Dacryocystorhinostomy: Evolution of endoscopic techniques after 498 cases.

Introduction: Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy is a well-known surgical practice used to treat nasolacrimal duct obstruction and widely considered as a valid alternative to external approaches.

Purpose: We present a retrospective case series of 498 endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomies on 401 patients, from July 2004 to May 2018, at the Department of Otolaryngology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.

Methods: Of the 498 procedures, 426 were unilateral and 72 were bilateral dacryocystorhinostomy. All patients underwent routine preoperative workup including fluorescein test (Jones test 1-2), probing and irrigation of the lacrimal way, nasal endoscopy, and maxilla-facial computed tomography scan. Surgical technique was based on nasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy followed by positioning of a Catalano's silicone stent, which was left in place for about 3 months. Anatomical success was defined as a patent ostium on irrigation, whereas functional success was defined as free lacrimal flow on functional test and resolution of epiphora.

Results: Anatomic success was achieved in 91.54% cases in primary dacryocystorhinostomy and in 89.36% after revision, whereas functional success was obtained in 90.4% in primary and 85.1% in secondary dacryocystorhinostomies. After a second revision of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy, anatomical success was achieved in 90.1% and functional success in 88.7% of procedures.

Conclusion: Our results confirm that endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy can be considered as a valid surgical approach to primary nasolacrimal duct obstruction and revision cases. The key aspects in achieving functional and anatomical results are meticulous surgical procedure and precise follow-up.