonoscopies performed with adequate prep quality by 28 gastroenterologists. Most patients were female (56.4%) with a median age of 58. The median TIIR was 37.0%, with significant variability among physicians (2-93%). The detection rates for all polyps, adenomas, and sessile serrated polyps were 62.1%, 45.5%, and 7.2%, respectively, and none correlated with TIIR. Intubation of the TI was associated with significantly longer withdrawal times. In a random 10% sample of cases with TI intubation, no clinically significant pathology was found., Conclusions: There is wide variability in TIIR among endoscopists. Except to provide photodocumentation of exam extent when other images may be difficult to obtain, the lack of correlation between TI intubation and meaningful clinical outcomes together with the associated time costs suggest routine TI intubation during screening colonoscopy may not be warranted., (© 2020 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Rationale: The establishment of lung isolation is often particularly challenging for the anesthesiologist in patients with difficult airway. Usually, orotracheal intubation with double lumen tube is the commonly used technique for achieving 1 lung anesthesia. Whereas, in patients with limited mouth opening and restricted cervical mobility, this technique becomes extremely difficult and hazardous. We report a case in which bronchial blocker placement was succeeded via both nostrils in a difficult airway due to restricted mouth opening., Patient Concerns: A 50-year-old, non-smoking female with a painless mass in the left upper lobe. She had a 10-year history of ankylosing spondylitis and squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth after 5 operations 4 years previously., Diagnoses: Left upper lobe adenocarcinoma, ankylosing spondylitis and oral squamous cell carcinoma., Interventions: To achieve 1 lung anesthesia, both nostrils were used for extraluminal bronchial blocker placement., Outcomes: Initially, oral intubation was selected for establishing a patent airway but failed. Then switched to nasal canal for insertion, after several attempts, a conventional nasal intubation tube (internal diameter 6.0 mm) was placed via 1 nostril under topical anesthesia, with the aid of a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope, and a bronchial blocker was advanced to the desired position via the other nostril., Lessons: In difficult airway with limited mouth opening and restricted cervical mobility, multidisciplinary experts participated discussion is a prerequisite for contemplating a scientific plan. Preoperative computed tomography scan and 3-dimensional computed tomography reconstruction would be helpful in detecting the narrowest part of airway conduit and determining a safe, reliable, and feasible airway program.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of stents on the success of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR-EN) for treating primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO)., Method: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials of DCR-EN for NLDO comparing outcomes of surgeries performed with and without the use of bicanalicular stents and the complications associated with each procedure. Two authors independently searched six databases (Scopus, PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science) up to May 2019. Statistical analysis and meta-analysis were performed using RevMan 5.3 software provided by the Cochrane Collaboration., Results: Twelve studies involving 997 surgeries were included in this systematic review. The meta-analysis using a fixed-effects model showed a 94% success rate with stents versus 90.6% without stent. Although stent use favors greater success of DCR-EN, the confidence interval (CI) was wide and very close to nullity line (1.01), decreasing the strength of the recommendation for stent (odds ratio: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.01-2.59, I 2  = 0%). Meta-analysis of the adverse effects was not possible. A descriptive analysis was performed of the general complications related to the stents., Conclusions: There is evidence that the use of bicanalicular stents slightly improves the success rate of DCR-EN, but the quality of evidence is low. Future prospective, randomized trials enrolling larger sample sizes may provide stronger evidence to determine whether the stent use influences the success of primary acquired DCR-EN.

Background: The effect of paramedic crew size in the resuscitation of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains inconclusive. We hypothesised that teams with a larger crew size have better resuscitation performance including chest compression fraction (CCF), advanced life support (ALS), and teamwork performance than those with a smaller crew size., Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled study in a simulation setting. A total of 140 paramedics from New Taipei City were obtained by stratified sampling and were randomly allocated to 35 teams with crew sizes of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 (i.e. 7 teams in every paramedic crew size). A scenario involving an OHCA patient who experienced ventricular fibrillation and was attached to a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) machine was simulated. The primary outcome was the overall CCF; the secondary outcomes were the CCF in manual CPR periods, time from the first dose of epinephrine until the accomplishment of intubation, and teamwork performance. Tasks affecting the hands-off time during CPR were also analysed., Results: In all 35 teams with crew sizes of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the overall CCFs were 65.1%, 64.4%, 70.7%, 72.8%, and 71.5%, respectively (P = 0.148). Teams with a crew size of 5 (58.4%, 61.8%, 68.9%, 72.4%, and 68.7%, P<0.05) had higher CCF in manual CPR periods and better team dynamics. Time to the first dose of epinephrine was significantly shorter in teams with 4 paramedics, while time to completion of intubation was shortest in teams with 6 paramedics. Troubleshooting of M-CPR machine decreased the hands-off time during resuscitation (39 s), with teams comprising 2 paramedics having the longest hands-off time (63s)., Conclusion: Larger paramedic crew size (≧4 paramedics) did not significantly increase the overall CCF in OHCA resuscitation but showed higher CCF in manual CPR period before the setup of the CPR machine. A crew size of ≧4 paramedics can also shorten the time of ALS interventions, while teams with 5 paramedics will have the best teamwork performance. Paramedic teams with a smaller crew size should focus more on the quality of manual CPR, teamwork, and training how to troubleshoot a M-CPR machine., Competing Interests: All authors have read and approved the final manuscript. There are no conflicts of interest to declare.

Purpose: To investigate feasibility of endoscopic endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (EE-DCR) with an novel lacrimal ostium stent (LOS) intubation for patients with chronic dacryocystitis with small lacrimal sac., Methods: Patients diagnosed as chronic dacryocystitis with small lacrimal sac who preferred to surgery treatment between March 1st, 2012 and May 1st, 2015. All included subjects were randomly divided into 2 groups (Group A and Group B). Cases in group A were performed EE-DCR with LOS intubation while cases in group B were underwent EE-DCR without LOS intubation. Demographic data of each cases were collected. The success rate and the surgical outcomes of 2 groups were compared., Results: The success rate was much higher in group A than group B. At 3 months follow up, 61.6% of patients in group A exhibited scarring and/or granulation tissues around the ostium, which was significantly higher than the 36.4% of patients in group B. Of these patients with scars and/or granulation tissues, no statistical difference was found between 2 groups. Granuloma alone and scars with granuloma were observed in 10 patients and 2 patients, in group A and group B, respectively, resulting in a statistical significant difference for this outcome between the groups. At 9 months follow up and 12 months follow up, no significant statistical difference were found in the rate of scarring and/or granulation tissues, scars alone, granuloma alone and scars with granuloma between 2 groups., Conclusions: EE-DCR with novel LOS may be an effective procedure to manage chronic dacryocystitis with small lacrimal sac.

Introduction: The primary cause of congenital epiphora, congenital nasolacrymal duct obstruction (CNLDO) affects 5 to 20% of newborns. In children over 12 months, it is currently recommended to treat with primary probing and intubation of the nasolacrymal duct under general anesthesia. The purpose of this study is to compare "pulled" monocanalicular intubation (Monoka) versus "pushed" monocanalicular intubation (Masterka)., Methods: This retrospective study included 73 children between 2014 and 2017 who presented with CNLDO with membranous (mucosal) obstruction. All procedures were performed under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Children with CNLDO underwent either monocanalicular silicone intubation (Monoka) with classic nasal recovery or pushed monocanalicular intubation (Masterka) inserted via the canthus. Treatment success was defined as complete resolution of epiphora at two months after the procedure., Results: Surgical outcomes were assessed in 53 eyes with Monoka and 20 eyes with Masterka intubation. The mean age at treatment was 25 months (range, 12-69 months) for the two groups. Treatment success was achieved in 19 of 20 eyes (95.0%) in the Masterka group compared with 50 of 53 eyes (94.0%) in the Monoka group. A tube loss occured in 14% of cases in both groups., Conclusion: In children over 12 months of age, the Masterka "pushed" monocanalicular intubation technique is an effective treatment for congenital nasolacrymal duct obstruction., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To investigate long-term outcome and report reoperation rate of non-infected, complete acquired lacrimal drainage obstruction (ALDO) treated with canaliculodacryocystoplasty (CDCP) depending on site of stenosis., Method: Consecutive adult patients with non-infected, complete ALDO treated with CDCP were followed for 76 months. Location of stenosis at preoperative visit and intraoperative probing was recorded, and during follow-up, recurrence of stenosis prompting additional surgery and complications were noted. Survival analysis was applied to compare reoperation rate depending on site of stenosis. A follow-up questionnaire was sent to patients not requiring reoperation asking to grade current epiphora problems., Results: Among 85 included cases (71 patients), 57 were classified as canalicular stenosis and 28 as nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) preoperatively. At the end of follow-up, 39% (33/85) of cases had required additional surgery due to persistent/recurrent symptoms. No statistical difference was found between these groups. During CDCP, 25 of the 57 preoperatively classified canalicular stenosis were found to have an additional obstruction below the sac. The group with only canalicular stenosis had a statistically significant higher survival compared with cases with NLDO or multiple obstructions (p = 0.03). Of patients responding to the follow-up questionnaire, 11/37 cases experienced epiphora often or constant., Conclusion: Treating complete NLDO with CDCP results in a high reoperation rate and seems an insufficient alternative. Canaliculodacryocystoplasty (CDCP) may be discussed if preoperative examination indicates canalicular stenosis and dacryocystorhinostomy is not desirable. However, the patient needs to be aware of the higher risk for additional surgery, especially if a second stenosis is found during probing., (© 2019 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)