Predictors of long-term success and failure in primary and revision endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy

Although endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (endo-DCR) is a common treatment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction, little is known about the determinants of surgical success and failure. The purpose of this study was to identify patient- and technique-specific factors that may influence surgical outcomes of primary and revision endo-DCR.

A retrospective review was conducted of 596 patients who underwent endo-DCR over a 30-year period (1989-2018). Patients' demographics and surgical techniques were assessed.

Among the cohort of patients (n = 478) who underwent primary endo-DCR, 10% (n = 48) required revision surgery. Patients who failed primary DCR tended to be younger (p = 0.015) and were less likely to have chronic sinonasal inflammation on histopathology (p = 0.047) than the successful surgery group. After adjusting for patient demographics and comorbidities, the occurrence of a postoperative complication was significantly associated with primary DCR failure (odds ratio [OR], 2.2; p = 0.032). Among the cohort of patients (n = 118) who underwent revision endo-DCR, 8.5% (n = 10) required additional revision surgery. Patients who failed revision DCR tended to be younger (p = 0.022), more likely to have had intraoperative laser usage (p = 0.031), and more likely to have had an intraoperative complication (p = 0.013) than the successful revision surgery group. Endo-DCR failure was not associated with smoking status, middle turbinate resection, or intraoperative visualization of the internal common punctum (p > 0.05).

An understanding of factors associated with primary and revision endo-DCR failure can help to inform preoperative counseling, intraoperative surgical technique, and postoperative care in the treatment of patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction.