[Analyzing endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy: difficulties and solutions]

To assess the incidence of operative difficulties in endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomies, as well as to suggest solutions.

This retrospective study searched for reports of complications and intraoperative difficulties in our records of 268 endoscopic endonasal dacryocystorhinostomies, in 241 patients, performed from October 1999 to August 2005. The patients' age ranged from 2 to 92 years (mean: 49.1 years). Uncinectomy (partial excision of the uncinate process) was employed as the entry to the lacrimal fossa, no drills being needed for the osteotomy.

There were operative difficulties in 37 (13.8%) procedures. The most frequent sources of difficulty were hemorrhage (n = 12) and nasal anatomy abnormalities (n = 14). Less common sources were lacrimal sac mucocele, anterior ethmoid cells and resistant uncinate process. Of the nasal alterations disturbing surgery, the most common was septal deviation, followed by polyps, hypertrophied middle turbinate and fracture of the lateral wall. Complications were observed in 5 (1.9%) cases, including postoperative epistaxis (n = 3), subcutaneous emphysema and displacement of the silicone tube.

Endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy was shown to be a safe procedure, with a minimal incidence of postoperative complications. Its indication, however, is limited. Not all patients can undergo this technique without correction of nasal anatomy alterations. Though most surgeries with this technique present no difficulties, this procedure may be technically difficult, especially in the presence of hemorrhage or reduced nasal space.