Pediatric Dacryocystorhinostomy

Of 258 cases of dacryocystorhinostomy performed on children in the period September 1981 to September 1991, 130 were for simple, unresolved congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Other indications for surgery included punctal agenesis, lacrimal fistula, post-traumatic and post-inflammatory canalicular obstruction. Of 177 children without canalicular pathology, 171 (96%) were relieved of symptoms with one operation, without canalicular intubation. Of 81 cases with canalicular disease, 55 of 70 (79%) who underwent DCR plus canalicular intubation, and 10 of 11 who underwent DCR plus Lester-Jones tube, were substantially improved with one operation. No child required peroperative or postoperative blood transfusion. Dacryocystorhinostomy in childhood, in experienced surgical hands, is a safe procedure, achieving relief of symptoms in most cases, particularly in the absence of canalicular disease

Paediatric endoscopic endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy in congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction

The original publication can be found at www.springerlink.comObjectives The objectives of this study were to report a series of paediatric patients who underwent endoscopic endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) for primary congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO). Methods This is a retrospective, noncomparative review of all consecutive cases in two lacrimal clinics between January 1999 and October 2004. The main outcome measures were patients’ demographics, previous treatments, clinical presentation, operative and postoperative complications, postoperative follow-up and resolution of epiphora. Results Twenty-one patients (15 males) with a mean age of 6±3.5 years (range, 2–14 years) underwent 26 endoscopic DCR operations for congenital NLDO. Sixteen cases were unilateral, and five were bilateral. In 13 cases (50.0%), there was a history of epiphora and chronic dacryocystitis with or without a mucocele. Two cases (7.7%) presented with acute dacryocystitis, and 11 (42.3%) had only a history of epiphora. Previous procedures included probing and irrigation in 25 cases (96.2%) and insertion of Crawford tubes in 19 cases 973.1%). During a mean postoperative follow-up period of 18±8 months, the anatomical success rate (free flow of fluorescein sodium and patency of ostium on nasal endoscopy) was 100%, and the clinical success rate (resolution of epiphora) was 92.3%. Conclusion Endoscopic endonasal DCR is an effective treatment modality for congenital NLDO that compares favourably with the reported success rates of external DCR.Igal Leibovitch, Dinesh Selva, Angelo Tsirbas, Edward Greenrod, John Pater and Peter J. Wormal