Comparison of balloon dacryocystorhinostomy with conventional endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy for relief of acquired distal nasolacrimal drainage obstruction and its impact on quality of life: A prospective, randomized, controlled study.

Background: We compared balloon dacryocystorhinostomy with conventional endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy for the management of acquired distal nasolacrimal obstruction and the quality of life post procedure.

Methods: 98 patients, aged 10-73 years, were recruited and randomized into 2 groups of 49 each who underwent conventional endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (group 1) and 9 mm balloon assisted endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (group 2). Follow-up sessions were conducted at 3, 6 and 12 months post-op.

Results: Group 2 showed significantly shorter mean operative time (25.10 min versus 29.82;  < 0.001), lesser pain in the post-op evening (mean 2.12 versus 2.9 on NRS-11 pain scale;  < 0.001) as well as on first post-op day (mean 1.08 versus 1.73;  < 0.001). Success was achieved in 89.79% in group 1 and 93.87% in group 2 at 3 months ( = 0.46) which declined due to recurrences to 85.71% and 87.75% respectively at 12 months ( = 0.76). Complications occurred in 14 cases in group 1 and in 10 cases in group 2 ( = 0.34). All were minor. Mean GBI scores (for quality of life assessment) at 12 months follow-up were 27.20 and 28.38 respectively ( = 0.08).

Conclusion: The efficacy, safety and quality of life of balloon dacryocystorhinostomy and conventional endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy were comparable. In addition, balloon dacryocystorhinostomy had significantly shorter operative time and lesser post-op pain.