Evaluation of 11 dacryocystorhinostomies

We reviewed 11 patients (7 women and 4 men) with acquired dacryostenosis who underwent a dacryo-cysto-rhinostomy (DCR) at Saiseikai Utsunomiya Hospital between May 2000 and April 2004. The etiology was considered chronic inflammation in six, trauma in two and complications of paranasal sinus surgery in two. In addition to lacrymal probing and irrigation, we investigated all patients by anterior rhinoscopy and CT. One patient showed pneumatization in the lacrymal sac on CT and dacryoatresia was confirmed with irrigation. We diagnosed the common canaliculi as the site of atresia, and this was confirmed intraoperatively. We treated 7 cases by traditional extenal DCR (EXT-DCR) and 4 by endonasal endoscopic DCR (EE-DCR). We treated one case of relapsed obstruction with EE-DCR but treated well with the same method. The EXT-DCR cases have not show any recurrence to date. There were two cases of stenosis at the common canaliculi and both were improved after EE-DCR with silicone tube insertion. With EE-DCR, the duration of surgery was shorter and there was no scar formation or facial deformity. We suggest that ENT doctors should pay more attention to diseases of the naso-lacrymal system and cooperate with ophthalmologist when designing treatment regimens.