Opening a dacryocystorhinostomy into the opposite nasal cavity in a case of hemiarhinia

Heminasal agenesis is an exceedingly rare congenital anomaly which is frequently associated with disorders of eye, lacrimal drainage system and face. At times, a proboscis may also be noted with this condition. Herein, we present a case of a 13-year-old boy who presented to us with heminasal agenesis with concomitant microphthalmos, leucomatous corneal opacity, blepharoptosis, dacryocystocoele and maxillary hypoplasia. The child underwent a modified transeptal external dacryocystorhinostomy with placement of a lacrimal stent. There was significant improvement of epiphora and discharged following surgery. Heminasal aplasia with dacryocystocoele is surgical challenge; however, a well thought out surgical approach can yield satisfactory outcomes.

ENDOSCOPIC ENDONASAL DACRYOCYSTORHINOSTOMY: EXPERIENCE OF HUNDRED CASES

Objective: To determine the success rate of Endonasal Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy (Endo-DCR) in cases of chronic dacryocystitis secondary to primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO). Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Oculoplastic Surgery, Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology Rawalpindi, from Sep 2018 to Nov 2019. Methodology: Endo-DCR under General Anaesthesia was performed on 100 patients of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction causing chronic dacryocystitis. Post-operatively these patients were checked on first post-op day, then on one week and finally four months after surgery. We removed silicone tubes of all the patients four months after surgery. To ensure patency of lacrimal passage, we did syringing and irrigation of lacrimal system of all cases, at conclusion of the study. We chose absence of epiphora and patent lacrimal system on syringing as indicators of successful procedure. Results: Hundred patients (males 37; females 63) were recruited for this study. Mean age of our sample population was 51.1 ± 29 years. Right nasolacrimal duct obstruction cases were 56 whereas left nasolacrimal duct obstruction cases were 44. Subjective improvement i.e., absence of epiphora was found in 90% patients. We got successful irrigation of lacrimal passages (objective improvement) in 94% of patients. Conclusion: Endo-DCR yields comparable results to external Dacryocystorhinostomy (Ex DCR). It offers additional benefits of esthetically better outcome, lesser complication rate and short surgery and patient recovery time.

Use of Triamcinolone Acetonide in External Dacryocystorhinostomy

Purpose: To study the effect of Triamcinolone Acetonide injection into the ostium through the external wound after one week of external Dacryocystorhinostomy. Study Design: Quasi experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Khalid Eye Clinic, Karachi, from July 2018 to June 2019. Methods: This study included forty patients with age ranging between 18 to 36 years. All patients had obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct. Patients were categorized into two groups. Both groups underwent external dacryocystorhinostomy with silicone intubation, with the difference being that patients in group A were injected with 20 units of Triamcinolone acetonide 40 mg/ml into the ostium through wound using 27 gauge needle, one week after the surgery. Group B did not receive any injection. Both groups were followed for a period of four months, at which time the silicone tube was removed and patency of lacrimal system was ascertained via syringing with balanced salt solution through the lacrimal puncta. Main outcome measure was the success rate of procedure. Results: The mean age of the patients was 27.1 ± 5.48 years. Success rate was 100% among the patients of group A and 85% in the patients of group B at the end of the four months followup period. However, the results were statistically insignificant (p = 0.115). Conclusion: Although statistically insignificant but clinically Triamcinolone Acetonide proved helpful in reducing fibrosis and ostium granuloma formation in patients with Ex-DCR. Thus preventing failure of external Dacryocystorhinostomy. Key Words: Triamcinolone acetonide, external dacryocystorhinostomy, DCR.

The importance of clinical presentation on long-term outcomes of external dacryocystorhinostomies: Our experience on 245 cases

Purpose External dacryocystorhinostomy (EXT-DCR) is a surgical approach commonly used to treat post-canalicular acquired lacrimal obstruction whose success rate has been described, equally with endoscopic DCR, to be superior to other available treatments. Methods At San Raffaele Hospital, Milan (Italy), from January 2008 to December 2020, 245 EXT-DCRs were performed. All patients underwent routine pre-operative work-up including Jones tests and probing and irrigation of the lacrimal pathway; when necessary, a multidisciplinary approach with nasal endoscopy was performed. The surgical approach was followed by positioning of a bicanalicular stent which was left in place for 6 months. Success was defined as resolution of clinical signs/symptoms and free lacrimal flow on functional test. Results Of the cases enrolled, 26.9% were treated for recurrent epiphora (group 1), and 73.1% for epiphora associated with chronic dacryocystitis (group 2). After a median follow-up of 71 months, group 1 had success at T0 (1 month) and T1 (long-term) of 81.8% and 60.6%, respectively, compared to 93.8% and 77.7% in group 2. Statistical analysis showed a significant association with surgery both at T0 ( p = 0.018) and T1 ( p = 0.012) with group 2 showing better outcomes. Additionally, the cosmetic outcome of the external scar was defined as invisible in 91.8% of cases and slightly visible in 8.2%. Conclusions External dacryocystorhinostomy provides long-term reliable results particularly in case of chronic dacryocystitis. Moreover, the optimal esthetic outcome of the external scar should be no longer considered the only guiding principle of treatment modality, particularly in the elderly.

Changes of Tears MCP-1 Level After External Dacryocystorhinostomy in Primary Acquired Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

Purpose: To define tears MCP-1 changes after uncomplicated external dacryocystorhinostomy with bicanalicular silicone tube intubation surgery.Methods: In this prospective, longitudinal study, we included patients diagnosed with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction and underwent dacryocystorhinostomy with bicanalicular silicone tube intubation surgery. Tears samples were collected with a Schirmer strip placed lateral conjunctival cul-de-sac and stored in Eppendorf tubes at -80°C. At the end of the study, they were taken out of the -80°C cabinet and brought to room temperature. The papers were cut into small pieces and incubated in 2 milliliters tubes with phosphate-buffered saline solution in a shaker at 100 revolutions per minute. Then they were centrifuged at 1.000 revolutions per minute for 5 minutes. MCP-1 levels were determined by using an ELISA kit. Results: Of the patients, 14 (56%) were female, and 11 (44%) were male. The mean age was 52.7±10.3 years (ranged from 30 to 63 years). The MCP-1 levels were 498.66±101.35 ng/L, 576.40±149.78 ng/L, 422.53±85.94 ng/L, 436.96±81.38 ng/L before surgery, in the first week, the first and third months after surgery, respectively. The mean MCP-1 level significantly increased in the first week compared to the preoperative level (p < 0.001). In the postoperative first month, there was a prominent decrease (p < 0.001). In the third postoperative month, the mean MCP-1 level was not significantly increased compared to the postoperative first month (p=0.196).Conclusion: The tears MCP-1 level was significantly decreased after uncomplicated external dacryocystorhinostomy with bicanalicular silicone tube intubation surgery

Role of anaesthesia in endoscopic and external dacryocystorhinostomy: A meta-analysis of 3282 cases

Distal acquired lacrimal obstruction is a common adulthood pathology whose primary treatment is represented by EXT-DCR and END-DCR. When considering their influencing factors, the role of the type of anaesthesia applied during these surgeries has a major role. The aim of this study is to systematically analyse the influence of general and local/regional anaesthesia on the final success rates of EXT-DCR and END-DCR. Primary EXT-DCR and END-DCR articles published later than 2000 with at least 50 single clinician procedures were selected. Exclusion criteria included acute dacryocystitis, tumours, studies focussing on revision surgeries, surgeries with adjunctive procedures, not clearly demarcated surgeons, mixed cohort study of acquired and congenital disorders. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with MOOSE guidelines; where feasible, a meta-analysis of the collected results was conducted. As a result, 11,445 articles were selected of which 2741 were examined after screening, and 16 included after full text review (0.6% of the initial papers). Among all papers included, the number of EXT-DCR was not enough to provide a solid analysis of the effect of anaesthesia; conversely, a significant difference of success rate was noted between local anaesthesia + sedation (85.1%, IC 77.8%–90.4%), and general anaesthesia (90.8%, IC 88.8%–92.4%) in END-DCR ( p = 0.048). In conclusion, END-DCR performed with general anaesthesia should be considered as the solution of choice; however, local anaesthesia, eventually associated with a sedation, can be used as an alternative in selected cases. No meaningful conclusions could be drawn for EXT-DCR, due to the lack of data.

Sinonasal effects of external dacryocystorhinostomy

Objective External dacryocystorhinostomy is thought to cause mucociliary dysfunction by damaging the mucosa, in turn affecting ciliary activity and mucus quality. This study investigated the effect of external dacryocystorhinostomy on sinonasal function. Methods Patients scheduled for unilateral external dacryocystorhinostomy who underwent endoscopic nasal examination and paranasal sinus computed tomography were included in this study. A saccharine test was performed on the planned surgical side and the mucociliary clearance time was determined. The sinonasal quality of life was measured in all patients, pre-operatively and at six months post-operatively, using the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22. The Lund–Kennedy endoscopic score was also determined in all patients, both pre- and post-operatively. Results The study comprised 28 patients (22 females and 6 males). A statistically significant difference was found between the pre- and post-operative saccharine test results (p = 0.006), but not between the pre- and post-operative Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 scores (p > 0.05). Conclusion This study is one of only a few to investigate the effect of external dacryocystorhinostomy on sinonasal function. The results showed that external dacryocystorhinostomy impairs mucociliary clearance. The surgical procedure is well tolerated and does not significantly change nasal symptom scores.