Abstract Purpose: Indications, techniques and complications of external DCR. Methods: Indications are lacrimonasal stenosis with clinical symptoms : epiphora, dacryocystitis . The external approach is more specifically interesting in case of canalicular stenosis associated, when a skin approach is necessary or in case of lacrimal tumor . The endonasal approach is the best way in case of nasal or sinusal pathology, failure of DCR or lacrimal abscess and for us in case of bilateral DCR. Technique is always the same, under general or local anaesthesia with nasal vasoconstriction. After disinfection, probing, the skin incision is short and rectilinear inside or outside the angular vessels. Marking is the anterior lacrimal crest. After section of the medial canthal tendon, an osteotomy is performed ; it must be wide with or without anterior ethmoidectomy. We make two anterior mucosal flaps which are sutured and fixed at the periosteum. We do not use systematically a bicanalicular intubation ; we put an intubation in case of canalicular stenosis, or for a second DCR or in case of surgical difficulties. The main complications are haemorrhages, cribrosal plate fracture with cerebrospinal leakage, infection, pain and in a few case, a bad scar. Results: The results are good. Anatomical and functional success are found in 88 to 96%, for us 91.2% . The failures occur during the three first months. Conclusions: Conclusion: To compare internal or endonasal DCR, the advantages for the external way are cost, rapidity and usual practise. Endonasal DCR needs a lot of material, an apprenticeship and usually a scanner before the surgery and systematically a bicanalicular intubation. In conclusion, external DCR remains an easy technique, which is quick, with high success rate and few complications.