Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare surgical outcomes and complications of endonasal conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy (CDCR) according to Jones tube location.
Methods: Patients who underwent endonasal CDCR owing to proximal obstruction of the lacrimal drainage system between 2009 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the location of the proximal end of the Jones tube. The canthal-based group included patients in which the proximal end of the Jones tube was located in the medial canthal angle, and the fornix-based group included patients in which the proximal end of the Jones tube was located in the inferomedial conjunctival fornix. Success rates were evaluated at 3 months and 6 months after surgery. Causes of failure, incidence of tube migration, and incidence of canthal deformity were also evaluated.
Results: The success rate at 3 months postoperative was 95% in the canthal-based group and 78.6% in the fornix-based group (P = 0.283). Success rates at 6 months postoperative were 85% in the canthal-based group and 71.4% in the fornix-based group, respectively (P = 0.410). The main cause of failure was granuloma in the canthal-based group (2/20) and medial migration in the fornix-based group (3/14). Medial canthal deformity occurred in 12 of 20 cases in the canthal-based group, but none occurred in the fornix-based group.
Conclusion: The canthal-based group had a lower migration rate and slightly better surgical success rate than the fornix based group, but canthal deformity was more prevalent.