Unsuccessful Lacrimal Surgery: Causative Factors and Results of Surgical Management in a Tertiary Referral Center

Abstract

Background: To evaluate possible causative factors of unsuccessful dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) surgery, and present the surgical technique and results of revision external DCR in a tertiary referral center. Methods: During 2001–2007, 79 patients (59 female, 20 male, 83 revised DCR sites) underwent revision external DCR for the management of recurrent epiphora after unsuccessful DCR surgery. The possible reasons for unsuccessful DCR surgery were noted according to the preoperative nasal endoscopic and perioperative findings, and revision surgery was performed to address these. Results: The mean age was 43.1 ± 12.0 years, and the mean follow-up was 21.4 ± 12.4 months. At presentation, 58 patients had a history of 1 unsuccessful lacrimal surgery, 16 had 2 unsuccessful surgeries, and 5 had 3 unsuccessful surgeries. The most common preoperative endoscopic finding was nasal mucosal fibrosis and synechiae, and the most common causes of unsuccessful DCR surgery were inappropriate size and location of the bony ostium, fibrosis at rhinostomy site, and canalicular obstruction, respectively. Of the 83 revised DCR sites, 79 sites underwent external DCR with silicone intubation, and conjunctival DCR with Jones tube insertion was performed in 4 sites. Success was achieved in 78 sites (93.9%) with the first revision DCR surgery, and in 81 sites (97.6%) with the second revision. Conclusions: Revision DCR has standard concepts in common with primary DCR surgery; however, for a favorable surgical outcome, the revision surgery should address possible causative factors of failure.