Evaluation of the endoscopic revision of dacryocystorhinostomy failure cases: a cohort study

INTRODUCTION: The dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) procedure is linked to a high success rate; however, cases of tearing recurrence are not rare and should be managed efficiently. Thus, evaluating cases of DCR failure allows highlighting the factors significantly impacting the results in order to realize better controlled primary surgeries. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Twenty-eight patients were operated in our Otolaryngology Department for endoscopic revision of DCR failure between January 2019 and June 2022. Their clinical presentation, postoperative evolution, and findings of the primary and revision surgeries were assessed until the actual follow-up. RESULTS: The first surgery was based on an external approach in 17 patients and the bicanalicular silicone tube intubation was kept for a mean of 4.25 months. The recurrence delay varied from 0.5 to 9 months. Revision surgery revealed synechia in 10 patients, a completely closed DCR ostium in 22 patients (78.57%) by mucosal scarring and granulation, and lacrimal sac fibrosis in 16 patients (57.14%). A significant correlation was found between maintenance of the silicone intubation tube greater than or equal to 3 months and lacrimal sac fibrosis (P=0.016<0.05). CONCLUSION: Thus, better controlled primary surgeries with optimal exposure, wild marsupialisation of the lacrimal sac and no longer systematic bicanalicular intubation which should be dedicated to difficult anatomies and canalicular affections should guarantee better functional results.