Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy: long-term experience and outcomes

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Otorhinolaryngology

Background:

• Nasolacrimal duct obstruction causes persistent epiphora, impacting quality of life.
• Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is a minimally invasive surgical option.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.
• To report outcomes over a 14-year period in a large patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series of 624 endoscopic DCR procedures in 442 patients (1999-2014).
• Data collected included demographics, complications, and follow-up outcomes.
• Patients were stratified by age (adults/children) and epiphora type (congenital/acquired/functional).

Main Results:

• High anatomical success rates: 90.1% in adults and 91.5% in children.
• Functional success was observed in 91% of adult functional epiphora cases.
• Overall complication rate was low at 3.2%.

Conclusions:

• Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy is a safe and effective treatment for persistent epiphora in both adults and children.
• The procedure achieves success rates comparable to the traditional external approach.
• Offers good outcomes for congenital, acquired, and functional nasolacrimal duct obstruction.