Endoscopic radiofrequency-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy with double stent: a personal experience.

AIM: To report the success rate of endoscopic radiofrequency-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy with double stent and the use of a Griffiths collar button.

METHOD: A prospective, single surgeon, uncontrolled, interventional case series study was designed to include 112 patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Endoscopic radiofrequency-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy (ERA-DCR) with insertion of a Griffiths collar button was done on 102 patients with unilateral nasolacrimal duct obstruction and 10 patients with bilateral nasolacrimal duct obstruction. The operation was defined as a success if: a) preoperative epiphora was resolved; b) nasolacrimal patency was achieved as confirmed by lacrimal irrigation as well as by endoscopic observation of fluorescein dye flowing through the surgical ostium on lacrimal irrigation.

RESULTS: A total of 122 ERA-DCR procedures was done, of which 117 procedures involved cases of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO) and five procedures involved cases of previously failed endonasal DCR. Two failures were observed in this study out of the 117 procedures done on PANDO cases. The success rate is computed at 98% (115/117). The postoperative follow-up period was 28.08 +/- 14.7 months.

CONCLUSION: Endoscopic radiofrequency-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy with double stent and the use of a Griffiths collar button shows a success rate of 98% in the long-term patency of the intranasal ostium.