Revision dacryocystorhinostomy: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: The goal of this study is to determine if a certain revision DCR approach (external, endoscopic endonasal, laser transcanalicular) is superior to others. Additionally, this investigation evaluates the effect of the primary surgery on success of revision.

Methods: This investigation is a systematic review and meta-analysis. All studies specifying type of primary DCR and revision DCR were included. Proportion of successes of each revision for every primary surgery was obtained from the included studies. Meta-analyses were performed to determine cumulative proportions of successes across studies.

Outcome Measures: Significant differences in the proportions yielded by meta-analysis of successes among different surgical approaches.

Results: The type of primary surgery did not significantly influence overall revision success if the same procedure was used for the revision. Overall successes per each revision type were not significantly different. When performing subgroup analyses per each primary surgery, all methods of revisions were similar in efficacy with one exception: when the primary surgery was done using the laser transcanalicular approach, external revision outperformed repetition of the primary method.

Conclusions: Regarding success of re-operation, surgeons can use the method they are most comfortable with to perform DCR revisions. However, primary transcanalicular laser DCRs should be revised, if necessary, using the external approach.