CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY SCORE IN PATIENTS WITH DACRYOCYSTORHINOSTOMY AND CORRELATION WITH SURGICAL OUTCOME

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Chronic dacryocystitis involves nasolacrimal duct obstruction and inflammation.
• Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is a surgical intervention for this condition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the surgical success of DCR in patients with chronic dacryocystitis.
• To histopathologically grade inflammation in lacrimal sac biopsies using the chronic inflammatory score (CIS).
• To determine if CIS correlates with DCR surgical outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-five patients with chronic dacryocystitis underwent DCR and lacrimal sac biopsy.
• Biopsies were microscopically analyzed to assign a CIS (mild, moderate, severe).
• Surgical success was assessed at 6 months post-operation via lacrimal tract syringing.

Main Results:

• The study included 25 patients (mean age 37.76 years), with 60% right eye involvement and 80% female patients.
• Biopsies revealed severe inflammation (72%), moderate angiogenesis (76%), moderate fibrosis (72%), squamous metaplasia (40%), and reduced goblet cells (72%).
• Despite severe CIS in 72% of patients, DCR success rate was 96% at 6 months.

Conclusions:

• DCR demonstrates a high success rate in patients with chronic dacryocystitis, irrespective of severe inflammation.
• The degree of chronic inflammation, as indicated by CIS, does not appear to be a limiting factor for DCR success.
• Further large-scale studies are recommended to validate these findings.