Lacrimal sac massage for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction: a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Aim: Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) is the most common cause of epiphora and mucous discharge in the newborn. We conducted a multicentre randomised controlled trial to determine whether Crigler massage promotes the resolution of CNLDO in infants under 1 year of age.

Methods: A total of 102 infants aged 3-11 months with unilateral CNLDO were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to the massage and non-massage groups (n=51/group). As an allocation adjustment factor, the patients were divided into age groups of 3-5, 6-8 and 9-11 months. In the massage group, the guardian performed 10 strokes two times per day for each day until resolution or 1 month. The primary endpoint was a comparison of the 1-month resolution rate in the massage and non-massage groups.

Results: This study included 49 male and 53 female patients with a mean age of 6.4±2.4 months. Overall, in this study, the resolution rate was not significantly different between the massage and non-massage groups (31.4% and 33.3%, respectively). However, the resolution rate was higher in the massage group in the 3-5 months age group among the protocol-compliant patients after excluding those with insufficient massage frequency (the massage group, 68.8% and the non-massage group, 28.6%, p=0.022).

Conclusions: There was no increase in the resolution rate after 1 month of lacrimal sac massage in patients 3-11 months old with unilateral CNLDO. However, in protocol-compliant younger age groups, Crigler massage may be effective.

Trial registration number: UMIN Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN000032840; www.umin.ac.jp/).