External Dacryocystorhinostomy: Indications, Method, Complications and Results

Abstract

In a retrospective study of the years 1978–1989, data were acquired on 1014 external dacryocystorhinostomies performed at the Department of Ophthalmology of Münster University Hospital. The age- and sex distribution showed a range of 2–93 years with a maximum in the 5th–7th decades (average 53.2 years) and a sex ratio of 61% females to 39% males. With regard to the etiology of the dacryostenosis, 60% of the patients had recurrent chronic dacryocystitis, 32% a history of acute dacryocystitis, 7% facial trauma and less than 1 % (n = 5) had tumors. The functional success rate was 85% after a postoperative follow-up period of 1–11 years (average 35.6 months). No serious intra- or postoperative complications were seen.