Dacryocystorhinostomy in nasolacrimal duct obstruction secondary to sarcoidosis

Over the past 3 years we have treated 4 patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction secondary to sarcoidosis. These patients have had mixed outcomes following endonasal laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). A literature search from 1966 to the present yielded a further 11 cases of patients thought to have sarcoid who underwent DCR. The outcome of these 15 patients indicate that while all were initially successful, the subsequent failure rate is high. These patients are older than the majority of patients with sarcoidosis and there is a female preponderance. Systemic steroids reversed obstruction in one patient. We recommend nasal examination in all patients with nasal symptoms in whom DCR is proposed to help identify sarcoidosis or other intranasal disease and/or to allow treatment of specific diseases prior to surgery.